1955 Other Makes Adler MB 250 Motorcycle Never Seen On Ebay

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The success of the modern twin-cylinder 2-stroke, such as the Yamaha RD series, can be traced back to the postwar Adler. The MB 250 was a revolutionary design that set new standards, and was copied by many manufacturers such as Ariel and Suzuki, not forgetting Yamaha. Adler also built typewriters, and when motorcycle sales in Europe declined they were purchased by Grundig who still produced them under the TA label. Adler translates to Eagle in English. In 1949, Adler was one of the first German marques to recommence production after the war. Right up to end of manufacture in 1957, it remained unapproachable as a maker of two strokes. Late in 1952, Adler unveiled the MB 250, a tw0 stroke twin which quickly became known as the "Cannonball." It was equally successful as a touring bike, a sports bike and an off roader. But it was particularly successful under another name, for the first Yamaha twin (the YD 1 of 1957) was more or less a direct copy of the Adler MB and the subsequent Yamaha twins have followed its pattern.A Fabulous Two Stroke TwinSoon the touring MB 250 was joined by the sporting 250 S, then by a racing version, the 250 RS with twin carburetors and swinging fork rear suspension instead of plungers. The 250 RS of 1954, still air cooled, developed 26 hp @ 7500 rpm, weighted 216 lb and was capable of more than 105 mph. Highly prized in its native Germany, the Adler RS enjoyed a rare foreign success in France's Bol d'Or in 1954, where a solo RS and another with a side car won their respective under 350cc categories.Adler takes to WaterBeginning in 1954, tuner/rider Hellmut Hallmeier perfected a water cooled 250 RS, whose highly successful racing career continued into the sixties. The last "works" RS Adlers ridden by Walter Vogel and Hellmut Hallmeier developed 39 hp at over 10,000 rpm with a top speed of 125 mph. Peter Peregrin tests the Adler MB 250Since the first Scott sang its jubilant song under me, I have had a quiet love for the two-cylinder twin. Wherever I could later lay my hands on one of the wild bees from Graz or Zschopau, from the house of Ravin or the rare 350 Villiers, the ride would become a roaring experience. It left indelible traces on the sketch-plan from the sheets of which one day the dream-machine should be composed.In a quarter of a century, many an ideal changes. The untroubled pleasure of the young engineer, who believes in progress, is painfully purified through the continuously finer sieve of experience.However, when Director Hermann Friedrich, some five years ago, showed me the first drawings of the M 200, I had a presentiment that the satisfaction of a long-standing wish was close at hand --- after over 6000 km of the hardest and changing trials of the bigger sister, I can thankfully confirm it. This Adler M 250, which rose like a glowing comet on the horizon of the motorcycle rider, must, in its current form, excite even the most exacting and can even given an old rabbit palpitations. Please do not laugh, because I grant it a very human quality.In the 1950s the Adler was quite expensive for a small-engined bike and had to compete in Australia against the popular British marques like BSA, Matchless, Triumph and Norton. However with a top speed of 75 mph the Adler could hold its own on the highway and out-handle most bikes around town. The detail design on the Adler is astonishing when compared with contemporary British motorcycles of the era.Attractions of the Adler included its adjustable rear suspension, race-proven leading link front suspension, low centre of gravity giving exceptional road handling, a highly developed 250cc two stroke twin engine which was well ahead of it’s time, and a quality of design and construction that was recognized as second to none. Extra appealing touches such as a steering head lock, compact one-piece design of engine gearbox and carburettor, a fully enclosed chain, interchangeable front and rear wheels and a four speed gearbox (with neutral at the bottom and all gears up), set the bike above others in the market place. There was even a switch on the headlight which altered the angle of the reflector to compensate for the load difference when a pillion was carried.In the mid 1950s the Japanese makers were copying the front-running motorcycle models of the advanced German makers and introducing one new model after another based on these machines. In designing its twin-cylinder OHC engines, Honda had a very close look at the NSU design. Yamaha, meanwhile set out to build a two cylinder two-stroke engine. This was a new challenge as when it went into production no other Japanese maker had yet built a twin two stroke engine. Yamaha