Hoffmann Motorcycles was a motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

 manufacturer located in Hoffman, Germany, and was in business from 1949 to 1954.

History

The company began in 1949 in the town of Lintorf, Germany, and was different from many other German motorcycle manufactures because they did not exist before World War II. Hoffmann built around ten different types of motorcycles, and was also licensed to build Italian Vespa

Vespa

Vespa is an Italian brand of scooter manufactured by Piaggio. The name means wasp in Italian.The Vespa has evolved from a single model motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co. S.p.A...

 scooters.

In 1954 Hoffmann designed their own sleek 248cc flat-twin

Flat-twin

A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft. It is part of the class of flat engines, sub-type "boxer", and shares most characteristics of those engines.-Motorcycle use:...

 four-stroke engine

Four-stroke cycle

A four-stroke engine, also known as four-cycle, is an internal combustion engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—during two separate revolutions of the engine's crankshaft, and one single thermodynamic cycle.There are two...

 for their Gouverneur model motorcycles. This engine was described as being similar to the larger BMW engines of the time. Unfortunately because of the sleekly designed covers, the engines developed overheating problems. The ultimate demise of the company came with this engine design as it led Hoffmann to financial problems. The company went out of business in 1954.

The motorcycles created by Hoffman

1949–1951

- Hoffmann HWL 125
- 123cc, 5.2 HP, 3-speed transmission, top speed 75 km/h

1949–1954

- Hoffmann MHF 125
- 123cc, ILO one-cylinder two-stroke engine

Two-stroke cycle

A two-stroke engine is an internal combustion engine that completes the process cycle in one revolution of the crankshaft...

, 5.2 HP, 3-speed transmission, top speed 75 km/h

1951–1953

- Hoffmann 175
- 174cc, ILO onecylinder two-stroke engine, 7.65HP , 3-speed transmission, top speed 85 km/h

1954

- Hoffmann MR 175-2
- 173cc ILO onecylinder two-stroke engine, 8.2HP , 4-speed transmission, top speed 90 km/h

- Hoffmann MR 200-1
- 197cc ILO single cylinder two-stroke engine, 11HP , 4-speed transmission, top speed 100 km/h

- Hoffmann MR 200-2
- 197cc ILO single cylinder two-stroke engine, 9.3HP , 4-speed transmission, top speed 92 km/h

- Hoffmann 250
- 248cc, ILO single cylinder two-stroke engine, 9 HP, 4-speed transmission, top speed 95 km/h

- Hoffmann MR 250
- 248cc, ILO single cylinder two-stroke engine, 12.8 HP, 4-speed transmission, top speed 106 km/h

The Gouverneur Model

1951–1954

- Hoffmann MP-250 -2
- 248cc or 298cc, flat-twin four-stroke engine, 11HP, 4-speed transmission, top speed 112 km/h

- Hoffmann MP-250 -2
- 298cc, flat-twin four-stroke engine, 14.8 HP, 4-speed transmission, top speed ? km/h

1954

- Hoffmann S 300
- ?cc, flat-twin four-stroke engine, 17 HP, 4-speed transmission, top speed of 118 km/h, built 1954

External links

• http://www.cybermotorcycle.com/euro/brands/hoffman.htm. European Motorcycle Universe.
• Hartmut Schouwer website