The Kreidler Mustang was the enduro branch of the Florett family. It started in 1974 with the Mustang Cross, a Florett with longer suspension travel and a 19-inch front wheel, and returned in 1980 on the 80 cc light motorcycles that Kreidler built for the new West German licence class 1b.
Kreidler Mustang at a glance
| Maker | Kreidler, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen |
|---|---|
| Mustang Cross | 1974–1976 |
| Based on | Kreidler Florett |
| Chassis changes | longer suspension travel, high handlebar, 19-inch front wheel |
| Other changes | different gear ratio and exhaust |
| Price advantage | almost 400 DM cheaper than the Florett |
| 80 cc series | 1980, for licence class 1b |
| 80 cc models | 80L, 80E and Mustang 80 |
| Cylinder position | upright on the 80 cc series |
| Price of the 80 cc | about 4,000 DM |
| Electric system | 6V, mixture lubrication |
The Mustang is described in the Mustang section of the German Wikipedia article on the Kreidler company. Based on one source.
History of the Kreidler Mustang
Mustang Cross of 1974
From 1974 to 1976 Kreidler offered the Mustang Cross, an enduro version of the Florett with longer suspension travel, a high handlebar and a 19-inch front wheel. The gear ratio and the exhaust were changed as well. At almost 400 DM below the Florett, it was the cheapest way into the Kreidler range.
The 80 cc class of 1980
In 1980 a new West German driving licence class, 1b, opened the way to light motorcycles of up to 80 cm³. Kreidler answered with 80 cc Florett variants whose cylinders were now mounted upright, and the enduro version carried the Mustang name again as the Mustang 80. Alongside it stood the 80L and the reduced-equipment entry model 80E. Despite technology that was no longer up to date, such as a weak 6V electric system and mixture lubrication, they were priced clearly above the Japanese alternatives: for about 4,000 DM the buyer got a light motorcycle that was well built but had a number of detail faults.
End of the line
Partly because these models had completely abandoned the typical Florett features, they could not establish themselves on the market. After the Kreidler bankruptcy in 1982 the remaining stock was sold off at prices just over 2,000 DM, which gave the Mustang 80 a modest spread.
Design and features
- Enduro chassis: longer suspension travel, a high handlebar and a 19-inch front wheel instead of the road Florett’s equipment.
- Cheaper than the Florett: the Mustang Cross was nearly 400 DM less expensive when it appeared in 1974.
- Upright cylinder: the 80 cc engines of 1980 were mounted upright instead of lying in the frame.
- Outdated in 1980: a 6V electrical system and mixture lubrication on machines sold above Japanese prices.
Kreidler Mustang versions
- Mustang Cross (1974–1976): the enduro Florett with 19-inch front wheel.
- Mustang 80 (1980): the enduro version of the 80 cc series for licence class 1b.
- 80L and 80E (1980): road models of the same series, the 80E the reduced-equipment entry version.
The Mustang was the enduro version of the Kreidler Florett, the model that took over from the Kreidler K 50; the mofa of the same years is the Kreidler Flory. More models are in the Kreidler collection.
Video: Kreidler Mustang 80cc LK-800
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Kreidler, German Wikipedia: Mustang Cross, 80 cc series, prices, fate
