German Motorcycle Brands

The German motorcycle industry has an interesting and long history of development. Many of its brands are a crucial part of the country’s history and have left their mark on world history. German pedantry and quality have played an important role in this. However, the most significant role the motorcycle industry played in the period from the early 30s to the late 40s, when production was focused on creating practical, durable, and long-lasting models for the Wehrmacht. During this time, original design solutions were developed, which could be useful in a variety of cases. A striking example of such achievements was the appearance of tracked vehicles. The Second World War proved the serious advantages of the German production of motorcycle equipment over the world.

What are German motorcycle brands?

Several successful motorcycle manufacturers are well established in the German domestic market: BMW Motorrad, Zundapp, Sachs, Adler, Brennabor, DKW, Hercules, Horex, Kreidler, Munch, MZ (Motorenwerke Zschopau), GmbH, Simson, NSU, Maico, Kalex…

Today, the German motorcycle industry continues the traditions of the past. However, having lost its dominant position in the post-war period, the production of motorcycles in the country continues to maintain a high level of quality and reliability and strict manly design. This is evidenced not only by the real figures of production volumes and service life of the equipment but also by the growing sales of German equipment in the finicky American market. Today, motorcycle production in Germany is represented by several successful, well-known, and newly formed brands.

BMW Motorrad

The undisputed leader of the German motorcycle industry is the German brand BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke). Founded in 1916 in Bavaria, the concern had several different production lines, mainly producing aircraft engines. The first motorcycle appeared in 1922. Thanks to innovative ideas in suspension, frame, and engine, which had no analogs at that time, this model immediately gained worldwide recognition. It became a distinctive feature of every brand product. The history of BMW Motorrad includes civilian and military motorcycles, the best sports models, enduro, motocross, and touring races.

The brand logo is among the ten most recognizable brands in the world. The history of its creation goes back to 1917. It adopted the round shape from its progenitor – the company Rapp Motorenwerken. Having removed the image of a black horse and the name of the old brand, replacing it with an abbreviation, the color scheme referred to the flag of Bavaria. However, the ban on the use of state symbols in advertising had to be circumvented by placing these colors in a different order. The logo did not undergo major changes until 2020 when the sector with a black background was made transparent with a white border. A modern minimalist style was applied, symbolizing openness and accessibility, as well as signaling the beginning of the brand’s “electric revolution.”

Zundapp

The company Zündapp – Zünder und Apparatebau G.m.b.H is found in German War Office documents in 1917 as a manufacturer of shells and detonators. Founded by Neumayer in Nuremberg, it was a joint venture with the state for defense contracts. After World War I, it came under Neumayer’s control. From that point on, production shifted to motorcycles. During the Second World War, the Wehrmacht ordered motorcycles with sidecars. The Zündapp KS 750 model was particularly in demand. The post-war period was marked by the production of Zündapp Elcona sewing machines. In 1984, the company went bankrupt and was sold with all its facilities to the People’s Republic of China, where it continued to produce motorcycles for Tianjin Motorcycle Co.

The logo was a sign in the form of a heraldic shield with rounded corners, which symbolized protection and strength. The inner field was made in cobalt blue color. The edges of the shield had a white border. To the left and right of it, there were unfolded stylized wings. Inside the shield, there was a composition including a zigzag arrow, a symbol of electric discharge, referring to the historicity – the production of generators and electrical appliances for military use, and also demonstrating the desire for new frontiers – the creation of an electric motor, which was used in 1972 on the Mokiki with a 500-watt electric motor.

Sachs

1886 was the year Karl Marschutz founded the now world-famous Sachs motorcycle (since 1904) and quality auto parts company. It all started with bicycles. The development of the motorcycle industry in Germany led to a need for spare parts, which the company immediately began producing, thanks to the arrival of Ernst Sachs, a toolmaker who later gave the brand its name. The brand was not officially registered until 1995. The company began to specialize in sporty off-road models, but not very successfully. Its list of motorcycles included scooters and mopeds, as well as the heavy Rodster.

Today, the brand is widely recognized thanks to its simple and concise emblem, made in blue. It is a sign consisting of 3 symbols, and the text under it is the name of the brand. The emblem consists of two elements below and above the central accent point. The elements symbolize spiral rotation; their shape widens towards the center and narrows towards the ends, resembling a crescent moon. The name is typed in lowercase type Britannica Semi-expanded Heavy.