decided to copy the basic engineering specs of the Adler MB 250 and add their own unique exterior design touches. The YD-1 was the result and the first bike came off the production line in February 1957.All designers have to start somewhere so they might as well start from something good and the Adler provided the inspiration for both British and Japanese manufacturers. There is also evidence that the last design for the British Ariel, the Leader, relied heavily on the Adler.Because of this Japanese influence in later years, many parts from Suzuki and Yamaha such as pistons, albeit with some skirt modifications for port timing, can be used in Adler motor restorations.Engine designThe major difficulty to be overcome in designing a two stroke twin is crankcase sealing. Adler’s solution was both ingenious and complicated. The two cranks fit into each side of a one-piece crankcase casting, and then their serrated joints (Hirth coupling) were drawn together by means of a through bolt. A roller bearing and two sealing rings were located in the centre web of the crankcase. To tighten the through-bolt a special splined tool was inserted through a hole in the right hand flywheel to mate with a radial serration on the through-bolt head. The complete crank assembly was supported at each end in bearing housings fitted to the crankcase sidewalls. This resulted in a high revving motor which was exceptionally smooth.The compact design incorporates the engine, clutch, gearbox and carburettor in one unit. The clutch which operates at engine speed on the end of the crank, gave smooth gear changing once mastered. The standard road bikes had twin ignition coils mounted inside the motor with the Bosch electrics. With age these coils would break down under the affects of heat, so most modern restorations now mount the coils externally in the cool air flow.The Adler motor was such a fine example of engineering that further development was undertaken by private owners with help from the company and used for racing in both cars and motorcycles. A water-cooled version using the stock crankcase was developed in 1954 by private owners in Europe in co-operation with the Adler racing department. Designated the RS, the bike was built for performance and racing rather than beauty with the water cooling being the only acceptable means of controlling the temperature of the gases.With highly developed breathing through advanced porting, forged pistons, aluminium heads, knife shaped con rods, and extensive work on the twin carburettors and exhaust system, the RS motor was producing 39 hp at over 10,000 revs by the end of its development, with a top speed of 125 mph. It achieved considerable success on the racetracks of Europe well into the 1960s.The MB 250 was the base model which developed 16 hp at 5600 rpm and had a top speed of 72 mph. The MB 250S was the sports version with different carburettor jetting, ignition timing, engine refinements with more aggressive port timing, and with upswept exhausts produced 18 hp with a top speed of 78 mph. In its time the 250S was one of the most successful road racing bikes in Germany.Both of the MB models used the adjustable plunger springing with hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear while the Favorit/Sprinter used the latest pivoted rear fork frames which had been developed from racing and International Six Days Trials successes. Front suspension on all models is by leading swinging link with hydraulic damping.The MB Adler had style, grace and performance, and for a brief four years in Australia between 1954 and 1957 they bought a smile to their owners and showed a clean pair of heels (maybe a bit smoky then) to their much larger-engined competitors.The abiding memory is of what was in its day a trend-setting engine, the 247cc - 54mm “square” two stroke parallel twin, which found its forte as the provider of smooth economical power for street use, gold medal reliability in endurance trials, rip snorting dirt bike racing and even in Grand Prix. How many other engines can claim such a wide range of truly successful roles? They were certainly over-engineered and over-priced, but locally, those who stumped up for an Adler had few complaints.HistoryThe Adler factory produced bicycles, typewriters, and motorcycles in addition to cars. Before World War I, the company used De Dion two- and four-cylinder engines in cars that ranged from 1032 cc to 9081 cc; beginning in 1902 (the year Edmund Rumpler became technical director),[1] they used their own engines as well. These cars, driven by Erwin Kleyer and Otto Kleyer (sons of the company founder Heinrich Kleyer) and by Alfred Theves won many sporting events. In the 1920s, Karl Irion raced many Adlers; popular models of the period included the 2298 cc, 1550 cc, and 4700 cc four-cylinders and the 2580 cc six-cylinders. A few of the Standard models, built between 1927 and 1934, featured Gropius designed coachwork. The Adler Standard 6, which entered volume production in 1927, had a 2540 cc or 2916 cc six-cylinder engine, while the Adler Standard 8 which appeared a year later use a 3887 cc eight-cylinder engine. The Standard 6, first seen in public at the Berlin Motor Show in October 1926 was the first Continental European car to use hydraulic brakes (the Triumph 13/35 offered them in the UK in 1924 and Duesenberg offered them in the US in 1921), when it was fitted with an ATE-Lockheed system. 