Enter the
It has been speculated that a total of 35 Litestars and 346 Pulse vehicles were built. At this time only 100 vehicles are on this RESISTRY. The serial numbers are confusing because of the different factories involved and records are not available.
If you know of any Litestar or Pulse vehicles, please e-mail the vehicle number and owners name to be added to the list, Free of Charge.
The BD-200 was built in the fall of 1980. Jim Bede handbuilt this machine with the help of Doug Walsh and Paul Griffen.
The Prototype has an actual motorcycle front end and rear end which was basically cut in half and stretched. The VIN number on the front forks of the bike matches the motorcycle body in back. The fiberglass shell-body was fabricated over the bike frame. This prototype seems to be more heavy duty, all the way around, than the production models.
More pictures of a Scranton built Litestar....unknown #.
According to Owosso Motor Car Co. President Ed Butcher, Tomorrow Corp.'s only 'investment' in OMCC was the payment for the following 21 Litestars, which were delivered.
The month and or year date is the final inspection or ship date of the vehicle. Note: Vehicles built between August and December 1985 may be called 1986 models, etc.
Most Pulses left the factory with new Yamaha 400cc engines and a few were powered by 'reconditioned' Honda four cylinder 1100cc or 1200cc engines. Note: Honda engines were up to 10 years old.
1985.......145 units
1986.......101 units
1987.......25 units
1988.......28 units
1989.......24 units
1990.......3 units
of 248 known vehicles
65......Red
45......White
35......Silver
35......Yellow
30......Blue
23......Burgandy
4.......Tan
3.......Black
3.......Gold
2.......Orange
2.......Grey
1.......Green
The Scranton built vehicles can be identified by the small wheels, with the outrigger tension rod fix, and bent square tubing frame around the engine. Scranton originaly purchased 20 bikes and we used their first car as a test mule.
The vehicles described below are the only cars built by myself at Bede Design, and I can positively identify any of them if they are found.
The #1 factory prototype is the BD-200. This car shares no parts with any other car.
The #2 factory prototype (Chicago auto show car) had a TIG welded round tube chassis attached to the front and rear of the main aluminum tube. It used one of the first two hand laid fiberglas bodies made from new molds. It also had custom seats, no exposed outrigger link, motorcycle forks and wheels, 450 automatic, small outrigger wheels, and an aluminum dash. It was white in color with a three color stripe.
There was a 3rd car (chassis only) I built that used round tubing, and a GPZ 1100 donor bike. It belonged to a dealer (Dave Scwartz), and it was later fitted with the spare set of hand lay-up body parts that we got to build the show car with. I don't know if it was ever completed.
There was also a test car that used the very first Scranton built chassis. It started with a red paint job, but was later painted silver. This was the car that we used to develop the new suspension and car wheels/brakes right before I left Bede Design. It had the first prototype larger outrigger wheels, and I believe it was used after we left, for outrigger testing by Bruce Emmons. I dont know if that car was ever titled or sold. It can be identified by a nicer quality TIG welded front suspension, and volkswagen wheels and tires.