Kreidler - innovation and passion
Founded by Anton Kreidler in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1903, the company initially started as a metal workshop before venturing into producing motorcycles and mopeds. In 1924, Anton's son, Dipl. Ing. Alfred Kreidler, joined the company, bringing with him invaluable automotive industry experience gained through his studies. When his father died in 1942, he took over the management of the company and in 1949 began to develop motorcycles under the Kreidler brand. In the following decades, Kreidler was to become one of the best-known and most influential brands in the motorcycle and moped scene.
Entering the two-wheeler Market
With the introduction of the K50 in 1951, Kreidler, in collaboration with Rex, had become the first manufacturer to equip a bicycle with an auxiliary engine and thus create the first 50cc two-wheeler, essentially the precursor to what would later be termed a moped. The K 50 had a telescopic suspension fork at the front, the rear wheel did not have a suspension. A notable innovation was the integration of the clutch and transmission into a single unit, eliminating the need to pull the clutch when changing gears. Initially, the transmission could not be separated, but from 1953 onwards an additional clutch with clutch lever was added. This unique setup resulted in the Kreidler having two levers at the left end of the handlebars, a distinctive characteristic of the time. Following the K50, Kreidler continued with the K51 model (1954-1956), while the K50 remained in production until 1955. These mopeds had 50 cc displacement, generating 2-2.2 horsepower, had 2 gears, and reached top speeds of 50-55 km/h. The Kreidler R 50 scooter (1954-57) and various models such as Amazone were also standard two-speed motorcycles offered by various manufacturers at this time.
Kreidler Florett - The Flagship
The first Kreidler Florett was launched in 1957. It was powered by a horizontal single-cylinder two-stroke engine with hard-chrome plated light alloy cylinder and fan cooling, and there was also a moped variant. Starting with the 1962 models, the Florett now boasted over 4.2 horsepower and had a 4-speed foot shift. In 1967, Keidler introduced the Florett RS with 5.2 hp and in 1980, they introduced a 6.8 hp model shortly before production ceased. The Kreidler Florett RMC E 50ccm is still one of the most popular vintage mopeds. In our online store you will find Kreidler Florett spare parts, Kreidler Florett K54 spare parts and Kreidler Supermoto 125 spare parts.
Kreidler Flory - the first moped
Kreidler introduced their first moped, the MF 4, in 1969. The Kreidler Flory became the most popular model, it came in different versions, with the Flory MF 12 debuting in 1975, along with the MF 13.They differ from the MF 23 built after 1977 mainly by featuring a round speedometer instead of a cockpit with tachometer, as well as spoke wheels instead of cast wheels. In addition to the top model MF 23, which had three gears, Kreidler also built the Flory MF 22 with a two-speed gearbox from 1979 onwards, as well as the Flory 2 the typical Kreidler two-speed automatic gearbox, as was already used in the MF 2 and MF 4.
Kreidler world Speed record in the 50cc class
On October 23, 1965, Kreidler set the speed record for 50 cc motorcycles of over 200 km/h for the first time during a record-breaking run in the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah. Rudolf Kunz was measured with a recognized average of 210.634 km/h on a Kreidler Cigar, which was specially built for the record run. In 1977, the record was raised to 221.586 km/h by Dutchman Henk van Kessel. The world record vehicles can be found today in the Zweiradmuseum in Neckarsulm.
Kreidler bankruptcy - The end of an era
In 1982 Kreidler declared bankruptcy. Today, the Kreidler brand is under the ownership of Cycle Union GmbH, a two-wheeler manufacturer within the Prophete Group, specializing in the sale of bicycles, scooters, and small, lightweight motorcycles under the esteemed Kreidler name through two-wheeler stores.