Adler

The German company Adler, which began production of motorcycles in 1880, existed until 1957. Its founder, Heinrich Kleier, assembled bicycles in a home workshop. A few years later, after becoming the director of Edmund Rumpler, he started to develop automobiles, which he did until the First World War. Since 1902, the brand has been installing its own powertrains. The Second World War led to a decline in production. The company switches to the production of typewriters and motorcycles. The MB 250S model became particularly famous. Adler motorcycles are used to win championship races. In 1957, it was absorbed by the Trumpf company.

The company logo has retained its historical identity throughout the brand’s existence. The blue shield with a gray metal border was characteristic of many German brands of the early 20th century. Its lower part was made in the form of a smooth arc without sharp edges. The upper part was also made in the form of an arc but went to the sides of the shield at an acute angle. Inside the emblem is a stylized image of a gray heraldic eagle spreading its wings, characteristic of German heraldry and the coat of arms of the country, which indicates the origin of the brand.

Brennabor

The brand was founded by three brothers, Reichstein, in 1871. The company manufactured cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and baby carriages in “Brandenburg a der Hefele.” Motorcycles were an additional line of business. The first motorcycle was produced in 1901. In 1908, a sports team was established on the basis of the company, which successfully participated in motorcycle racing in international competitions on its machinery. From 1930 to 1942, Brennabor produced light motorcycle models on which it installed its own engines. After the Second World War, the company was liquidated.

The emblem differed from the traditional execution of German logos of that time. It was two circles of different sizes, inscribed in each other – both with a gold border. The area between the outer and inner sides was filled with black color. In it, the name of the stamp was inscribed in lowercase letters on the circumference above and below, separated by a line. The font was highlighted in gold color. The inner space of the small circle was dark red in color. In the center was a white letter “B” – the first of the brand name. The white color attracted attention, making it an accent element. Black, red, and gold colors created an aristocratic and luxurious effect, which the manufacturers sought to reflect in their products.

DKW

Danish-born Skafte Rasmussen and his German partner Karl Ernst founded Ernst und Rasmussen in 1916. Located in Hemi, it was established to manufacture steam engines and parts for them. However, the partnership dissolved. Rasmussen, in 1916, received funding from the state for a steam engine project, which was patented under his brand name – DKW. In 1921, the development of motorcycles began under this brand. The first model was Reichsfahrtmodell. But the best was the DKW E 206 of 1925. After the war, production was expanded and divided. Since 1950, motorcycles have been produced under the brands IFA and MZ. Only the Ingolstadt company retained the brand name.

The emblem was a traditional image of a shield. The upper part with an arched edge was narrower than the lower part. It was connected to the wider lower part by small segments of the sides, depicted at an angle to the center. The bottom had a swollen shape. The contours are highlighted in gray. The inner space was occupied by an element resembling an arrowhead. Its upper part had an arched shape. The outlines were highlighted in black color. The inner space was filled with several shades of green that waved from light green to darker shades on the left and right. At the top, the brand abbreviation was printed in white.

Hercules

Hercules was a German motorcycle company founded in Nuremberg in 1886 by technical engineer Karl Matusz. As a brand, it was registered on September 10, 1910. The specialization of the brand was in the direction of sports – motorcycles for competition, distinguished by the highest level. In the post-war period, its main customers were sports teams of the Warsaw Pact countries. After the complete collapse of this union, the company existed until 1997 and was closed.

The last logo of the brand was presented shortly before the closure of the factory. It was a circle symbolizing constancy, integrity, and perfection, in which the other signs of the emblem were inscribed. The circle had a yellow border and a white field, which created a harmonious combination and attracted attention. The inner space was occupied by a sign – a stylized first letter of the trademark “H,” the ends of the legs of which were beveled outward. On both sides, stylized wings showing speed and movement were depicted in two lines. These elements were rendered in dark blue and placed in a white rhombus. The latter was placed in a dark blue square, transitioning into a rectangle with rounded corners of the same shade. It contained the text name of the brand, made in lowercase letters of white color. The entire border was yellow, which visually emphasized each element of the logo. This composition was a stylized version of the image of the front of the car with a radiator and bumper, the production of which was carried out in parallel with motorcycles.

Horex

Horex is one of the rare German brands that did not supply its equipment to the Wehrmacht troops. Its founder in 1920 was Fritz Kleemann. Being a sports racer, he created a sports motorcycle for himself in 1923 and won prizes on it. This marked the beginning of widespread production of motorcycles. The outbreak of World War II halted production, which was only restored in 1948. But in 1960, the brand was taken over by the Daimler-Benz concern, which had no interest in motorcycles. But in 1977, Friedl Münch became the rightful owner of the company name, releasing the Horex 1400 TI, and in 1989, the baton was continued by Japan with its Horex 644 OSCA. Series production was discontinued in 2014. Today, only the VR6 model is produced in small quantities by the 3C-Carbon Group.

