I know little of motor vehicles, but googling japanese scooters wwii was very little help, partially since Google predominates any historical search with America; but surfing through got me to some Pinterest images that seems a very close cousin

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d6/06/c8/d606c8226c6a817a493a85eca770052e.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fe/1c/94/fe1c94372aaa5ea8a54a18ee2871c83b.jpg

called a Honda Zoomer [ 2002 ]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Zoomer

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so I reckon maybe a Honda wartime forebear. Quite like a parachutist's mini motorcycle. A lot of mini motorcycles back then could have doubled as lawn-mowers or sewing-machines...

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Claverhouse said:

I know little of motor vehicles, but googling japanese scooters wwii was very little help, partially since Google predominates any historical search with America; but surfing through got me to some Pinterest images that seems a very close cousin

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/d6/06/c8/d606c8226c6a817a493a85eca770052e.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fe/1c/94/fe1c94372aaa5ea8a54a18ee2871c83b.jpg

called a Honda Zoomer [ 2002 ]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Zoomer

.

so I reckon maybe a Honda wartime forebear. Quite like a parachutist's mini motorcycle. A lot of mini motorcycles back then could have doubled as lawn-mowers or sewing-machines...

.

Original name of this is the Honda Ruckus, which I'm convinced is what this is. Adjusting tags as such.