Founded: 1917
Zundapp headquarters: Nuremberg, Germany
In 1917, the German company Zundapp, which specializes in the production of shells and components for them, was opened in Germany. Initially, the company was focused on satisfying military needs, but at the end of the First World War it was necessary to reorient production to the technique for peaceful life. The owners of the enterprise decided to start producing vehicles. The first motorcycle “Zundapp Z22” was introduced in 1921.
Since 1924, the company began producing motorcycles with chain transmission (before that it was a belt), and in 1927 the line was supplemented with freight trays. A significant role in the popularity of the brand was played by the company’s policy aimed at a constant increase in the reliability of the transport produced. At the same time, Zundapp always tried to maintain a loyal price level.
In the early 1930s, a project was launched to produce large heavy bikes with four-stroke engines in cooperation with British colleagues. During the Second World War, the Zundapp motorcycles with the stroller stood in the arsenal of the Wehrmacht troops.
During the Second World War and immediately after it was over, the factory was badly damaged. Nevertheless, already in 1947, the production of the pre-war bike with the Zundapp DB200 logo resumed, and two years later the Zundapp KS 601 came off the assembly line. The factory again established the production of light “small-tube”, which was soon complemented with mopeds.
In the 1980s, the company was declared bankrupt, and all equipment was purchased by a Chinese company and transported to China.