SACHS

Sachs and its indestructible 2-strokes

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Anyone who loves mopeds will also appreciate the services of the almost indestructible Sachs 503 engine. This version of the legendary Sachs 50, produced exclusively for Switzerland, powered and still powers numerous mopeds from various manufacturers. Of course, the manufacturer and former global corporation has also given the world other beautiful daughters, such as the original Saxonette moped or the cult Hercules Sachs moped, but the opus magnum is definitely this particularly robust and low-maintenance engine.

Seat
flag_germanyGermany, Schweinfurt/Nürnberg
Status
Active
Foundation1895
logo_sachs

Bicycle and rolling bearing specialist becomes world-famous motor manufacturer

As with many renowned moped manufacturers, the Schweinfurt-based engine manufacturer's origins lie in the production of accessories for bicycles. In 1895, a good 40 years before the manufacturer's first 2-stroke engine was launched on the market, Präcisions-Kugellagerwerke Fichtel & Sachs produced bearings and bicycle hubs. A modest 70 hubs left the factory every day. Nobody could have guessed that this small manufacturing operation, which was located in a simple one-storey residential building, would one day mature into a genuine specialist for 2-stroke engines of world renown. The company's development gained momentum when the inventor and company founder Ernst Sachs developed the Torpedo freewheel hub for bicycles. A great success, as the particularly low-maintenance bicycle rear wheel hub became a real bestseller. Spurred on by its success and equipped with fresh capital from the proceeds of marketing the Torpedo freewheel hub, numerous other patents, innovations and new developments in the field of roller bearings and bicycle hubs followed. Even the First World War and the Great Depression only temporarily slowed the company's rapid growth.

- 48 %
GPO running board chrome | Pony Junior 503
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For: Sachs

30648

GPO running board chrome | Pony Junior 503

Manufacturer: GPO · Material: Plastic · Color: Chrome · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Total length: 347 mm · Width: 77 mm

67,10 EUR

34,90 EUR

Selettra stator for A11 analog
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo

30654

Selettra stator for A11 analog

Manufacturer: Selettra · Surface: coated · Color: black · Color: red · Number of cables: 2 pcs · Number of fixing points: 3 pcs · Area of application: Tuning

116,60 EUR

Selettra ignition coil A11 analog Superseal plug
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo

30655

Selettra ignition coil A11 analog Superseal plug

Manufacturer: Selettra · Color: black · Color: red · Place of use: Universal · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Mounting type: Stud bolts & nuts

116,60 EUR

Selettra internal rotor ignition 13° left & right turning A11 analog
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo

30656

Selettra internal rotor ignition 13° left & right turning A11 analog

326,60 EUR

Bell chrome sticker Sachs blue

For: Sachs

30692

Bell chrome sticker Sachs blue

Ø External head: 55 mm · Material: Sheet metal (steel) · Surface: chrome-plated · Color: Chrome · Height: 29 mm · Height: 50 mm

15,10 EUR

swiing® revival seal float cap Bing 17 & 18
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For: Puch · Sachs

30708

swiing® revival seal float cap Bing 17 & 18

Manufacturer: swiing® revival parts · Component group Carburetor: Sealing, revising · Material: Cork · Thickness: 1 mm

6,90 EUR

Exhaust without Catalytic Converter | Hercules 503 (Cat.)

For: Sachs

30727

Exhaust without Catalytic Converter | Hercules 503 (Cat.)

Material: Steel · Surface: chrome-plated · Surface: varnished · Color: Chrome · Color: black · Ø Internal connection: 16 mm · Ø Silencer: 76 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Ø Flame tube outside: 20 mm · Exhaust type: Cylindrical · Mounting type: Stud bolts & nuts · Total length: 970 mm

279,90 EUR

Disk 19/26/0.3 Clutch | Sachs 503 AB, ABL (A5617)
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For: Sachs

30738

Disk 19/26/0.3 Clutch | Sachs 503 AB, ABL (A5617)

Tolerance: DIN 988 (-0.03 mm) · Manufacturer: Sachs · Material: Spring steel · Surface: Hardened · Ø outside: 26 mm · Nominal diameter inside: 19 mm · Thickness: 0.3 mm · Ø inside: 19.1 mm · Pony OEM number: A5617 · Sachs OEM no.: 0244 171 003

