Reasons to own a Heinkel Tourist
- The engine is of the 4-stroke variety, not 2-stroke. This means no oil mixing, thus you stay clean! You won't stink like your 2-stroke comrades. You might think this is silly, but I guarantee you will begin to notice it after a few rides on your Heinkel.
- 4-stroke, part two. You will not need to carry oil on long distance trips. Pull into a gas station, fill it up, and leave. You don't need to worry about finding a source for Motul along the way.
- Fantastic 12-volt electrical system. The horn is loud, the lights are bright, and the electric start is very reliable. How does a 1960s Lambretta compare?
- Electrical system, part two. Stop kicking! Heinkels have a wonderful electric start system that will get the engine running while your kick start friends are still pounding dirt.
- Asian "restorations" are a non-issue. Besides Germany and the USA, Heinkels were sold in a handful of European countries. It is highly unlikely that you will ever worry about a Heinkel with the same (poor) quality as much of the so called "Italian" junk you see on ebay.
- Zero maintenance floorboard. Your feet rest on a solid aluminum floorboard. It is elegant and won't rust. Plus, there are none of those silly rubber strips to flap in the breeze.
- Quiet. Loud pipes are loud. The Heinkel is pleasantly quiet.
- Ultra cool. You think you get looks while riding a Vespa? Vespas are so 1990s.
- Extremely comfortable. If the Vespa is like a Fiat Spyder, then the Heinkel is like the Rolls Royce. "Say fella, how is your GS 150 seat on long journeys? Oh that's right, you are unable to ride your GS 150 for any real distance."
- Bearings and seals are available locally. My local bearing shop can get all bearings and seals for me. I am certain that your shop can do the same.
- Easy to repair. Once you get used to their design, it is much easier to repair a Tourist, than many other scooters.
- The most user-friendly OddScoot out there. Parts, tools and workshop manuals are readily available.