Das Heinkel Forum für Perle, Roller und Kabine

Guten morgen,

First I want to introduce myself, I am a new member of the Heinkel family (103a2 1967). Forgive me for using English, my German is terrible, so I hope you don't mind. Nederlands is also ok, because I''m dutch. Born 1958, living in Haarlem, Holland.

My father used to have the simular scooter in the '60's.
Bought the scooter this february, stripped it, sandblasted frame etc, painted in the original colors. Renewed what was bad after about 50 years.
Scooter starts well, engine runs ok. I noticed that shifting gears is not the best thing on my Heinkel. Adjusted the cables as described in the manual.
Cables are new. I discovered a kind of shifting aid that you can mount to the left side of the engine, it should help getting the gears right the first time.
Anyone any experience with such an item? Does it help? Cost on ebay € 50 or so.
Or should I go for replacing the control on the handlebar? Cost € 150.

Guten Morgen Ron,

welcome in the Heinkel community! It's a good choice you made; with the Heinkel scooter you will have tons of fun.

Shifting the gears is a general issue with all Heinkel Tourist scooters; specially the 2nd gear is always difficult to 'find'.
I can only speak for myself and give you my personal opinion, but I would not suggest purchasing the shifting aid. (But you will see: talking to 3 different Heinkel drivers you will hear 4 different opinions ).

Shifting gears when riding a Heinkel Tourist is a matter of practice: the more you drive, the better it will work. Especially when using new cables, you should adjust the settings often, at the gearbox. Make sure the cables are not too tight - and not too loose; this requires a bit of 'trial and error'; but you will find the correct position. When shifting from first to second gear you need to turn the handle further than to the number 2, and then come back to the 2; this helps; same is sometimes also necessary when shifting back from 3rd to 2nd gear.

One further 'trick': the engine must be running slow when shifting the gear; you should have only few revolutions: when you are in a hurry, and 'pull' up the engine in 1st gear to then quickly shift into second gear (whilst the engine is still running at high speed): that never works well! Always shift early and slowly, allow the engine to slow down before inserting the second gear.

If it really does not work, and even with much experience you can't find the gears easily, then your control in the handlebar might be worn out or somehow damaged. In that case you'll have to spend the money for it. But why are you saying 150,-€?

You need to check what exactly needs to be replaced; but probably it's only one piece:

on table 16, "Lenker":
Bild, Nummer, Preis, Stück, Bezeichnung
27, 11.1709, 20,00 €, 1, Rolle Nachfertigung

And this is replaced within relatively short time. So don't let this spoil the joy you have with your Heinkel!

But even if you spend the 50,- € for the shifting aid: if the handle bar is not working properly you will have to replace it anyways - and then you will have spent 50,- € + the cost for the handlebar. So I definitely recommend not buying the shifting aid. Thousands of Heinkel Tourist scooters are running perfectly without shifting aid (including the 2 I own): so why shouldn't yours?

I wish you much fun with your 'new' Heinkel and successful works on the shifting problem - and that you will soon be able to resolve it!

Kind Regards,

Carsten

Hoi Carsten,

thanks for the quick and usefull answer!!!
I will let you know how this will work out!!
Greetz
Ron

this is it

Hi Ron,

it looks really great - the combination of 2 different shades of the same colour, as well in the front as well as on the rear part (which is available only for the 103 A2) is very nice.

I have 2 103 A1, you can see one of them in the picture gallery, those pictures are from 2011:
http://www.heinkel-club.de/t3/m-l/mehr- ... 7c2714afcf

I wish you a lot of fun with the scooter - and I'm sure, as soon as the shifting problem will be resolved, you'll have fun!

Carsten


P.S. you might want to turn around the luggage rack on the spare wheel:

Hi Carsten.nice scooter. Colors are beautiful. Really better than the yellow.
Greetz ron
Btw you are right a bout the rack i know. Did it so the passenger has something to hold on to