3,40 EUR

For: Puch · Sachs

30739

Set speedometer drive spoke rim chrome | EBR hydraulic

51,20 EUR

For: Puch · Sachs

30740

Set speedometer drive spoked rim black | EBR hydraulic

51,20 EUR

Inox
66HEROES spring washer & M4 cam number holder Inox
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Pony / Cilo (Beta 521 & 512) · Piaggio · Zündapp Belmondo · Solex · Tomos · Bye Bike · Alpa Chopper / Turbo · Cilo · DKW · Fantic · Garelli · Honda · Hercules · ILO / JLO · Kreidler · Malaguti · MBK / Motobécane · Miele · Suzuki · Monark · Peugeot · Victoria · Yamaha · Zündapp · Franco Morini

30751

66HEROES spring washer & M4 cam number holder Inox

Manufacturer: 66HEROES · Material: Chrome steel (colloquially known as stainless steel) · Thread type: M4x0.7 (standard thread) · Ø mounting hole: 4.5 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Thread length: 12 mm · Mounting type: Nuts & bolts

16,00 EUR

BAD ASS 17 mm intake manifold (short) Bing SRE | Sachs 503 2AL/2BL
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For: Sachs

30771

BAD ASS 17 mm intake manifold (short) Bing SRE | Sachs 503 2AL/2BL

Manufacturer: BAD ASS · Camouflaged: No · Material: Aluminum · Ø External connection: 20 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Ø inside: 17.8 mm · Hole spacing inlet: 32 mm · Height flange center hole: 45 mm · Total length: 65 mm · Total height: 55 mm · Mounting type: Stud bolt · Area of application: Tuning

87,40 EUR

Nos
Rear air filter box NOS | Sachs 504 / 505 / 535
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For: Sachs

30776

Rear air filter box NOS | Sachs 504 / 505 / 535

Manufacturer: Sachs · Material: Plastic · Color: black · Area of application: Original

58,20 EUR

GPO light coil 6V with cable
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For: Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo

30800

GPO light coil 6V with cable

Manufacturer: GPO · Ø Internal flywheel: 90 mm · Tension: 6 V · Performance: 17 W · Ø mounting hole: 4.7 mm · Number of fixing points: 2 pcs · Hole spacing: 54 mm · Mounting type: Screws · Total length: 76.5 mm · Total length: 600 mm · Height: 22.2 mm · Area of application: Standard · Pony OEM number: A2110 · Pony OEM number: A5526 · Sachs OEM no.: 0265 113 003 · Sachs OEM no.: 0265 204 000

23,20 EUR

swiing® ingenious wheel bearing 12/31/8 conversion spoke rim
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For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo

30806

swiing® ingenious wheel bearing 12/31/8 conversion spoke rim

Bearing type: Deep groove ball bearing · Bearing cage: Sheet steel cage ball-guided · Ball bearing closed: Yes · Manufacturer: swiing® ingenious parts · Dust protection type: 2RS - NBR contact seal on both sides · Groove ring: No · Material: Steel · Ø outside: 31.01 mm · Ø inside: 12 mm · Width: 8 mm · Area of application: Standard

13,90 EUR

Transmission oil GB6 wet clutch (manual transmission) triple clutch 1 L

For: Universal · Puch · Sachs · Zündapp Belmondo · Cilo · DKW · Zündapp

30807

Transmission oil GB6 wet clutch (manual transmission) triple clutch 1 L

Oil type: semi-synthetic · Contents: 1000 ml · Gearbox type: Manual gearshift

23,20 EUR

23,20 EUR/l

Page 1 of 195

Entry into the 2-stroke business

The sale of the rolling bearing division to Svenska Kullagerfabriken (SKF) was a historic move that injected a lot of fresh capital into the company's coffers. Money that Ernst Sachs invested to a large extent in the research and development of accessory components for the automotive industry and small engines. A few years later, this decision would bear rich fruit and establish the reputation of the Schweinfurt-based manufacturer in the field of 2-stroke engines. The German company had recognised the signs of the times. The bicycle as a means of transport for the masses had not become obsolete, but the future of mobility in the 1930s demanded motorisation.

