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Zundapp was a motorcycle manufacturer founded by Dr. Fritz Neumeyer and Friedruch Krupp in 1917. The company was initially focused on weapons and detonators but, as the war ended in 1919, Zunder-und Apparatebau G.m.b.H. got involved into the motorcycle manufacturing process (the new company name was formed from a combination of the first letters in the old name). After only a few years since the company began producing motorcycles, it was mostly known for building bikes for all segments of users, formerly named “Motorrad fur Jedermann” (‘motorcycle for everybody’).
“Z 22”, the first motorcycle designed and launched by Zundapp was officially rolled out in 1921. Then came a modification “Z 2G” with a 2.6 hp engine and two-speed gearbox. Both machines were produced for two years.
The 1923 Model “Z 249” copied the chassis of the “Z 2G”, but the working volume of the engine increased to 249 cc, and the gearbox became three-speed.
The next year the model “K 249” with chain drive of rear wheel (“K” in the name is from “kette” – ‘chain’) began to be produced in large quantities. At the same time the modification “K 211” was produced (211 cc), from that time the number in the model index indicated the working volume of the engine.
In 1925, a brand new “EM 250” model appeared (249 cc, 4.5 hp), equipped with a parallelogram front fork and drum brakes on both wheels.
On the basis of this motorcycle for the first time in the history of the company a cargo tricycle was created, with a carrying capacity of 200 kg. Both rear wheels were sprung, The drive was realized by a chain on the left rear wheel.
Later, the models “Z 200” and “Z 300” appeared, which were a constructive continuation of the “EM 250”.
From 1930 to 1932 the S-series was produced, but while the “S 300” and “S 350” models were simply the improved two-stroke versions of the previous machines, the Zundapp S 500 (499 cc, 18 hp) became a milestone for the company – for the first time in the production program a four-stroke model appeared.
The sport version, “SS 500”, could develop 22 hp.
In 1936, the first motorcycle of the new KS series (Kardan Sport), “KS 500”, was released. The machine turned out to be very successful, it was presented as an ideal motorcycle for autobahns. The “KS 500” got a two-cylinder OHV engine (498 cc, 25 hp), which allowed it to reach the speed of 87 mph.
By 1938, Zundapp already produced no less than 200,000 motorcycles, most of them members of the K series which was first started in 1933. The K-series bikes could be found in multiple displacements, from 200cc to 800cc.
Great role in the appearance of new models was played by one famous engineer Richard Küchen, who was hired as chief designer in 1933. With his participation the following models were created: two-stroke DB 175 Derby and “K 200”, two-cylinder “K 400” (10 hp) and “K 500” (12.5 hp), four-cylinder “K 600” (15 hp) and “K 800” (20 hp). The letter “K” in the index indicates the rear wheel drive by rotating shaft.
Once World War II started, Zundapp turned into an important supplier of motorcycles for the German army. For instance, in 1940, the company produced no less than 18,000 motorcycles, dubbed KS750, all of them being addressed to the German armed forces.
Understanding that large quantities of motorcycles would be needed, the German military awarded large production contracts to the two dominant German motorcycle manufacturers of that era, BMW and Zundapp.
The Zundapp KS 750 and its rival the BMW R75 were both widely used by the Wehrmacht in Russia and North Africa, though after a period of evaluation it became clear that the Zundapp was the superior machine. In August 1942 Zundapp and BMW, on the urging of the Army, agreed upon standardization of parts for both models, although this was not always the case.
These are five models by Zundapp that saw Wehrmacht service:
- Zundapp DB200. Zundapp produced this 200-cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke motorcycle from 1935 to 1941. The Wehrmacht used the DB200 primarily for courier duties. It had a top speed of about 50 mph.
- Zundapp K500W. Zundapp’s K500W was similar in configuration to the other German twin-cylinder motorcycles. It had a 16-horsepower, 500-cc horizontally opposed engine and a four-speed transmission. The K500W had a top speed of just over 60 mph, and it was used primarily as a messenger motorcycle. It was produced from 1934 to 1938.
- Zundapp KS600W. The Zundapp KS600W was similar to the K500W, with a larger, 600-cc engine. The KS600W had a top speed of almost 90 mph (145). Its production ran from 1938 to 1941.
- Zundapp K800W. One of the largest German motorcycles, the K800W, had a very interesting 800-cc engine layout. The K800W had an air-cooled, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that produced 22 hp. However, the rear cylinders, which did not experience as much airflow, tended to overheat. Zundapp produced this motorcycle from 1934 to 1938.
- Zundapp KS750. This machine was a direct competitor to the BMW R75. Like the R75, it had an overhead-valve, twin-cylinder, horizontally opposed engine and a sidecar with a powered drive wheel.
At the end of the war, the Zundapp factory was badly damaged by Allied bombing and a third of it was destroyed. The first post-war years were so difficult that the company was ready to produce any civilian products, even flour milling equipment, in order to stay on the market. Gradually, the production of motorcycles was restored.
It is hard not to mention the last heavy motorcycle of the company, the Zundapp KS 601, which appeared in 1951. Due to its lime-green paint job and tremendous torque, this model was dubbed the “Green Elephant”. Between 1951 and 1958, 5,680 copies of the KS 601 were produced.
Excellent performance of the motorcycle ensured its great popularity in the racing scene. This was no coincidence, since the engine used in the new model was a refinement of the powerful pre-war 28 hp KS 600 engine.
Initially headquartered in Nuremberg, the company moved to Munich in 1958. From there the company developed several two-stroke models, and completely discontinued the development of four-stroke engines.
In the 60s, the Zundapp, like many other German companies, focused on smaller vehicles such as scooters, mopeds and other means of transport, which at that time could be attractive to the German market.
In the 70’s the company was still trying to break into the market with new modifications of motorcycles based on sport bikes produced for motocross and enduro competitions, but compared to similar motorcycles of Japanese companies, the performance of these models was much worse.
Attempts to resist competitors from the Land of the Rising Sun failed again and again. As a result, the Zundapp company went bankrupt and in 1984 all the factory equipment was sold to China.