1953
Simson AWO 425 - Specifications & Review
Article Complete Info
| Articleid | 343302 |
|---|---|
| Category | Custom-cruiser |
| Make | Simson |
| Model | AWO 425 |
| Year | 1953 |
Engine & Transmission
| Coolingsystem | Air |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 249.00 ccm (15.19 cubic inches) |
| Enginedetails | Single cylinder, two-stroke |
| Gearbox | 3-speed |
| Transmissiontypefinaldrive | Chain |
About Simson
Country of Origin:
Germany (former GDR)
Founder:
Simson & Co., Suhl (origins in 19th-century industry)
Best Known For:
Durable small two-strokes (S50/S51, Schwalbe) ubiquitous across the GDR
Company History
Simson’s mopeds and light motorcycles mobilized East Germany for decades. The Schwalbe scooter and S-series step-throughs were engineered for everyday survival—oil-bath chains, robust electrics, generous ground clearance, and engines that forgave indifferent fuel. Parts were available in village shops; owners learned maintenance as a civic skill. After reunification, Simson machines became cult classics: simple, charming, and legal oddities in some regions thanks to transitional rules. Clubs keep them alive with reproduction spares and shared know-how. Historically, Simson symbolizes transport as infrastructure under constraint: make it fixable, make it last, and let it be the tool that carries a nation to work, to school, and to weekend lakes on the same faithful cylinder.