This films been around since 1991, and I’ve only just noticed that the main character, Topper Harley is probably a scooter reference. Duh! Now, I was sure I’d written a Harley Topper before, but I was probably thinking about the other indigenous US Scooter, the Cushman (post here… worth checking out… oh, and this one).  Anyway. I hadn’t.

Topper Harley

Harley Topper

The Topper was the only scooter Harley Davidson every produced. Made between 1961 and 1965, and despite it’s squarish, “50’s American Refrigerator” lines, it’s certainly not a bad looking scooter. (That last sentence just shows how much my aesthetics have changed over the years… I remember when I first saw a picture of a Topper I thought it unbelievably fugly!). Let’s just say it’s “of its time”.

There’s an owners club, with a ‘virtual website’ (a tautology surely? perhaps an ironic one) here.

In a postmodern twist, Topper himself has his own Facebook page, here.

Anyway. Back to Hot Shots, and my favourite line:

Topper Harley: You’re the only one that knows how to get to the ‘copter pad. If I’m not there in 15 minutes, you know what to do…
Colonel Walters: Yeah, get the hell out of here!
Topper Harley: No! Wait another 15 minutes!