racing the Adler 250 Motorcycle
watercooled RS250
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In 1953, Adler's success in International Six Day Trials caused home-tuned Adlers
to begin appearing on road racing tracks ridden by men such as Walter Vogel,
Willi Bilger, Hubert Luttenberger and brothers Klaus and Ulrich Kramer.
Mick Walker reported in his 1991 book "Classic German Racing Motorcycles" :
"In September 1953, it was Nurnburg rider Hans Hallmeier who could claim to have
been the first to use a race-kitted M250 twin, which had been tuned by his father.
Although the event (the 20th Eilenriede Rennen at Hanover) was won by the NSU mounted
World champion, Werner Haas, it was the Adler twin that commanded the attention
of the press, not only for its speed, but also its vivid acceleration.
Hallmeier's performance prompted the factory to build a batch of
over-the-counter racing models for sale to private customers. These were based
on the standard production M250 roadster".
1953 Adler M250S roadster
"The prototype of the new machine, the RS (Renn Sport), made its debut at the Dieburg
circuit in the spring of 1954".
aircooled 1954 RS250
"It's specially tuned engine developed a claimed 24 bhp. There was an entitely new
light weight frame and suspension developed by Friedrich Drkosch. The engine
mods were largely the work of Kurt Grasmann who spent much time developing
the expansion chambers".
expansion exhaust RS250
"Although Adler never officially had a works team, private riders were to achieve
outstanding successes. In the 1954 light-weight German GP at Solitude, Hallmeier and Vogel
finished 3rd and 6th respectively behind the all-conquering NSU Rennmax works team.
A stunning performance for what was, after all, a production based 250".
German GP, Solitude, 1954
"By 1955, a handful of the leading Adler tuners had begun to watercool their engines".
watercooled 1955 RS250
"This allowed further tuning to take place and privately entered Adler RS250s continued
to give race winning performances well into the 1960s.
In 1958, Dieter Falk came 5th in the 250cc World Champion series which included a 5th
place in the Isle of Man TT on his unfaired Adler".
Dieter Falk IOM TT 1958
IOM results, 1958
"The Water cooled Adlers were eventually putting out 38 to 40 bhp and could reach speeds of 140 mph."
aircooled 1954 RS250
German GP, Solitude, 1954