The emblem of the brand was luxurious and somewhat bombastic. Its outer element was a circle made in the form of a bronze laurel wreath, a regalia characteristic of the times of the Roman Empire. This circle is crowned with a stylized crown, imitating the headdress of Germanic emperors, with a cross in the upper part and on the circumference of the diadem. On the crown, there are bright red elements in the places where, in the original, there were precious stones. On the sides of the badge are stylized white outstretched wings, the contours of which are finished in bronze. The inner space includes – in the upper part – the inner space of the crown made of scarlet “satin.” Around the perimeter are the edges of a white mantle covering a dark blue field, in the center of which is the Latin letter “H” – the first letter of the brand name. Its outer and inner borders are made of bronze, and the middle part is filled with white paint. At the very bottom of the laurel wreath, the brand name is inscribed in dark blue Latin lowercase letters.

Kreidler

Among the most famous global motorcycle brands of the 20th century, the German brand Kreidler stands out. Known since 1888 as a manufacturer of high-quality and stylish motorcycles based in Kornwestheim, it has become synonymous with quality and corporate style. Its motorcycles and mopeds have retained these characteristics to this day. In 1951, the company moved to Stuttgart, where series production of lightweight motorcycles was already established. 50cc racing motorcycles became famous for winning championships from 1971 to 1983. But in 1982, the company ceased to exist. Today, it is experiencing its rebirth.

The brand logo is simple and concise. Made in an attractive bright red color – a symbol of liberation, strength, and masculinity, it represents two elements. The first is a sign in the form of a circle, in the center of which is the letter “K” with a mirror image, located at some distance from each other. In the center, they are crossed from left to right by an arrow with plumage. To the right of the mark is the brand name in lowercase letters in the redesigned Integral CF Bold font, which, with its simplicity, makes it easy to memorize all the symbols.

Munch

The Münch Mammoth motorcycle brand is the most famous in the history of the world motorcycle industry. Founded in 1940, the company became widely known in 1968, when former Horex designer Friedl Münch created the most successful model – the TTS Munch-4 1200th Mammut. This model used the engine from the NSU Prinz car, which made the motorcycle a real sensation. However, the future was less promising, and in 1971, Friedl Munch sold the company.

Nevertheless, most motorcycle enthusiasts and professionals remember well the original logo of the company – simple and laconic. It was made in the form of a rectangle with an upper line in the shape of a reverse arc. The figure had a black frame. The whole logo was presented in two colors – black and white. Inside the large rectangle was placed an element of smaller size, completely repeating the shape of the outer one. Its field was filled with black color, along which there was an inscription – the name of the brand in lowercase Latin letters, made in contrasting white color. Their graphic image created a visual sense of remoteness of the center of the text, creating the appearance of its bend in the center.

MZ (Motorenwerke Zschopau) GmbH

One of the German motorcycle brands, MZ (Motorrad Zschopau), was formed in 1956. It was formed in MZ Motorrad: Zschopau, based on one of the oldest German bicycle manufacturing companies, established in 1906. Two years later, it became part of the Zweirad Union concern, which united three other German brands – German Express, Victoria, and DKW. One factory was named VEB Motorradwerk Zschopau – MZ, after the name of the joined brand. Motorcycle production continued with mixed success. Changes in technology led to a name change – from 1992 to 1999, the factory was called MuZ (Motorrad und Zweiradwerk). At the end of 1999, the company was acquired by Hong Leong Industries Berhad, which returned it to its former name. But after nine years, the production of motorcycles under the MZ brand was phased out.

The merger of the company with DKW influenced the formation of the brand logo. It was created on the basis of the DKW logo and repeated its motif. Unlike the first version, the logo had only an arrow-shaped shield without a “top,” which was inscribed a reverse cone, resting with its apex in the lower central point of the shield. The base of the cone crossed the upper edge of the shield. The outline of the composition was made in gold. In the design of the free field of the figures, two colors in gradient execution were used – the field of the shield is green. The field of the cone is made in black and steel color. Closer to the upper part of the shield, across the whole composition, the corporate abbreviation MZ was applied, executed in slanted lowercase white font with black shadow. Its right slant symbolizes speed and movement. The left foot of the “M” and the right top line of the head “Z” extended beyond the borders of the shield and were incorporated into a single composition with a common gold border.

