DKW 250 SS Ladepumpe GP Racer & Ewald Kluge - 1937 Isle of Man TT - racing photo

Description

This photograph shows
the great
Ewald Kluge
from Germany on the magnificent
DKW 250 SS two stroke “Ladepumpe” Grand Prix racer
during the
1937 250cc Isle of Man TT
.
It is not super sharp as it was made from a great distance of a very fast moving bike, but it looks magnificent as Kluge is pulling a wheelie at very high speed!
Kluge is riding his magnificent works DKW two stroke Ladepumpe racer on the typical
Isle of Man
circuit. It is a wonderful image that captures pre-war TT racing in a great way. Unfortunately Ewald Kluge was forced to retire from the race
at
Ballaugh
Bridge
with a broken throttle wire.
One of the most successful motorcycles that DKW made was the racing
DKW 250SS
of the 1930s. The DKW 250SS featured a twin cylinder engine with a bore and stroke of 47 x 68mm and a three speed casette gearbox. It featured a rather special engineering novelty though, what the Germans call in their language very efficiently the “
Ladepumpe
” (loading pump). Basically the Ladepumpe can be described as an integral supercharging system, consisting of an extra (third) piston and cylinder (diameter 120mm, stroke 36mm!) to increase crankcase compression and hence cylinder filling. The engine featured also other novelties like variable inlet timing through mostly disc valves. Thanks to the Ladepumpe, the power output was over 20hp at 5,000 rpm. The topspeed of the DKW 250SS was
86,99 mph
(
140 km/h
). Only 30 were produced.
DKW
(= Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (German: steam-driven car) is an historic car and motorcycle brand with a long and interesting history. In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in
Saxony
,
Germany
, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW. Although unsuccessful, he made a two-stroke toy engine in 1919, called Des Knaben Wunsch — "the boy's desire". He also put a slightly modified version of this engine into a motorcycle and called it Das Kleine Wunder — "the little marvel". This was the real beginning of the DKW brand: by the 1930s, DKW was the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer. In 1932, DKW merged with Audi, Horch and Wanderer, to form the Auto Union. Auto
Union
came under Daimler-Benz ownership in 1957, and was finally purchased by the Volkswagen Group in 1964. The last DKW car was the F102 which ceased production in 1966; after this the brand was phased out. Before World War II, the company had some success with forced induction compressor racing motorcycles, and during the late 1920s and 1930s, DKW was the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer. After the war, the company made the RT 125, 175, 250 and 350 models. The motorcycle branch of the company produced very famous models such as the RT 125 pre- and post World War II. As reparations after the war, the design drawings of the RT125 were given to Harley-Davidson in the
US
and BSA in the
UK
. The HD version was known as the Hummer, while BSA used them for the Bantam. IFA and later MZ models continued in production until the 1990s, when economics finally brought production of the two stroke to an end. Other manufacturers also copied the DKW design, officially or otherwise. This can be seen in the similarity of many small two stroke motorcycles from the 1950s, including a product of Yamaha, Voskhod and Polish WSK.
We have more photos listed on Ebay of DKW with Winkler, Geiss , Sandford , Hollaus etc. etc.and other brands with various riders.
This is your rare chance to own this
non period
photo that reflects a very interesting and historic piece of motorcycle and D.K.W. history. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of ca. 8" x 12" (ca. 20 x
30 cm
).
We have more photos listed on Ebay, also other motorcycle and car racing photos! Check them out and use the shipping discount! You can always contact us for any requests.
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you buy.   For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well protected in PVC clear files
and board backed envelopes.
We have photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and excellent quality.
After many decades of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace, restaurant, bar or club!
First come - first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any questions before the auction ends.