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The father-in-law and the Golfmobile

A man on one of Martin Kyburz's first electric golfmobiles, a road and a bush in the background.

My father-in-law needs a golfmobile

My father-in-law at the time, Dieter Mevert, had two great passions: gliding and golf. He crashed his glider and was seriously injured. Fortunately, he survived. However, his ankle had to be stiffened. As a result, he was suddenly no longer able to pursue both of his hobbies. Thanks to his iron will, he was able to walk again quite well after a short time - but he did not want to get into a glider any more. He was also no longer able to play golf, as he could only walk a few hundred metres without pain.
He knew about my development work on the scooter and asked through his daughter Tina, my wife at the time, whether it would be possible for me to build a golfmobile entirely according to his wishes. Possibly the initiative also came through my then mother-in-law, who longed to have a little more peace and quiet in her house again. She only had peace and quiet when her husband was out on the golf course indulging in his game.
Whoever had the wish, I began with the construction. The vehicle had to be robust, dismountable for transport by plane and easy to transport. This is how the VIP 1 - Golf vehicle line came into being, which was to serve my father-in-law for many years.
I went to the golf course a few times, but I didn't really want to get into this sport. What I did become fully aware of, however, was this: After his accident, my father-in-law was still exactly the same as before his accident - only his mobility was restricted by his stiffened foot.

a three-wheeled golfmobile photographed obliquely from behind in a meadow.

I built VIP 2 and 3, two curve-tilting vehicles intended for senior citizens. Through a marketing study, I came across the Swiss Aids Exhibition SAHB in Oensingen, which specifically catered to the needs of people with walking disabilities. I showed the exhibition manager my vehicles and learned from him that many walking-impaired people no longer had a particularly good sense of balance. From that point of view, they were overtaxed with a curve tilt.
At this point, I began to think about how I wanted my own vehicle if I were to be dependent on a mobility aid one day. The vehicle should resemble a motorbike as much as possible. It should be robust and manoeuvrable. It should have wheels that are as big as possible so that it can also be mobile off-road. The plans for my first vehicle in the CLASSIC line were drawn up. But how should I build the vehicles?