Express Werke AG (AG = Aktiengesellschaft: a type of German corporation that’s owned by shareholders and is often publicly traded) had a 75 year history of producing bicycles, mopeds and small-displacement motorcycles, starting all the way back in 1884. Express Werke utilized engines produced by ILO and Sachs to power its lightweight scoots for a good deal of its time producing two-wheelers. From the 1940’s through 1959 when Express reportedly ended production – EW AG offered seven classes of bikes with displacements of 50, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250. One of the five machines in the 175cc class from this era was the 1955 Radex 175S.
Express Werke scoots were built at the company’s Nuremberg, Germany headquarters, and sold bikes throughout the European market. Finding an example in the States is rare. This particular example was imported from Belgium three years ago and currently has a clean title in California, where it is supposedly the only example currently registered in the entire state and likely one of only a handful in the US. I’m not sure if the ad is referring to it being the only Express scoot in the state or the only Radex example, but the bottom line is this thing is incredibly rare. Despite its rarity and small displacement, this machine still seems relatively cheap, especially for a 62-year old European motorcycle in running condition that had to be imported from overseas. My father once had a 1970’s BMW imported from the Netherlands and from what I recall it was a fairly pricey headache of an experience, though well worth it.
This example is powered by a Sachs two-stroke single with a displacement 174cc that made 9 hp. The machine has a four-speed transmission that got the little runner up to a reported 55mph, and according to the seller is good for a cool 100 mpg. The powerplant has in recent years received a new crankshaft, rod, bearings and seals, rings, and clutch. The steel tube, control head muffled frame has been hit with powder-coating. The Radex came from the factory in Nuremberg with a 20mm F. & S. piston plunger carb, and an impressive electrical system for its time with a 6 volt Bosch flywheel generator that powered the bike’s 27 W headlight which also houses the bike’s illuminated tach which was supposedly pretty trick over half-a-century-ago.
The stock suspension on the Radex reportedly consisted of a telescopic fork with pressed light alloy yokes and a built-in control head lock. The Radex came with drum brakes, front and rear. The saddle on these models was what is sometimes referred to as a “swinging saddle” with a rubber top. The large front and rear fenders were made from deep drawn sheet metal that both sported crash-protection in the form of crash-bars. The three gallon tank wears rubber knee-pads, gloss black paint and exposed metal. The tank also houses a built-in tool kit that came standard with the Radex, an unabashedly old-school feature.
This example is cosmetically original, though it is wearing some lightly chipped and flaking paint in some areas, but the Radex came from the factory looking mighty spiffy with chrome-plated rims, exhaust pipes, and muffler-ends. This example could be restored to its former glory of more than six-decades-ago, and would make for a fantastic little neighborhood scoot. The current seller claims to have put “hundreds of miles on it buzzing around the local area”, so despite its age it’s seemingly mechanically sound, though obviously necessitates regular tinkering and upkeep to keep it on the road. This example also still has its original castings, dealer tag and period-correct whistle mounted on front fender.
In addition to the bike itself – which has just had its wheels wrapped in new tires – the sale comes with “a bunch of extra parts”, including various engine components, bench seat, original handle bars, extra fuel-tank which the seller claims is “ultra rare”. Express Werke AG’s history may lack the significance that other mocos of yesteryear possess, but the German manufacturer built some awesome little runners. In this video you can hear a Radex 250 running and while the audio quality isn’t the best, you can still get a sense of what the machines sounded like.
You can find this 1955 Express Werke Radex 175S for sale here on Craigslist in Glendale, California with a price of $3,900.