Vintage German Motorcycles
Classic Motorcycles AT
BMW Museum, Munich
This page lists brand names beginning with the letter "D" for which we currently have only an historical precis.
For a more complete listing visit the German Index.
Danubius
1923-1924
Ganz & Co of Ratibor constructed conventional machines using a 198cc sidevalve engine.
Source: Tragatsch p112
Danziger
Manufactured by Felix Danziger, Berlin-Charlottenburg, 1925.
Presented at the Berlin Motor Show in Berlin of 1925 the Transport-Motordreirad (motor tricycle) was powered by a Rinne engine of 7.94 h.p. with a Hurth three-speed gearbox.
Source: Axel Oskar Mathieu Archive
Deloma
1924
Built in Magdeburg using two-stroke Rohöl (crude-oil) engines designed by Julius Löwy and supplied by Albertus Schweröl Einbaumotor. These engines proved problematical and may have contributed to the short life of the marque.
Source: Tragatsch p112
Delphin
Constructed by Kurt Schirakowski of Kassel who built a variety of Delphin sidecar combinations using mostly Moto Guzzi and BMW machines as the basis, beginning in 1973 when he bought Zweirad Schira from Ferdinand Klinge.
The Bunny scooter sidecar was built by his son Dirk Schirakowski from about 1990 to 1994. Dirk had taken over the business after Kurt died. Uwe Schütze joined the firm in 2006, and became the owner when Dirk left in late 2020.
Sources: Gespann-Lexikon; shira.de.
Delta
1924
An unusual design, the fully-enclosed motorcycle had a dual seat, rear suspension using leaf springs, and was powered by a 499cc two-stroke engine.
Built by Delta-Werk, a company run by Hugo Linder in Solingen established in the 1870s and famed for its blades. In the period when the motorcycle was produced the company had 500 employees.
Source: Tragatsch p113, rheinische-industriekultur.com
Dessauer Sidecars 1929-1936
Deutschland
Early 1920s
At least two models were built, each with a 198cc four-stroke engine mounted quite high, and pedals. Models Nr. 100 and Nr. 101.
Source: motor-hist-foto.de.
DFB
1922-1925
Built 159cc two-stroke bicycle attachment engines and complete machines using the same engine.
Source: Tragatsch p113
DGW
1927-1928
Displayed at the 1927 Olympia in London, this was actually a DKW which had been rebranded due to the use of the DKW marque by another German firm which had trademarked the name.
Source: Tragatsch p115
Diana Sidecars 1952-1954
Dick 1926-1933
Diel
A water-cooled OHV machine of this brand from 1927 is in the collection of Motorrad Museum Ibbenbüren - see museums-germany
Source: nl.wikipedia.org
Dieterle-Dessau
1921-1925
Also known as Drei-Punkt, the firm built bicycles and lightweight motorcycles.
Engines: Type BM 200cc 4T inclined, Type CM 200cc 4T vertical, Type HM 250cc 4T vertical. All were sidevalves of quite advanced design, of their own manufacture. There may have been engines which were turbocharged in some fashion, described as "exhaust-injected".
Source: Tragatsch p115, motor-hist-foto.de.
Difra
Manufactured by Difra Fahrzeugwerke, Frankfurt/Oder, 1923-1925
Fitted 1.8ps Namapo engines to their own frames. The machines had pedals and direct belt-drive.
Source: Tragatsch p115, et al.
Dobben
Manufactured by Bernhard Dobben in the early 1990s. He developed sidecar chassis for sporting sidecars in collaboration with Lefèvre and VMC, and built machines based on Honda fours, Suzukis, and the BMW K100. Also built Steido sidecar combinations.
Source: Gespann-Lexikon
Dobro-Motorist 1923-1925
Dohle 1950s
Dolf 1922-25
Döring Spatz 1951
DRC
Manufactured by Auto Däschlein Zweirad,
Ansbacher Str. 57, 91572 Bechhofen, Germany
Founded in 1982, their website states, "For over 25 years, the name Theo Däschlein has been known in professional circles, all sidecar drivers, especially scooter sidecar drivers and the trade press." Sidecar models include: Roadster, Streetjet, S 100, S 200.
Sources: daeschlein.de; Gespann-Lexikon
DSW
Manufactured by Deutsche-Motorenbau AG, Berlin, 1922-1923
The D.S.W. Light motorcycles were powered by a 150 cc engines of their own construction which had an external flywheel and belt drive. After a year of production, the company was taken over by Bismarck-Motoren GmbH of Berlin, and the brand vanished.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
DWB
Manufactured by Dorko-Werke, Abt. Motorenbau, Jäckstrasse 4, Bamberg, 1924-1926
Dorko-Werke purchased Juhö after it closed and built the same 195cc machine, later adding a 269cc 2½ h.p. four-stroke with three-speed gearbox, kick starter and clutch.
The owners were S. Dorn and J. Kahn, later Dorn, Krüger & Co. The company had 50 employees and an extensive range of products. They converted military vehicles for civil use, and built electric drills. Half of the workforce was laid off during the inflation period before their bankruptcy and closure in 1927.
Sources: Tragatsch p124, motor-hist-foto.de, briefmarkenverein-bamberg.de.
Rarer German Marques
