DKW RT 100

The DKW RT 100 is a motorcycle produced by Auto Union AG at the DKW main plant in Zschopau. It was developed under the direction of DKW's chief designer, Hermann Weber, first presented to the public in 1934, and over 70,000 units were manufactured before production ceased. It was the best-selling DKW motorcycle of the 1930s. The abbreviation "RT", in conjunction with the brand name DKW, stands for "Reichstyp". The manufacturer also marketed the motorcycle under the names "RT 2 ½ PS" and "RT 3 PS", derived from its engine power. The frame is an open-bottomed Single cradle in which the engine is mounted as a load-bearing element, effectively "bridging" the frame. Front suspension is provided by a Girder Fork using a coil spring, and from 1936 onwards, rubber-band suspension. The rear wheel has no suspension. All parts of the motorcycle were painted a uniform black at the factory. Light-colored pinstriping on the fenders, fuel tank, tool box (cylindrical in shape and located within the frame beneath the saddle), and fork blades relieved the visual appearance.