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The original Saxonette moped

The Schweinfurt-based company's answer was the Saxonette, a two-stroke, nose-piston engine with a displacement of 60 cm³ and an output of 1.2 hp, which could be installed in the rear wheel hub of bicycles. Bicycles equipped with this 2-stroke wheel hub engine were already travelling at a remarkable 25-30 km/h. However, the engine was particularly impressive due to its reliability. Overall, the concept of the engine for light motorbikes was a complete success and enjoyed strong demand. In the 1930s, up to 5000 units of the wheel hub engine left the Schweinfurt factory every year, but the unit was also built under licence by Victoria or Wanderer. Durability, low-maintenance operation and robustness were the hallmarks that characterised this little masterpiece of engineering. It was also these characteristics that became a genuine trademark of the stationary and mobile small and 2-stroke engines from the Schweinfurt manufacturer in the years that followed. The reputation of the indestructible and unbreakable Sachs engines was born, and it hardly mattered what powered the units. In addition to the Saxonette two-stroke engine, the company also developed motorbike and boat engines as well as stationary power units for industrial plants during this time.

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Der Sachs 50 – das Triebwerk des goldenen Töffli-Zeitalters

Nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges untermauerte der Hersteller diesen Ruf weiter. Die Produktpalette wurde mit zahlreichen Neuentwicklungen von Aggregaten mit einem Hubraum bis 50 cm³ ergänzt. Besonders berühmt wurde der Sachs 50, der in unterschiedlichen Versionen in zahlreichen Töfflis verbaut wurde. Zahlreiche Hersteller im In- und Ausland setzten auf die Motoren aus Schweinfurt. Aus diesem Grund bürgerten sich für viele Mofas Doppelnamen ein. Neben dem Fahrzeughersteller wurde der Motorhersteller im selben Atemzug genannt. So erklären sich die Typenbezeichnungen wie Rixe-Sachs-Töffli.

Speziell und exklusiv für die Schweiz wurde die Version Sachs 503 entwickelt, die viele Jahre serienmässig in den Pony-Mofas der Schweizer Töfflischmiede Amsler sowie in den ALPA-Hödis des eidgenössischen Herstellers Stähli verbaut wurde. Der 503-Mofamotor war sowohl in einer gebläsegekühlten Version, also auch in einer noch robusteren fahrwindgekühlten Ausführung zu haben. Er leistete in der handgeschalteten Variante 0,8 PS bei 3000 U/min. Die Automatik-Modelle AAL, ABL, AB, AC und ADV waren etwas flotter und lieferten 1,2 PS bei 3800 U/min.

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A huge two-wheeler empire is born

It is a historic stroke of luck that the renowned and traditional Swiss moped makers were able to resist the Schweinfurt company's hunger for expansion. Fichtel & Sachs had a huge appetite for two-wheeler manufacturers in those years. In the post-war years, the company acquired majority shareholdings in numerous renowned German moped and vehicle manufacturers. The takeover was kept secret for a long time; the purchase of the long-established moped manufacturer Hercules was handled via straw men and only officially announced in 1965.

Partly because the Hercules mopeds had already been equipped with engines from Schweinfurt at the factory and the two companies cooperated closely, it was possible to conceal the takeover for a long time. When a golden age for mopeds was dawning in the mid-1960s and the moped boom was already making itself felt through the sharp rise in demand for mopeds, the group also swallowed up Zweirad-Union, which also built the legendary Victoria mopeds and DKW mopeds, among others. It was not only due to the reliability of the small engines produced by the Schweinfurt-based company that the majority of the moped fleet was equipped with a Sachs engine until the 1980s; the German manufacturer's expansive corporate policy also played a part in this. Nevertheless, the small powerhouse has confirmed its reliability to this day in thousands of mopeds that are still on the road with this engine.

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Has the 503 engine long been history?

The manufacturer Fichtel & Sachs was itself the subject of company takeovers and mergers in the 1990s. The former Schweinfurt engine manufacturer is actually still active in some areas today, although the company is now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen. Unfortunately, the 503 engine is long gone. In 1996, the production of all small engines with the S logo was discontinued. Fortunately, however, many of the engines are still running many years after the final production stop. This is due not only to the legendary reliability of the indestructible moped engine, but also to the fact that many moped enthusiasts look after and maintain their 503-powered scooters with exemplary care and passion.

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Freedom has never felt greater, joy never stronger — than at 30 km/h with the breeze as your companion.

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