Estimated Price: £3,000 - £5,000

• Among Adler enthusiasts, the MB250 ‘S’ or Works-specification machines occupy a particularly revered position. Built to a higher performance standard and easily identified by details such as high-level exhaust systems and sporting equipment, these models represent the ultimate evolution of Adler’s innovative quarter-litre two-stroke design
• Manufactured by Adler, the MB250 was already a technically advanced motorcycle by mid-1950s standards, and the Works ‘S’ components elevated it further, lending a more purposeful appearance and enhanced sporting intent
• This example is particularly interesting. It is numbered #308862 on the Adler identification plate, with a headstock number of 182602 and engine number 301891. It is fitted with high-level Works exhausts and Pagusa twin saddles, features closely associated with the sought-after ‘S’ specification. Robin Haigh acquired the motorcycle in 1997, following its sale at the Sotheby’s Stafford Auction in April 1995. Believing the machine to be an ex-Works example, Haigh subsequently fitted the Works items, however, it should be noted that no factory documentation survives to conclusively support this claim. The only reference suggesting ‘S’ model status is a handwritten letter from a previous owner
• The Adler benefits from a strong and engaging history file, including extensive correspondence relating to a restoration carried out by a previous owner in 1993–1994. Additional documentation includes expired MOT certificates, expired tax discs, a copy workshop manual, correspondence, and period technical information, all of which add depth and interest to the bike’s story
• Whether regarded as a well-specified MB250 enhanced with desirable Works components, or as a possible ex-Works machine awaiting further research, this Adler represents a fascinating opportunity for the knowledgeable collector