Rex KL-35

Rex is one of the rarest, strangest of the tiddler brands. The German company built five 50cc models in the late '50's and early '60's. There were several other European brands named Rex, but this one may be the most obscure. These 50cc tiddlers were built in Munich and distributed out of Salt Lake City. How's that for strange? If I had not seen this ad for the top-of-the-line KL-35 in the August '62 issue of Cycle World, I might never have discovered this unusual tiddler. I sent off for a full-line, 1962 brochure when I saw this ad, and I'll put those scans on Tiddlerosis when I get time. I am posting this ad photo first because it proudly displays some of the KL-35's features.

Let's begin at the bottom of the Rex lineup and work our way up to the king beastie shown here. The cheapest Rex was called simply the Motorbike Kit. Shown in the brochure was an English-style touring bicycle with a gas tank attached to the top frame bar and an engine nestled in the V of the frame, just above the pedals. I don't know if this machine retained its original three-speed handshift or not. Next up the scale was the Piccolo Moped, which was sort of a heavy-duty bicycle frame with the engine mounted in front of the pedals. The middle of the line was the Monaco Moped, a machine roughly equivalent to the much more common Allstate Moped.

Next up was a model called the Como Deluxe. This was one of those tiddlers that you don't know quite what to call it. I have photos of 1959 and 1961 models with pedals, but the '62 version in the brochure had a conventional set of footpegs and kickstarter. The photos of the early ones are blue and the '62 is white. The Como was shaped like a motorcycle, but there was a shallow step-through area behind the conventional gas tank. The tire diameter was larger than that of the Allstate Compact, but less than that of the Honda Cub. The Como was like a primitive, German version of the cycle/scooter hybrids that would come much later. The engine was fan-cooled and the left side kickstarter tilted forward like that on a Super Hawk.The three-speed handshift was on pressed-steel handlebars in front of a conventional dual seat. The Como was basically a toned-down version of the KL-35 in a semi-scooter suit.

The KL-35 offered numerous weight-adding features. Its fan-cooled 50cc engine pumped 4.4 horsepower through dual carbs and twin upswept exhausts. Yes, you read it right. Look at the picture again. This was a little more power than the 3.6 hp of the Como, but it still drove through a three-speed handshift. Rex touted the Earls (sic) front fork for the bike's comfortable ride and the electrics were via magneto. The 21" wheels gave it a distinctly motorcycle look, but its pressed-steel frame, fully enclosed chain, and narrow handlebars brought the sissy look back. In its favor, there was the classic German pinstriping on the fenders, and I'm sure any fourteen-year-old could be impressed by its dual input and output! Hey, that's the ticket. I happened to have been fourteen in 1962!