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Archive indexIn 1889, Anton Kreidler founded a company: "Stuttgarter Telegraphendraht und Kabelfabrik, A Kreidler" (the Stuttgart Telegraph Wire and Cable Factory). Although a successful business, the effect of two world wars effectively closed the business.
Anton's son, Alfred, managed to re-open the factory in 1945. As well as being a good businessman, Alfred was a good employer who looked after his employees' welfare. He also had ideas beyond the manufacture of cables. Alfred was interested in lightweight motor cycles and, in 1950, just 5 years after the end of World War II, there was need for good, economical two-wheelers. (At that time, only the rich could afford cars.) So Alfred, who, along with some friends, had already built a few motor cycles during the 1930's, decideded that the time had come to venture into the manufacture of mopeds. The prototype Kreidler R50 (R = Roller, German for scooter) proved that he scheme was viable. Gunter Markert clocked up a mileage equivalent to a world tour on the R50 and the German press reported his progress. Production of the Kreidler began in 1951.
In the following years, Kreidlers became very popular in Germany, mainly because of their reliability. Other reasons for this popularity were the numerous 50cc speed records that were set by these machines.
The 1980s brought about the end of Kreidler. Japanese manufacturers introduced better marketed, more reliable and above all more fashionable machines. Kreidler folded in 1983.
'Flirt-matic' mopeds were available until 1988; these were Garelli machines 'badge-engineered' as Kreidlers. There is also an Asian scooter being made with the name Kreidler Florette
| Model | Year | Capacity | Bore & Stroke | Power | Transmission | Weight | Max speed | Features |
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| Kreidler K50 | 1951 | 50cc, 2-stroke | 38mm × 44mm | 2.2bhp @ 5,000rpm | <2-speed, hand-change, clutch-less/TD> | 25kg | 55km/h | The first production Kreidler |
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| Kreidler Junior J51 | 1955 | 50cc, 2-stroke | 38mm × 44mm | 2bhp @ 4,500rpm | 2-speed, hand-change, clutch-less | 33kg | 40km/h | |
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| Kreidler Amazone | 1955 | 50cc, 2-stroke | 38mm × 44mm | 2bhp @ 4,500rpm | 2-speed, hand-change, clutch-less | 49kg | 40km/h | Predecessor of the legendary Florette. Same engine as the K50 |
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| Kreidler Florett | 1956 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke | 40mm × 39.7mm | 3bhp @ 5,500rpm | 3-speed, hand-change | 65kg | 60km/h | The egg-shaped fuel tank would be a feature of the Florett range until 1966 |
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| Kreidler Amazone | 1957 - 1959 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke | 40mm × 39.7mm | 2bhp @ 4,500rpm | 2 or 3-speed, hand-change | 60kg | 40km/h | The Amozone had a de-tuned Florette engine |
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| Kreidler Florett Mustang GS50 | 1961 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 4.2bhp | 4-speed | 'Enduro' model, engine increased to 5.2bhp in 1965 | ||
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| Kreidler Florett Super | 1961 - 1965 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 4.2bhp @ 5,500rpm | 4-speed | |||
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| Kreidler Florett Super | 1965 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5.2bhp | 4-speed | |||
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| Kreidler Florett Super TS | 1966 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5.2bhp | 4-speed | A 17mm carburettor provided the increase in power | ||
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| Kreidler Florett GT | 1967 only | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5-speed | ||||
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| Kreidler Florett RS | 1967 | 50cc, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5.3bhp @ 7,600rpm | 5-speed | 85km/h | The first Florett model to abandon fan-cooling | |
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| Kreidler Florett TM | 1968 - 1972 | 50cc, fan-cooled, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5-speed | 81kg | TM = Touren-Modell | ||
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| Kreidler Florett RS | 1969 | 50cc, 2-stroke, kick-start | 40mm × 39.7mm | 5.3bhp @ 7,600rpm | 5-speed | 85km/h | Exposed rear springs and a larger rear brake (150mm) distiguish this from the 1967 model | |
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First published in Expresso, the magazine of the
Club Français du Cyclo-Sport - April 1999
English translation by Andrew Pattle
