Hoffmann (motorcycle)

The Hoffmann -Werke Lintorf was a vehicle manufacturer from Lintorf in ( Mettmann ).

Motorcycles

Jacob Oswald Hoffmann produced bicycles in 1949 in the newly acquired plant site in Ratingen- Lintorf additionally motorcycles from 98 cc to 250 cc with ILO engines as well as licensed the then already famous Vespa scooter. Hoffmann became famous only after a costly redesign, the Hoffmann governor. The bike, designed by Richard Kitchens and his brother Xavier, distinguished by its smooth lines. It was a machine with a two-cylinder four-stroke piston engine (248 cc, 11 hp at 4600 rpm ) and shaft drive, which initially suffered from considerable technical difficulties, how many new releases of the time. However, with the revised Governor MP 250-2 and the new, resulting from the same modular S 300 came 1953 mature versions on the market.

Bubble car

At the same time an attempt was made to appear with its own small car on the market. Attempts to obtain a license from Iso failed. Hoffmann then copied the Italian small car, which he, however, omitting the patented front door with the Lenkradschwenkmechnismus. The " Hoffmann Car Cab 250 " had only one door on the passenger side. There were disputes with BMW, the official licensee of Iso, who lost Hoffmann, and so in 1954/55 just over 100 Hoffmann- cabins were made at a price of 2900 DM.

Scooter

In the years 1950-1954 about 50,000-60,000 Vespa scooters at Hoffmann were produced depending on the literature. These scooters are currently among the most wanted in Germany Vespa copies. Hoffmann had the Vespa developed arbitrarily and had created the "Queen " is a highly acclaimed version, which was considered by many to be better than the original. This led to licensing disputes with Piaggio. This dispute, as well as the technical defects of the motorcycles led in November 1954 comparing with connection bankruptcy.

Later, the company was continued and produced until December 1991 armaments.