Kreidler

This article is about the German motorcycle manufacturer. For the electronic band founded in Düsseldorf in 1994, see Kreidler (band).

1950s and '70s examples of the 50 cc Kreidler Florett

Kreidler was a German manufacturer of small motorcycles and mopeds, based in Kornwestheim, between Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. The company was founded in 1903 as "Kreidlers Metall- und Drahtwerke" (Kreidlers metal and wire factory) by Anton Kreidler and started to build motorcycles in 1951. In 1959 one third of all German motorcycles were Kreidler. In the 1970s Kreidler had very great success in motorsport. Especially in the Netherlands the riders Jan de Vries and Henk van Kessel were successful.

The company went out of business in 1982; the rights to the trade mark were sold to the businessman Rudolf Scheidt who had Italian manufacturer Garelli Motorcycles make mopeds under the Kreidler name until 1988. The rights to the Kreidler brand name have since been bought by bicycle manufacturer Prophete.

Kreidler was active in Grand Prix motorcycle racing, scoring eight world champion titles in 50 cc class:

• 1971 Jan de Vries
• 1973 Jan de Vries
• 1974 Henk van Kessel
• 1975 Ángel Nieto
• 1979 Eugenio Lazzarini
• 1980 Eugenio Lazzarini
• 1982 Stefan Dörflinger
• 1983 Stefan Dörflinger

Gallery

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  Van Veen Racing Kreidler of Jan de Vries (1971)

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  "Kreidler Racing Florett" (1963)

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  "Kreidler Van Veen GP" (1977)

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  "Kreidler Zigarre" (50 cm³, record: 210.634 km/h 23 October 1965, Utah, USA)