Anyone reading this who is a ‘90’s kid will remember the game of Punch Buggy played in the car on long family road trips. Any parent of a ‘90’s kid will remember the fights they had to break up in the back seat when one sibling hit the other too hard or didn’t play by what they considered the “car rules”.
While the rules of punch-buggy-no-punch-backs might be widely debated, one thing for certain is not: these German-made cars’ bubble-like structures were iconic. Though production of the original ended in 2003 (though they were no longer sold in the US after 1980), one enthusiast has begun repurposing the old cars into adorable, albeit funny-looking, scooters.
The VW Mini Bike
Self-proclaimed “maker and builder of a variety of things” Brent Walter has created the “Volkspod” by welding together the fenders from all four corners of old VW Beetles. The scooters have a rear and taillights from the original car and wide bicycle-type handlebars for the rider to hold onto – and hold on you will want to do. These slightly alien-looking bikes have a 3 horsepower engine and can go up to 25 miles per hour. That’s pretty quick for a simple scooter!
Volkswagen Down to the Details
Not only do these bikes have the same bulbous shape that you’re used to seeing from the VW Bug line, but they’ve got all the small details too. The classic Volkswagen crest can be found on the front of the bike, the step to help you get on, and the engine, too.
Though these little bikes may not be ideal for long trips or highway driving, they’re great for a short scoot into town or a leisurely tour of the neighborhood on a sunny day. If you want to learn more about his mini-bikes (and maybe even how to make one for yourself!) you can follow along with Brent on his Instagram, walter_werks.
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- ‘The Original Volkswagen Beetle Repurposed To Create A Fashionably Old Fashioned Mini Bike’ Yanko Design Srishti Mitra. Published November 12, 2019.
- ‘Walter Werks’ Instagram