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It doesn't happen often, but when your Eye is on the Sparrow, sometimes it does. This is the true story of a man's passion, dedication, courage and vision, and that of his family and followers who, captivated by the dream are making something extraordinary happen. Like its namesake, the Sparrow is small, swift and efficient. It will change personal transportion forever.
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Thirty four years ago in a 900 s.f. factory in Bolton, Connecticut, 25-year old Mike began what would become the world's preeminent motorcycle seat and accessory business.
Mike, taking his cue from what he wanted to pursue personally and what was going on around him, probably had little idea of the magnitude of the profound effect he'd have on how the world would think about transportation.
The Navy-trained master electrician's penchant for electric vehicles fueled the development of his first electric mini bike. It had an automobile starter, 12-volt Delco truck battery and handcrafted metal tubular frame. Mike made 20 of the mini bikes, even sold a few to motorcycle dealers.
 The success of the mini bike was small, but it marked the beginning of the dream - to make a complete and working electric vehicle.
In 1969 the movie Easy Rider came out ushering in an era of unprecedented motorcycle industry growth. As the industry grew so did Mike's business, from 3 employees to 9. Still dreaming about producing an electric vehicle the World would embrace, Mike honed his skills in making seats, handlebars and frames. He designed new products, made them, taught others how to make them, and marketed them.
The demands of producing seats, running the factory and meeting payroll put the development and perfecting of his electric vehicle on the sidelines - for awhile.
(From son Tom's distilled memory of riding that mini bike on the gravel, five years old, feet barely touching, we know it was more than learning to ride a motorcycle for him. It, too, was the beginning of the Dream.)
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