fanfaire for the working man: triporteurs.

1927 Blotto Triporteur

Via: The excellent triporteurs

"In France, triporteurs are viewed fondly as an invaluable part of 20th Century history. The name describes any 3-wheel vehicle, including un-motorized 3-wheel delivery tricycles and ordinary pedal tricycles; motorcycle and scooter pick-ups and vans; the later style of closed-cab vehicles (such as Lambretta/ Vespa/ Piaggio Ape); and 3-wheel microcars.

1905 Alldays Delivery tricycle

Three-Wheelers were the first cars, often known as ‘tri-cars.’
In many Western countries, mass production of 4-wheelers almost made 3-wheelers obsolete.

This brochure shows a 1932 Sachs 98cc 3-Wheeler Delivery Truck, an example of the lightweight 3-wheelers (dreirad) that were being manufctured in Germany by the early 1930’s.

In Italy they’re called ‘motocarro.’ In Spain and South America ‘Moto-furgone.’ In Germany, ‘dreirad’ and across the Channel they are ‘triporteurs’ - a ‘three-wheeled carrier.’

Moto Guzzi Depliant Ercolino 192cc:

Towards the end of the 1920’s, commercial triporteurs started to come onto the market in France. In Great Britain, where there was a greater production of large-capacity motorcycles, it seems that motorcycles with sidecars provided a similar function."