Simson

The end of the 19th century saw the birth of a company that left a significant mark on German history. It was Simson & Co., founded in 1856 by Jewish industrialists Loeb and Moses Simson. Until 1936, when the Nazi government expelled the family from the country, the company produced hammers, carbon steel rifles and barrels, steam engines, and in 1896, bicycles, for which in 1907 it was the turn of the Simson Supra racing car. World War I required the production of combat rifles and pistols for repair and rearmament. It was not until 1936, after the merger into BSW, that the new company manager encouraged the development and production of the first motorcycle, the BSW 98. In the German Democratic Republic, the company was renamed Volkseigener Betrieb Fahrzeug- und Gerätewerk Simson Suhl, with the main priority being motorcycle production. In New Germany, the company was renamed Simson Zweirad. In 2000, it became part of the Kontec Group.

The Simson emblem is largely characteristic of the German automobile and motorcycle industry. Its sign, made in monochrome black color, is characterized by brevity and simplicity of perception. A black circle with stylized black wings extended to the right and left of it, with the ends cut off at a certain angle, encloses a stylized Latin letter “S” in its inner space. Its design resembles the zigzag of a race track. Above the sign is the brand name Arial Nova Bold in black lowercase font.

NSU

NSU Motorenwerke AG traces its origins back to 1873 from Christian Schmidt’s mechanical workshop for knitting machines (Mechanische Werkstätte zur Herstellung von Strickmaschinen). Moving to Neckarsulm in 1880, the company added pedal bicycles to its products, and later automobiles and motorcycles. In early 1901, the company produced its first motorcycle under the NSU brand. During World War II, the company received a slight increase in orders for the Kettenkrad and OSL 251 half-track motorcycles. The NSU Fox motorcycle did not appear until 1949. In 1955, the brand took the leading position in the world. In 1969, the company was absorbed by Volkswagenwerk AG.

The entire successful period of the brand’s existence was accompanied by the emblem, known at that time throughout the world. It was a stylized image of a fuel tank with a gold border, the inner field of which is divided in half into black (top) and blue. This combination gives a strong visual effect. Blue is the color of organization, resilience, and perseverance. Black is the color of strength, creativity, and substance. Together, they symbolize unity and confidence in fulfilling all the characteristics inherent in each. The accent element of the logo is the text abbreviation of the brand – NSU, made in the center of the sign, crossing the border of colors. Its graphic image creates a visual convexity of the name by increasing the letters from left to right and right to left to the largest center. The letters are in a light yellow color. Their contours are highlighted in gold. This makes the text particularly striking against the general background and easy to remember.

Maico

In the middle of the XX century, the Maico brand was known as a manufacturer of excellent racing motorcycles. Against the background of the mass production of light motorcycles, scooters, and motorized bicycles in Germany after World War II, Maico developed and produced motocross racing models that are remembered in the history of motorcycle construction. The Maico brand (Maicowerk AG) was founded by Ulrich Maisch’s family as Maisch & Co of Pfeffingen in 1926 to manufacture engines. In the late forties, the company switched completely to producing motocross and enduro equipment, adding the popular Maicoletta scooter to the lineup. In 1983, the company went bankrupt.

The brand’s emblem consists of several elements – a triangular isosceles shield in the background, stylized unfolded fenders in front of it, and a stylized image of the shield mounted on the front fender of World War II motorcycles directly above the fenders. It and the letter “M,” the first letter of the brand name, applied throughout the composition from the bottom edge of the shield to its outer edges, are the central accent pieces. With the exception of the letter and the shield, most of the elements are in a green protective color. The letter is in white and black, which visually emphasizes its edges. The shield is made in bright red color. On the free field of the shield in black font, slanted to the right, symbolizing forward movement, is the name of the brand.

Kalex

Kalex Engineering is a product of the 21st century and a well-known manufacturer of motorcycle parts. Its name is an abbreviation of several letters of the surnames of the founders – K LAUS Hirsekorn and Alex Baumgärtel. It was founded relatively recently – in 2008 in the city of Bobingen. But not as a motorcycle manufacturer. In 2010, Kalex led the Pons Racing team on a chassis. This chassis was the winner of the 2011 Moto2 World Championship. Today, it is a leading racing chassis manufacturer that has consistently won every championship both in 2011 and since 2013.

The company’s logo contains no elements other than the textual name of the brand, enclosed in a rectangular frame with rounded corners. It is distinguished by the presence of a two-color scheme – black and orange, the combination of which was especially revered by knights in the Middle Ages. It symbolizes valor and honor, characteristic of the spirit of the company. The outline of the frame and the first two letters of the brand name, as well as the second one under the first word – “engineering” – are in black. The line under the black letters “KA” and the letters “lex” following them are orange. This diagonal arrangement of colors has a very strong impact on the viewer, making it especially memorable. The font is modern, technological, “faceted,” without roundness, and only with right angles, even in the letter “A.” The letter “X” has a diamond-shaped space at the point where its legs intersect.