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Flight of the Bumblebee
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1961 DKW Hummel
Ray Thursby
10/01/2007
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Photography by Nick Cedar Photography
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Europeans
have
long understood that even
inexpensive necessities should reflect a sense of style, and nowhere is that
more apparent than in personal transportation. Most German motorcyclists of the
late ’50s and early ’60s with 995 deutschmarks to spend—about $1,650 in current
greenbacks—desired an eye-catching ride with a distinct style.
 Enter the 1956 DKW Hummel ("Bumblebee"). With a sleek,
science-fiction shape and well-placed brightwork, it was a definite step up from
the humble moped. Its stamped-steel frame was gracefully sculpted, the engine
sat concealed under a stylish shroud, and the fuel tank hid beneath the back of
the extravagant headlight pod. (Click image to enlarge)
Underneath, the Hummel was all practicality. A 49cc two-stroke
single and four-speed transmission sent five small horses to the rear wheel via
an enclosed chain. With a little help from a following wind, it might have
attained 50 mph.
Owner Stewart Ingram reports that his Hummel (shown here)
offers a rather strange riding experience, in part due to the leading-arm front
suspension and oversized front fender. But it is, he says, soft-riding and the
fan-cooled engine is remarkably quiet.
Sadly, the Hummel—dubbed "Tin Banana" by owners—was not a
success for DKW, which retreated from the motorcycle business at the end of the
1950s. Production was taken over for a time by Victoria/Fichtel & Sachs,
which sold DKW-branded bikes into 1970s. By then, however, the futuristic
Bumblebee had long since buzzed into the past.
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