This Florida man is taking his pear-shaped moped on a summer cross-country road trip

Associate Editor

Pears have always been sculptor Andrew Glubbey’s favorite fruit. So, when the Florida native began building his self-sculpted ride, it was only natural for it to take shape after the sweet pome. But building a pear-shaped structure made from two-by-fours and aluminum cans around his Genuine Hooligan 170cc scooter was only half the battle. You see, Glubbey plans to take his pear-mobile from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

“I really love the shape. I’ve always loved just eating pears. It’s like an apple with a little head on it. It’s one of the funniest-looking fruits, and I think it’s a very happy shape. It’s voluptuous, and it’s smiling,” Glubbey said in an interview with Road & Track. “I’ve done pear sculptures in the past. People loved them, and I thought it was a really fun shape to make. It fit perfectly on the bike, and there’s enough space for storage inside the pear as well, without having saddlebags on the outside of the sculpture.”

The young man, who hails from Merritt Island, Florida, is no stranger to long stints on the open road; a self-titled art car based on a minivan carried Glubbey and his compatriots across the country last year, but 2026 gas prices made him rethink his plans. So instead of scrapping his summer trip, Glubbey turned to the efficiency of two-wheel vehicles.

“Honestly, it started out just wanting to save on gas. I have a bus out in Florida, and I wanted to travel. I was doing the math on how much it would cost to get up to Washington in the bus. Out on the West Coast, it’s probably $6 to $7 a gallon of gas. It would cost me probably close to $3,000 to get there and back,” Glubbey said. “I was like, there must be a better way. And I’m not afraid of getting a little dirty and a little wet.”

During a roadside break in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Glubbey said he departed his Florida home, traversed straight north, heading for Georgia. The plan is to hit as many cities along the way before reaching the Pacific Northwest. There are adaptations required to riding a scooter, Glubbey admitted, but the feeling of wind flowing through his pear-shaped structure and motorcycle helmet is unbeatable. Plus, the scooter’s 55-mph top speed means he can pace himself throughout the 3,100-mile journey.

“I was kind of surprised by how easy this pear is to drive on two wheels, and I hope to inspire other people to do the same thing on a motorcycle. It’s easier to go from city to city and take a break in the city. With motorcycles, it’s a lot harder to just keep driving and driving and driving, because it’s just a lot more work,” Glubbey said. And working with a moped has opened up new avenues for his sculpture: “I really enjoy the motorcycle, because you don’t have to really modify the bike at all. And you have so much space to work with. Obviously, you can only do so much on a motorcycle because you have to lean. So the sides have to be high enough off the ground, so when you’re at an angle, it doesn’t scrape.”

Glubbey’s cross-country adventures are about more than seeing the sights. Sculpting is Glubbey’s primary passion, and his touch has historically been focused on automotive applications. Navigating across the country provides Glubbey with an audience. For example, his minivan-based art car, which featured a nautical theme and trunk-mounted stairs, snagged first place in the 2025 Houston Art Car Parade. But his latest adventure isn’t focused on awards; instead, he’s placing a higher value on human interaction.

“I’ve pretty much only gotten really good reactions from this particular vehicle. I’ve driven a lot of crazy vehicles before, and especially when you’re going slow, it’ll piss people off,” Glubbey said. “People will flip you off. I’ve even gotten DMs from people just saying some nasty stuff. This one, I’m going slow, and when people pass me, they’ll give me a thumbs up, or a friendly honk, or whatever. It’s been the most friendly car to drive around that I’ve sculpted on.”