Description
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
30th Oct, 2024 11:00
1960 Durkopp Diana Sport Mk1
Rare Mk1 Sport model with full provenance
Estimate
£2, 500 - £3, 500
Registration No: 172 NHA
Frame No: 126371
MOT: Exempt
British registered from new with complete history
With original buff log book
Super provenance file
The rare 194cc 4 geared Mk 1 Sport version
V5C for use on UK roads
Transferable registration number
Dürkoppwerke's history began in 1867 when Heinrich Dürkopp started making sewing machines out of the backroom of a clockmakers shop. In 1870 they moved to their own premises in Bielefeld adding shoe making machines. In 1885 the firm began making bicycles and ball bearings. By 1898 the firm began making cars and motorcycles including the famous Knipperdolling small car. However after WW1 the company was in debt and the automobile division was sold to Mercedes Benz. Durkopp continued to make cylindrical bearings including for tanks and weapons during WW2. After the war the company jettisoned its bearings business and returned to sewing machines, bicycles and motorcycles including scooters.
The Durkopp Diana scooter was launched in 1953 and was splashed across the headlines early in production when Miss Germany ‘won’ a Diana in 1954. It was extremely well built with sleek lines and was ahead of most of the competition with a powerful engine that produced 9. 5 HP and the headlight on the handlebars. The later 194cc 4 speed Sport model produced 12 HP and could reach speeds of 100 km/ h while the 171cc Sport TS version produced 10. 8 HP. Weighing in at 150kg (330 lbs) a whopping 30kg heavier than the Lambretta series 2 of the time, the Diana had remarkable luxurious build quality all over. The electrics were Bosch 12 volt electric start (with kick start as back up) and used a number of fuses in a car style fusebox. The foot gear change could be knocked into neutral regardless of which gear you were in (positive neutral). Hella lights were as standard all over (the rear lights are the same as used on the Messerschmidt KR bubble cars). The attention to detail is impressive with small details such as chromed aluminium and rubber strips on the side panel edging to protect the side panels where they meet the chassis, heel strips to protect the side panels against passenger shoes, wide foot boards for the pillion and 4 floor strips each side for the riders feet. The large Denfeld dual seat was impressively sprung with comfortable support for the pillion. The embellishers on the side panels are chrome over brass. Apart from keys for the ignition, seat and tool box there was a further ‘secret key’ hidden from view in the upper part inside the tool box.
A total of 24, 963 Dianas were produced before production ended in 1962. In Great Britain Diana Concessionaires based in Molesworth, Surrey offered a range of optional accessories and had a service centre in Hampton Wick, Surrey. Available in 1961 for the princely sum of £219 10s 9d, it was more expensive than the Lambretta TV175 Series 2 (£189 17s 6d), or the Vespa GS (£188 8s 3d). In 1961 a road test by Scooter News Mechanics summarised that ‘the Diana in any of its forms was one of the best scooters made today’.
Here we present a very rare matching numbers Mk 1 Sport with the headlight mounted on the handlebars. It was acquired by our vendor, one of the foremost Diana experts in the UK, 55 years ago in 1969 and he is only the second owner. It was restored in 1970. We are informed by the vendor that it is in full running condition and he tells us there are no with no faults at all although we were unable to see this as new batteries are needed. All original keys are present, not copies. Everything is original and it also has the optional side stand. The mileage is currently 21504 and genuine as backed up by a large number of MOTs going back to 1969. The impressive history file also has the original purchase receipt when our vendor bought it for £13 and 10 shillings. The original buff log book is present giving us full history from new. Also present is the blue log book and the scooter is fully road registered with modern V5C and the number plate is transferable. The lot comes with original instruction and work shop manual books and a Durkopp original document holder. Only for sale as the vendor can no longer use it due to his age.
