Final: Kreidler versus Hercules

Posted on by admin

Table of contents

Final: Kreidler versus Hercules
Sdun

motorcycles

Final: Kreidler versus Hercules

Final: Kreidler versus Hercules
Maiden voyage

Longing for a moped, riding a moped: a painful topic for many young people in the 1970s. One affected person helped himself and restored his childhood dream. Despite a color faux pas, he started the first tour.

Ralf Schneider

04/10/2008

At the beginning of this story is the dream of a really fast 50s. Too powerful for a weak Mokick substitute, it survived three decades in the consciousness of the dreaming. Its fulfillment began with a pile of core scrap. He was ready to go, but the previous owner ?? should his hands wither? had destroyed practically every thread, bent wheel axles, rims, fork, footrests and swingarm. Only the damage to the engine turned out to be repairable, and the exhaust was still usable. A second pile, urgently needed, was added, with shapeless lumps of rust instead of the crankshaft and gearbox, but at least unbent and not screwed up.

That was about three years ago. At that time, the dreamer received a great deal of pity from his wife, children and numerous others. Because it was more about his state of mind than the condition of the restoration objects, it didn’t help. Only one of his friends, a Franconian who was as open to the world as he was at home, understood. He was very local patriotic in his youth Hercules drove, of course a fast K 50. Even today he is grateful for the lessons she taught him and the freedom she gave him. And because he knows that material possessions are worthless as long as one cannot associate an experience with them, he set the dreamer a tangible goal: “Just find us when it’s done, dei Greidler. Then take a lap. “

Now it’s done. Although the paint does not match the original color, it was the result of a misunderstanding. Regardless, after all, the appearance of the RS is dominated by its chrome parts anyway. The tank, lamp ring, fender struts and even the brake pedal catch the sun’s rays and make the entire little vehicle shine. The light reflections swirl in the wheels with their chrome-plated rims and spokes, the engine screeches wonderfully in the highest tones as the RS leaves Stuttgart on its course east-north-east.

Wild fifties


Final: Kreidler versus Hercules


Sdun

The Sachs engine is well-formed, with a patina of 35 years.

Full throttle, merciless. This is the motto on the first section of the route, on the B 29. If something should break, please do so right away. But nothing breaks. The runs around 85 km / h Kreidler on a level track under a proudly billowing driver in a textile suit. More top speed would only be possible downhill or with a longer gear ratio for a much longer start-up.

From Winterbach there is no more screeching straight ahead, the Welzheimer Wald offers bends over bends. And causes disillusionment about the Kreidler chassis. The good old sheet metal press frame does it quite well, but the fork offers a breathtaking combination of bumpy response and underdamping, the hindquarters pumps in undulating curves like a cockchafer. No wonder that the wild boys used to dig their way into botany in droves. Or is it the Italian retrofit strut and the fact that the special Kreidler oil for the fork is no longer available?

An almost forgotten virtue helps: first look for mistakes in yourself. Recognize and avoid bumps, do not give in too early or hastily, body tension to relieve the suspension and above all: no half measures on the throttle. Open for a long time or close briefly, nothing else applies. And lo and behold, when the brave 50s driver gives his best in terms of feeling, precision, determination and commitment, the line becomes round, the ride brisk and every curve a small reward.

The former Hercules driver also refreshed this knowledge the next day. Because instead of doing the tour through Franconia in his son’s 125cc, he receives a 1974 Hercules K 50 SE with the best recommendations from the Black Forest scooter and moped museum. Precious, in the original paint, with a patina of 35 years and over 30,000 kilometers on the watch, technically tip top and ?? very important ?? equipped with the typical front swing arm.

Nostalgia and driving fun


Final: Kreidler versus Hercules


Sdun

The Kreidler carried its proud driver over the B29 at 85 km / h.

It drives very comfortably, but does not allow any uncertainties when cornering. At the slightest tap of the brake lever, the front rises, the K 50 pushes out of the curve, making you do magic on the edge of oncoming traffic. And although it is more powerful in the lower speed range than the square Kreidler two-stroke, the lower over-revving capacity of the long-stroke Sachs engine forces it to do precise shifting work. Who is building a six-speed gearbox for these engines??

Who really needs one? For a real time machine, 6.6 to 7.3 HP and five gears are sufficient. And already on the way from Roth to the former mountain race track near Obermassing, a sedate middle-aged man turns back into a teenager ?? at least according to his driving style. Squeezes out the last tenths of a horsepower on the ascent, squeezes in tight curves to the furthest edges of the lane, slows down revs until the rev counter sweats blood, and pace wherever possible. The other has already experienced the same transformation on arrival, can initially give a few more examples of unscrupulous use of materials and roads and then surrenders to the ensuing harmony.

It screeches, buzzes and mills in sync over the streets with little traffic, pumps and crumples, glitters and sparkles, as if you were dancing according to a carefully worked out choreography. Sometimes one overtakes the slipstream, sometimes the other, sometimes the third gear of the Hercules is better suited for an incline, sometimes the enthusiastic Kreidler pulls past with a jubilant soprano. A small side street between Wiesenhofen and Hirschberg, laid in the folds of the terrain, even has a real, small jumping hill ready; here the nimble ratchets provide a really big idea.

end of the story


Final: Kreidler versus Hercules


Sdun

Medieval cities and baroque castles reveal the anarchic element that was in the wild 50s.

The technical background for the almost perfect harmony will later be provided by the dynamometer. Of the Kreidler’s 0.7 HP more power, the stiff drive train eats up half a HP in the last gear. And the remaining 0.2 PS only come into play beyond 70 km / h. So a stalemate on a high level of driving pleasure. The old ball bearing of the sprocket carrier is suspected, a second carrier with a new C3 bearing is now available.

At the end of the day you can find yourself at Hirschberg Castle. Crackling engines and hot heads cool down to normal temperature. The two 50s pose in the castle courtyard as a bright orange-red-chrome contrast to the baroque complex. Then it flashes again, the disrespectful-anarchic that has always been theirs. The editorial team thanks Werner Link and his friends from the Black Forest scooter & Moped Museum, www.museum-verein.de, for leasing the Hercules and Sebastian Hohnhaus for helping with the photo rides.

Kreidler RSH-L (1977)

engine
Single-cylinder two-stroke, air-cooled, bore / stroke: 40 / 39.7 mm, displacement: 49 cm³, compression 11.3: 1, power (factory specification): 6.25 HP at 8500 rpm, Bing round slide carburetor, Ø 20 mm , Multi-disc oil bath clutch, five-speed claw gear, chain drive

landing gear
Pressed sheet metal frame, front telescopic fork, rear two-sided swing arm with two spring struts, front and rear full-hub drum brakes, Ø 160 mm, front and rear tires 2.75-17 reinforced,

price
3030 Mark (1977)

Hercules K 50 SE (1974)

engine
Single-cylinder two-stroke, air-cooled, bore / stroke: 38/44 mm, displacement: 49 cm³, compression 11.2: 1, power (factory specification): 6.25 HP at 8000 rpm, Bing round slide carburetor, Ø 19 mm, multiple discs -Oil bath clutch, five-speed draw key gear, chain drive

landing gear
Central tubular frame with bolted beams, long swing arm pushed at the front, two-arm swing arm with two spring struts at the rear, full-hub drum brakes at the front and rear, Ø 140 mm, front and rear tires 2.75-17 reinforced ??

price
1960 Mark (1974)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *