Industriewerke Ludwigsfelde’s Scooters

Among the rows of classic German-made scooters that we know are mostly made from the post-World War II era. As the losing party in the war, then Germany is divided into two parts, namely West Germany and East Germany after the war ended. 

Along with the scooters glory days that took place in the 1950s to the 1960s, it began when Piaggio and Innocenti pioneered the production of scooters and managed to achieve commercial success in the market. So it is not surprising that at that time many popping up scooter manufacturers in mainland Europe. At that time, there were companies that produced under license to make scooters designed by Italy, but those who did not have any license then developed their own models in an effort to compete.

A complete sequence of IWL scooter models in historical order. From left to right: Pitty, SR 56 Wiesel, SR 59 Berlin (with Campi trailer) and TR 150 Troll 1. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2A2JY4m)

This can be witnessed in a number of automotive companies from West Germany such as Hans Glas who launched its own scooter design named Goggo in 1953, then followed by Heinkel, an aircraft maker who launched a scooter called Tourist in the same year. Turn out, the East German engineers responded to the growing market and competition by developing a number of prototype scooters between 1950 and 1954. However, the DDR decided that its scooter would be made only with indigenous DDR components.

1955 IWL Pitty, the first IWL's scooter model and uses a 123cc engine with a 3-speed floor shift transmission. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3dx5ehn)

Although DDR had previously established a number of motorcycle manufacturers such as EMW, MZ, and Simson were already fully occupied making their own products.

Then it was decided another company named IWL (Industriewerke Ludwigsfelde) to produce scooters. The company was based in Ludwigsfelde was in the southern suburbs of Berlin and had four scooter models plus a unique one-wheeled trailer.

1. IWL Pitty

IWL's first production model named the Pitty was launched early in 1955 and 1956. The Pitty’s front wheel had leading link suspension, while its rear-wheel had hydraulically damped swingarm suspension on which the engine and gearbox unit was mounted: an arrangement that Vespa had pioneered. The scooter uses a 123cc engine with a 3-speed floor shift transmission.

1956 IWL SR 56 Wiesel. "SR" stands for StadtRoller ("town scooter"), 56 is the year and Wiesel is German for the weasel. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3dx5ehn)

2. IWL SR 56 Wiesel
In 1956 IWL replaced the Pitty with the SR 56 Wiesel. "SR" stands for StadtRoller ("town scooter"), 56 is the year, and Wiesel is German for the weasel. Instead of the Pitty’s huge fairing, the Wiesel has a more conventional scooter fairing behind the front wheel and a separate front mudguard. This reduced the weight to 124 kg (273 lbs): still heavy, but 15 kg (33 lbs) lighter than the Pitty. 

Despite customer complaints, the Wiesel retained its predecessor’s hard upholstery, lockable fuel tap flap, and lack of a steering lock. It was easy for a thief to force the flap, and Der Deutsche Straßenverkehr’s testers were astonished that IWL had not rectified this fault from the previous model. IWL produced the Wiesel until 1959, by which time a total of 57,400 had been built.

1959 IWL SR 59 Berlin has adopted highly individual custom color schemes and was shared the same bodywork as the Wiesel but had well-upholstered separate saddles for the rider and pillion passenger. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3dx5ehn)

3. IWL SR 59 Berlin
In 1959 IWL replaced the SR 56 Wiesel with the SR 59 Berlin. This shared the same bodywork as the Wiesel but had well-upholstered separate saddles for the rider and pillion passenger. The Berlin still had less power than many of its western counterparts. In common with its predecessors, its front suspension was undamped, which on roads as bumpy as the DDR’s was a significant weak point. Nevertheless, Berlin secured IWL’s first export orders. IWL produced the Berlin until the end of 1962, by which time a total of 113,943 had been built. These Berlin Roller SR 59 was the best selling of the IWL scooters.

1963 IWL TR 150 Troll 1. "TR" stands for Touren Roller and the backronym "Troll" stands for Touren Roller Ludwigsfelde ("Ludwigsfelde touring scooter") and known as the last of the IWL scooter model. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3dx5ehn)

4. IWL TR 150 Troll 1
In 1963 IWL replaced the SR 59 Berlin with the TR 150 Troll 1. "TR" stands for Touren Roller and the backronym "Troll" stands for Touren Roller Ludwigsfelde ("Ludwigsfelde touring scooter"), emphasizing the longer journeys on which IWL scooters were now being ridden. The "1" at the end evidently indicated that IWL hoped to develop a further model. Unfortunately, the "Troll" was the last of the IWL scooters. By the time scooter production ended, IWL had built Troll 1 in a total of 56,513 units. 

1965 IWL Stoye Campi trailer was styled to complement a scooter and was roomy enough to carry a set of 1960s camping equipment. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3dx5ehn)

5. IWL Stoye Campi
Although IWL projected their scooters as a"town scooters", new private motor vehicles were in such short supply in the DDR that customers made no such distinction. The Berlin was capable of longer journeys, including holidays, but a scooter has far less luggage capacity than either a small car or a motorcycle and sidecar combination. Instead of devising a sidecar to fit the Berlin, IWL collaborated with Stoye of Leipzig, the DDR’s sidecar manufacturer, to develop a lightweight, single-wheel trailer.

The result was the Campi trailer, which was styled to complement a scooter and was roomy enough to carry a set of 1960s camping equipment. IWL made the Campi’s chassis, including a tubular steel towing link that connected to the scooter behind the pillion seat and above the rear light.
The Campi added inconveniently to the length of the scooter while adding less luggage capacity than a sidecar. Because of these limitations, its use was confined chiefly to holiday and leisure journeys. The Campi was made until 1965, by which time a total of about 5,700 of these trailers had been built. And at the end of 1965 IWL ended scooter production in order to switch to making the trucks.😢

Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops...... *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RETRORAMBLING]

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