IWL BERLIN scooter

The Berliner scooter. The Industry Werke Ludwigsfelde, or IWL, was a manufacturer installed in the southern suburbs of Berlin. IWL created a section "two wheels motorized" in 1953, and started production of the “Pitty” scooter, at the beginning of 1955, which was succeeded, from August 1956,by the “Wiesel SR 56”, more modern and lighter. Followed by the “Berlin SR 59” introduced in 1959 and made until 1962. Before the end of 1959 thirty thousand scooters came out from the chains of Ludwigsfelde. The “Berlin” uses an MZ 150 engine, symilar to that of the 125 DKW of pre-war period. Besides it is driven like a motorcycle, speeds are selected ( 4 ratios ) with the left foot and back brake is operated with the right foot. The main technical originality of the “Berlin” is its back suspension guided by a parallelogram. The suspension is ensured by two types of springs. The lower oscillating arm actuates an extension spring locked up in the tube of framework which runs under the engine, while the axis of the higher arm contains two blocks of rubber working with torsion and ensuring damping at the same time. The light alloy wheel itself is maintained by two beautiful aluminium castings. Its clearance to the ground is 70 mm. Among the accessories available on the “Berlin” were a child seat to be fixed on the apron between the driver’s legs. The IWL Berlin is characterized by its unconventional suspension, guided by two superimposed oscillating arms.