Heinkel Scooters

Today in Motorcycle History

Heinkel Scooters


A Brief History of the Marque

Manufactured by Ernst Heinkel AG, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, H.-Hirth-Straße 41.

Heinkel was one of the great aircraft designers, responsible for some of the best German fighters of WWII. In 1949 the firm designed their first scooter but production did not begin until 1953 when the Tourist appeared, an advanced design with electric start, 4-speed gearbox and 12 volt electrics. It met with considerable success and was exported around the world - South America, Africa, throughout Europe, and to the United States and Australia.

Heinkel made three versions of the four stroke 175cc single cylinder scooter and named them A0, A1 and A2. Production of the Tourist continued until 1965, with over 100,000 units leaving the factory.

In 1960 Heinkel introduced a 150cc two-stroke scooter, the Type 150. Despite its good looks, it did not achieve the same popularity as the Tourist and is now relatively rare. Heinkel also started production of a 50cc moped, the Perle. At the time it was a quite notable two-wheeler because the frame was constructed of cast aluminium. Like the scooters it was rather expensive. It did not become a commercial success.

See also: Heinkel Scooter History

It is thought that the four-stroke engine used in the Tourist was designed during the Second World War and fitted to service tractors on airfields to supply bombers with their load.

In 1956 Heinkel began building the Kabine, a two-seater three wheeled bubble car inspired by the Italian ISO. The machine used the mechanicals of the Tourist with a fully enclosed cabin and weighed less than 250kg. This microcar was in production for just two years, with almost 12,000 units rolling off the assembly line. It was also built in the Ireland by Dundalk Engineering Company and marketed as the Trojan, and another 2000 were built in Argentina.

The Heinkel firm is also credited with the invention of the ejector seat (He 219) and built the VTOL Wespe (Wasp) along with a host of other aircraft. Their contribution to the German war effort prior to and during WWII was considerable, and to his credit Heinkel protested the removal of Jewish members of his workforce in the early 1930s. The firm later became a "model for slave labour", and had as many as 52,000 workers.

Ernst Heinkel died in 1958.

Sources: A.J. de Vries, Wikipedia.


Wed Mar 11 2009
Odea.kevin at gmaildot com
Heinkel tourist 103 A2
i bought a heinkel tourist 103 a2 a few years and i have started to repair it now. the problem is that i have lost the key. i have moved houses at least 4 times since i bought it. so the key could be anywhere. i was wondering if anyone had any ideas?
cheers
ireland

Mon Oct 15 2007
muzz at gbb.net.au
Heinkel Scooter
1953 Heinkel
I am thinking about selling my 1953 heinkel scooter complete but disassembled I live in country NSW Australia does anyone know of any Australian buyers, dealers etc?
Australia


Sun Oct 14 2007
heinkelnorte at netcabo.pt
Heinkel Scooters
Look up www.heinkelnorte.pt.vu (404)
They have a lot of useful information, manuals, fotos, etc.
Porto


Mon Sep 17 2007
al1957 at talktalk.net
heinkel tourist scooter
a2
desperatley looking for parts particularly front and rear lights indicators and seat
yorkshire england


Fri Jul 13 2007
kwjackson at kwjackson.karoo.co.uk
Spare Parts Required
1958 Heinkel Tourist
Does anyone have a contact number in england for spare parts in particular a new exhaust system
East Yorkshire


Thu Dec 21 2006
gp150and200 at msn dot com
eng and frame number where.
1962 heinkel
let me kknow where are the eng and frame number located in heinkel tourist.
india


Sun Sep 24 2006
Ole.haavik at teekay dot com
Heinkel Tourist Scooter
1962
I had one Heinkel Tourist Scooter 1962, unfortunately I sold it, but like to bay one back, can anybody help


Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005
subject: Heinkel Tourist scooter
Email: bsmith564 at aol dot com
message: Here in UK I owned a 1959 Tourist. Bought it in 1963 and rode it for 3 years. Beautiful machine, completely reliable, pulled better two up and with a petrol consumption of over 100 miles to the gallon. Wish I still owned it. Recently returned to scootering after a break of 37 years and now own a Honda 125 scooter. Never realised how quick off the mark these twist and go scooters are.

January 9, 2003
You wanted to know about them. A 1961 is located in Georgia, USA and is for sale at a cycle shop phone (770)447-6945. They may have some history. -- Henry -- Lengefeld6 at aol dot com

October 5, 2002
La firma Heinkel es alemana y construía ciclomotores y escuters con motores propios de 150cc en una antigua factoría de aviación. La gama consistía en escuters de 2T de 123cc de 4T de 175cc.
Extraído de la Enciclopedia De La Motocicleta. Saludos. -- JAVIER -- javilan at wanadoo.es

June 25, 2002
Hi...a friend of mine has an old Heinkel motorcycle of 1949 still running. Do you know where I can find any information??
Thanks in advance -- ptakis at hotmail dot com

January 13, 2002
The bike you have pics of is a Touring scooter top speed about 65 mph very good machine . Wish they still were in production. Rode many miles on one. Good luck -- RKoch6713 at aol dot com

May 27, 2001
Can you help me?
I need to know heinkel factory email and pieces shop to restory my scooter henkel 103 A2.
thank you. -- José Manuel dos Santos Mendes -- jose.santos.mendes at clix.pt


June 24, 2000
Hi,
I surfed the Internet and found you were looking for information about Heinkel-scooters.
What do you want to know?? I am a member of Heinkelklub "De Kwakel" in the Netherlands. Our club had a great homepage with all the info you need! The address is: http://www.wigo62.freeler.nl/ [404]

I hope you find there the information you've hoped for. I myself am the proud owner of a Heinkel Tourist 102 A-1 1955.
Bye! -- Carole Dreef -- carhar at wxs.nl

I noticed that your page did not have any Heinkel info. Here's a few pics I found. -- Mark -- searsallstate at yahoo dot com

heinkel-logo-125.jpg

heinkel-logo-125.jpg
125 x 89

heinkel-perle.jpg

heinkel-perle.jpg
320 x 150

heinkeltourist.jpg

heinkeltourist.jpg
293 x 103

3 files in folder

If you have a query or information about Heinkel scooters please contact us