Dave Rahardja<p><a href="https://sfba.social/tags/TodayILearned" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TodayILearned</span></a> that the “bemo” autorickshaw, a three-wheeled, motorized public transport vehicle popular in <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/Indonesia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Indonesia</span></a> since the 1960s, were actually *two* different vehicles.</p><p>The first is a derivative of a Daihatsu Midget, a three-wheeled Japanese Kei car driven by a two-stroke 250 cc engine. This was a super popular model, also used for the ubiquitous “tuk-tuk” in the Phillipines. In Indonesia, the vehicle was modified to have a pair of longitudinal bench seats and a canopy for passengers over the rear cargo area.</p><p>The second is actually a trike built on the Piaggio Vespa 150 scooter, with its rear end completely replaced with a passenger compartment.</p><p>Both vehicles (as well as the later ill-fated 4-stroke Renault variant) were made by <a href="https://sfba.social/tags/Bajaj" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Bajaj</span></a> Auto, an Indian manufacturer of tiny public transport vehicles, which is still going strong today.</p><p>Photo 1: Daihatsu Migdet. From: <a href="https://otomotif.kompas.com/image/2023/11/24/070200215/mengenal-sejarah-bemo-di-indonesia-berasal-dari-daihatsu-midget?page=2" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">otomotif.kompas.com/image/2023</span><span class="invisible">/11/24/070200215/mengenal-sejarah-bemo-di-indonesia-berasal-dari-daihatsu-midget?page=2</span></a></p><p>Photo 2: Vespa-based Bajaj trikes. From: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jakarta_Indonesia_Bajaj-in-Glodok-01.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil</span><span class="invisible">e:Jakarta_Indonesia_Bajaj-in-Glodok-01.jpg</span></a></p><p><a href="https://sfba.social/tags/cars" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cars</span></a></p>