Radical Bike

There’s a fine selection of scooters on offer at the sale of the collection of Professor Fritz Ehn, which will take place at RAF Hendon on 30 June.The Austrian Professor collected an impressive array of motorcycles, scooters and bicycles, all of which were displayed in his museum near Vienna. However, when he decided to sell up, Professor Ehn went to auctioneers Bonhams – having known the company for some years, having bought many machines from them over the years – who have shipped the collection to Britain for sale.One of the most unusual scooters is a complete and original HMW Conny. Designed to appeal to trendy females, the ‘Conny’ was named after the popular Austrian pop singer, Conny Froeboss. Offered for sale is a rare special edition that has been on display for over 25 years, thus remaining in comparatively unworn – if rather faded – condition. Estimate is £600-900.More mainstream is a tidy Vespa 150GS, in original, undamaged and unmodified condition and with accessories. It has documentation and awaits restoration. Estimate is £2000-2500.A full inventory of the scooters offered is:1960 Rumi 125cc Formichino Sport (est £5000-6000), 1958 CZ 175cc Cezeta (est £3000-4000), 1958 Lambretta LD150 (est £1500-2000),

The JAWA CZ Owners Club is one of the oldest one make motorcycle clubs in the UK having been formed in 1954. We currently have more than 350 members in the UK and many other countries. We are a group of enthusiastic motorcyclists with a special interest in all makes of motorbikes and scooters from the Czech Republic.
We exist to enjoy our special and unusual motorbikes and also to spread the benefits of JAWA and CZ ownership to others. Most club members ride and own CZ and JAWA motorcycles, but we also have members with Manet and Tatran scooters, mopeds, Velorex three wheelers and more, so you don't have to own a Czech motorbike to become a member. You may just want to appreciate them!

In 1939 Georg Meier was the first foreign rider on a foreign motorcycle to win the Senior TT on the Isle of Man. His BMW flat-twin with integrated superchager could not return to the post-WWII Grand Prix scene but kept on winning German championships until the end of 1950.

“Ever since my ride in the Six Days Trials in 1926 in England I wanted to be faster than the British. I succeeded in the end but it took much longer than expected and I had to add a supercharger to the engine,” related Rudolf Schleicher to the author, about 20 years ago. A keen rider himself, Schleicher ended his career early to lead motorcycle development at BMW and was appointed technical director in 1931.

Racing success for the Munich-based manufacturer then was limited to the national scene with the flat twins in their 500cc and 750cc ohv versions significantly less powerful compared to the Best of British – single-cylinder engines and riders alike – sweeping the Continental races with few exceptions. Increasing engine output by fitting a supercharger was almost mandatory in top-class automotive sports of the time and BMW chose the same route for attacking the World Speed Record for motorcycles. In 1929 Ernst Henne left his first mark at 134.78mph and went on to 173.68mph in 1937, unbeaten for another 14 years.