Zündapp Combinette

Following World War II, Zündapp expanded into the

microcar, moped and scooter markets. The company

collapsed in 1984.

Zündapp   (a.k.a.   Zuendapp)   was   a   major   German   motorcycle   manufacturer   founded   in   1917   in Nuremberg   by   Fritz   Neumeyer,   together   with   the   Friedrich   Krupp   AG   and   the   machine   tool manufacturer   Thiel   under   the   name   "Zünder-   und   Apparatebau   G.m.b.H."   as   a   producer   of detonators   (Zünder-   und   Apparatebau   is   German   for   Igniter   and   Apparatus).   In   1919,   as   the demand   for   weapons   parts   declined   after   World   War   I,   Neumeyer   became   the   sole   proprietor   of the company, and two years later he diversified into the construction of motorcycles. The   first   Zündapp   motorcycle   was   the   model   Z22   in   1921.   This   was   the   Motorrad   für   Jedermann ("motorcycle    for    everyone"),    a    simple,    reliable    design    that    was    produced    in    large    series. Zündapp's   history   of   heavy   motorcycles   began   in   1933   with   the   K-series.   The   "K"   refers   to   the type   of   drivetrain   that   these   models   used,   Kardanantrieb,   meaning   enclosed   driveshaft   with   two universal    joints.    Zündapp    introduced    the    enclosed    crankcase    (then    a    novelty).    The    series encompassed   models   from   200   to   800   cc   displacement   and   was   a   major   success,   increasing Zündapp's market share in Germany from 5% in 1931 to 18% in 1937. The   Zündapp   KS600,   first   released   in   1938,   had   a   28   hp   (21   kW)   horizontally   opposed   twin cylinder   motor   with   overhead   valves   displacing   597   cc   (36.4   cu   in). The   KS600   was   often   coupled with   a   Steib   sidecar,   the   BW38   (Beiwagen   1938).   The   BW38,   fitted   with   the   B1   (Boot   no.   1) sidecar   body   was   produced   between   1938   and   1941   and   supplied   exclusively   to   the   Wehrmacht. While   the   KS600   was   discontinued   and   eventually   replaced   by   the   purpose-built   KS750,   its   motor was   to   be   the   only   remnant   to   live   beyond   the   destruction   of   war.   When   Zündapp   returned   to motorcycle   production   in   the   late   1940s,   it   chose   to   reuse   the   KS600's   motor   to   power   the   KS601 with few modifications. The   Zündapp   K800   had   unit   construction,   flat-four   engines   with   shaft   drive   (a   layout   adopted   by Honda   for   the   Gold   Wing   in   1974)   and   were   the   only   4-cylinder   machines   used   by   the   German armed forces in World War II. From   1931   Ferdinand   Porsche   and   Zündapp   developed   the   type   12   prototype Auto   für   Jedermann ("car   for   everyone"),   which   was   the   first   time   the   name   Volkswagen   was   used.   Porsche   preferred the   4-cylinder   flat   engine,   but   Zündapp   used   a   water-cooled   5-cylinder   radial   engine.   In   1932 three   prototypes   were   running.   All   three   cars   were   lost   during   the   war,   the   last   in   a   1945 Stuttgart bombing raid. From   1936   to   1938   Zündapp   produced   the   KKS500   model.   This   was   the   first   Zündapp   with   a   foot gear   change,   and   170   examples   were   built.   From   1940   onward   Zündapp   produced   more   than 18,000   units   of   the   Zündapp   KS   750.   This   is   a   sidecar   outfit   with   a   driven   side   wheel   and   a locking differential, supplied to the German Wehrmacht. Zündapp   also   made   aircraft   engines   including   the   9-092,   which   was   used   in   light   aircraft, including the Brunswick LF-1 Zaunkönig (1942) ab initio trainer aircraft. After   World   War   II   the   company   transitioned   to   smaller   machines,   notably   the   "Bella"   motor scooter,   which   was   a   relatively   heavy   machine   for   its   type.   In   1951   Zündapp   released   the   last   of its   heavy   motorcycle   models,   but   one   of   its   most   famous:   the   KS601   (the   "green   elephant")   with a   598   cc   two-cylinder   engine.   From   1957   to   1958   the   company   also   produced   the   Zündapp   Janus microcar. In   1958   the   company   moved   from   Nuremberg   to   Munich.   Subsequently,   the   company   developed several   new   smaller   models,   discontinued   the   development   of   four-stroke   engines   and   only produced   two-stroke   models.   Zündapp   experienced   enormous   success   in   off-road   motorsports winning   thousands   of   Gold-Silver   and   Bronze   medals,   many   Championships.   An   American   rider Dave   Ekins   won   an   overall   victory   at   the   1967   Greenhorn   Enduro   aboard   a   100cc   Zündapp, defeating    competitors    on    much    larger    motorcycles.    Belgian    rider    André    Malherbe    rode    a Zündapp   to   win   the   125cc   European   motocross   championships   in   1973   and   again   in   1974. Initially,   Zündapp   scooters   and   mopeds   sold   well,   but   later   sales   declined   and   in   1984   the company went bankrupt and closed.

Epilogue

After   the   bankruptcy,   the   entire   production   line   and   intellectual   properties   were   bought   by Xunda   Motor   Co.,   Tianjin,   China.   They   produced   small   Zündapp   motorcycles   from   1987   till   the early   1990s.   Zündapp   is   still   in   business   but   makes   Honda   based   4-stroke   motorcycles   and electric mopeds. Zündapp   also   had   a   technical   collaboration   with   Royal   Enfield   (India)   to   build   mopeds   and motorcycles.   A   dedicated   factory   was   built   at   Ranipet   near   Madras   (now   Chennai)   in   the   early 1980s   to   manufacture   small,   lightweight   two-stroke   motorcycles   to   be   offered   along   with   their flagship   Royal   Enfield   Bullet.   Enfield   launched   two   50   cc   motorcycles   first,   the   step-thru   Silver Plus   and   the   3-speed   Explorer   motorcycle.   Later,   175   cc   Enfield   Fury   (based   on   Zündapp   KS175) was   introduced   as   a   performance   motorcycle.   It   had   5-speed   gearbox,   a   hydraulic   Brembo   disc brake   and   a   sleeveless   hard   chromed   cylinder   barrel,   all   were   a   first   on   a   motorcycle   in   that country.

Engine 50cc, two stroke