1927 to 1929 Clärenore Stinnes was the first to circumnavigate the world by car, in an Adler Standard 6.[2]In December 1930, Adler assigned the German engineer Josef Ganz, who was also editor-in-chief of Motor-Kritik magazine, as a consultant engineer. In the first months of 1931, Ganz constructed a lightweight Volkswagen prototype at Adler with a tubular chassis, a mid-mounted engine, and independent wheel suspension with swing-axles at the rear. After completion in May 1931, Ganz nicknamed his new prototype Maikäfer (May Beetle). After a shift in management at Adler, further development of the Maikäfer was stopped as the company's new technical director Hans Gustav Röhr concentrated on front-wheel driven cars.In the 1930s, the company introduced front-wheel drive Trumpf and Trumpf-Junior models, ranging from 995 cc to 1645 cc four-cylinder sv engines. These gained many successes in races, including in the Le Mans race. The 1943 cc Favorit, the 2916 cc six-cylinder Diplomat (featuring 65 hp (48 kW) at 3800 rpm, and the 1910 cc four-cylinder and 2494 cc six-cylinder models (with Ambi-Budd and Karmann bodywork) were all rear-driven; these were built until World War II. The last new car introduced by Adler was the2.5 Liter of 1937; it had a six-cylinder engine producing 58 hp (43 kW). Thanks to a streamlined body designed by Paul Jaray, this car could run at 125 km/h (78 mph).[3]After World War II, a decision was made to not resume automobile construction. Motorcycle production resumed in 1949 and continued for 8 years, leading to the production of the MB 250S. As part of the Allies war reparations, Adler motorcycle designs had been taken by BSA in Britain and later used by the British company Ariel to produce their 'Arrow' and 'Leader' models. Increasingly, Adler focused on the manufacture of office equipment. The company associated with Triumph to form Triumpf-Adler, and was taken over by Grundig in 1957, then later by Olivetti. Technical SpecificationsEngineType2 cylinder, 2 stroke, flat-crowned pistons.No. Of CylindersTwo cylinder.Engine StorkeTwo stroke.Engine CoolingAir cooled.Valves–Max Tourqe (Ps @ RPM)5590 rpm.Horse Power11.8 kW / 16 hp.Displacement (CC)–Max Power (BHP)11.87 kw and 5590 rpm.Compression Ratio1: 5.75.Bore54.Engine Starting SystemSelf and kick.Air FilterYes.Ignition6 V 45/60 W ignition set, battery and coil.FuelsFuel Tank Capacity12 L / 3.2 US gal.Fuel system–Fuel Type-Petrol.Milage-City(kmpl)16.9 km/l.Milage-Highway(kmpl)18.5 km/lTransmissionTransmission Type4 Speed gearbox housed in engine block, foot gearchange.No Of Gears6 gears.Drive SystemChain, fully enclosed.Gear Shift PatternManual.ClutchMulti disc in oil bath.WheelsWheel Base1257 mm / 49.5 in. Front Tyre Size3.25Rear Tyre Sze16Tubeless TyresYes.Radial TyresNo.Alloy WheelsYes.ElectricalElectric SystemYes.Battery12V.Headlight TypeLED.Headlight Bulb Type–Brake/Tail LightYes.Turn SignalNo.Pass LightNo.SuspensionsFront SuspensionTwin swinging leading link forks with shock absorber and steering damper.Rear SuspensionPlunger shock absorbers, adjustable for load and road conditions.BrakesFront Disc/Drum Size (mm)Yes.Front Brakes TypeDrums.Rear Disc/Drum Size (mm)No.Rear Brake Type7.08 inches diameterCalliper Type–Antilock Braking SystemNo.ChassisChassis Frame Type–Seat Capacity2 personsPillion SeatYes.Pillion FootrestYes.Pillion BackrestNo.Pillion GrabrailNo.Other FeaturesColor:BlackSpeedometerAnalogue.TachometerNo.Tachometer TypeNo.Shift LightNo.TripmeterNo.No Of TripmetersNo.Tripmeter TypeNo.Low Fuel IndicatorYes.Low Oil IndicatorNo.Low Battery IndicatorNo.Fuel GaugeNo.Stand AlarmNo.KillswitchNo.ClockNo.Launch Date1955Performance0 to 37.28 mph (Seconds)3.2 sec.0 to 49.7 mph (Seconds)3.5 sec. Top Speed (Kmph)116 km/h / 72 mph.Body, Dimension & WeightKerb Weight 284 pounds.Overall Length (mm)–Ground Clearance (mm)325 mm.Seat Height (mm)725 XXXXX On Jun-08-17 at 05:40:52 PDT, seller added the following information: I HAVE FOUND THAT UPS AIR OR VESSEL SHIPPING PRICES ARE MUCH LOWER, UPS DIRECT AIR AS LOW AS US$ 700 to the US and US$ 1,000 to Europe, 5 to 7 days delivery time vessel even lower.