Image by Fb35523, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
As this is The Dual Wheel Journey, most vehicles here are, you know – two-wheelers.
As such, there’s no talk about cars at all here.
But with that said, I must make an exception in the case of this vehicle called the “Forshaga Shopper,” for a few reasons:
- It’s so weird
- It has 3 wheels – in other words, it’s still eligible
In this blog post, you’ll discover more about the Forshaga Shopper and who made it.
What is the Forshaga Shopper?
The Forshaga Shopper (AKA the Norsjö Shopper, or just “Shopper”) is a small moped-like vehicle designed as a street-legal shopping cart to do the weekly shopping in.
And the reason why I called it a “moped-like” vehicle is because even though it has the same engine as a moped, it has something very different on it.
You’ve probably noticed it already – it’s a massive fairing at the front, designed to shield the rider from the elements:
In many ways, you could consider it Sweden’s answer to the Tuk-Tuk – although the Tuk-Tuk has a much larger 250cc engine, while the Shopper only has 49ccs.
Shopper specs:
Engine: 2-stroke fan-cooled Sach or Husqvarna engine
Displacement: 49 cc
Rear-wheel suspension: Rubber
Gearbox: 3-speed manual or automatic (later models)
Drivetrain: Chain-drive (enclosed)
Front brake: Disc brakes
Rear brakes: Disc brakes
Wheel sizes: 8″
Total weight: 74 kg/163 lbs
The vehicle was available in several colors + including blue, red, and orange.
And it might be called the “Shopper,” but any cargo you might carry isn’t secured – all you get is in this shallow tin basket that won’t be able to hold anything if you take a corner too fast.
There’s also no passenger seat. Then again, shopping is not what I’d consider a team effort.
Who made the Shopper?
Whether you call it the “Norsjö Shopper,” “Forshaga Shopper,” or just the “Shopper,” the vehicle was built in 1961 by a company called Norsjö Mekaniska Verkstad AB.
At the time, the vehicle was known as the “Partner,” but in 1964, it got the name “Shopper.”
