NSU Super Fox
NSU was founded in the German town of Riedlingen in 1873, and later production was moved to Neckarsulm. The brand originally started with the production of sewing and weaving machines, and gradually expanded to the production of cars and motorcycles. The first motorcycle from NSU came in 1901, and it had an engine from the Swiss manufacturer "Zedel".
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NSU was a significant manufacturer of motorcycles (and cars), in line with BMW and Zundapp . The factory located in Nekcar produced motorcycles and mopeds until 1963, and cars until 1969. The two-wheelers were both fast and technically advanced. NSU was a force to be reckoned with both on the road and not least on the racetracks. Neckarsulmer Motorenwerke AG has a long and distinguished history, and the motorcycles from Nekcarsulm, the small town not far from Stuttgart, distinguished themselves early on as very fast and reliable. As previously mentioned, the factory was established in Riedlingen in 1873, and the first products were knitting machines.
Germania pedal bikes
In 1884, production moved to Neckar and in 1886, production of pedal bicycles began under the name “Germania”. The first NSU motorcycle was made in 1901, which places the factory among the pioneers in motorcycle production. As mentioned, NSU left its mark, and in the 1950s they had great success in the TT races on the Isle of Man. This decade NSU set no less than 3 world records, respectively in 1953, 1954 and 1955. It was the “Rennsport” model in particular that brought the brand to the top of the podium in racing. NSU had its greatest commercial success with the moped “Quickly”, which was produced in approximately 1.1 million copies. In the mid-1950s, NSU was among the world's largest manufacturers of pedal bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles.
NSU Super Fox 125-cc
The 1950s were a time of growth and prosperity, after the shadows of the war gradually disappeared. The consumer society began to take shape. Nevertheless, the man in the street lived a simple life, with low purchasing power compared to today's standards. In Norway, the centralization process was part of the social development, and people who lived in the outskirts often found work in the industry in the towns that gradually grew. The need for transport was therefore considerable, and affordable means of transportation, such as light motorcycles, were very popular. Tempo and Jawa were both affordable and reliable, which simmered away with their single- and twin-cylinder two-stroke engines. Occasionally there were the occasional four-stroke, machines that were probably more expensive, just like NSU Super Fox, but which were also more technically advanced. The heavier motorcycles from NSU , with the model designations “OT”, “OSL” and “Consul”, were solid and fast machines in their time. NSU Super Fox is among the more sophisticated lightweights from NSU , and in the mid-1950s this was the dream bike for many young men here at home, not least because of the 4-stroke engine that produced a sound that was associated with a much larger displacement!
15530 copies
The lightweight Super Fox was produced in 15,530 copies in the period 1955-1957. The Super Fox and Quickly belong to the last generation of mopeds and motorcycles from NSU . However, the post-war demands for modern production and not least design and performance, became a challenge for the factory in Neckarsulm. Expensive product development in parallel with increased competition from motorcycle manufacturers in England, and later Japan, became a tough challenge. Throughout the 1960s, the factory experienced a general decline in sales figures. The investment in the Wankel engine cost more than the sales figures could bring in, and the RO-80 car model did not live up to expectations. Paradoxically, it was voted “Car of the Year” in Europe in 1967. In 1969, NSU was acquired and incorporated into the VW Group, and a solid piece of German industrial history came to an end.
Technical data NSU Super Fox 125 ccm, 1957 model:
Engine: 1-cylinder 4-stroke
Displacement: 123 cc
Power: 8.8 hp at 6500 rpm.
Front/rear tires: 2.75 x 19``
Fuel tank: 10.8 liters
Weight: 132 kg
Top speed: 95 km/h.