Vintage German Motorcycles
Classic German Motorcycles
Classic German Motorcycles
This page lists brands for which we currently have only an historical precis. For a more complete listing visit the German Index.
Varel
1952-53
Built motor bicycles and mini-scooters with 42cc two-strokes of their own manufacture, and light scooters using Moto 99cc two-stroke engines.
Sources: Tragatsch p288
Velomobil 1905-1908
Vesuv
1924-26
Fitted their own 246cc two-stroke engines into an open frame.
Sources: Tragatsch p290
Vögele
Manufactured three-wheeled vehicles in Mannheim around 1939. Another 3-wheel transport cart appeared in 1950. The firm relocated to Ludwigshafen in 2010.
Source: Automobilia 85-45
Vollblut
1925-27
Manufacturer: Klein, Schäberle & Co. Stuttgart, Böblinger Straße 92
Built sports machines using OHV Blackburne 248 and 348cc engines.
Sources: Tragatsch p293, wirtemberg.de
Volkswagen
Volkswagen built at least two three-wheelers, one in 1986 and another in 2006, the GX3.
Sources: moto-collection.org, 3wheelers.com
Vomo
1922-31
Motorised bicycles with 1hp and 1.75hp engines
Sources: Tragatsch p293
Voran 1921-1924
Voss
Manufactured by Louis Voss of Bielefeld, 1921-1923
The firm, which was established in 1902 in the garment industry trading in sewing machines, offered their first motorcycles built by Göricke, apparently under the brand Lovos. These were followed by machines sold as Voss with the strengthened frames by Göricke and the engines from DKW mounted adjacent to the rear wheel. In 1925 Louis Voss moved into the automobile field as a Ford agent.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Vosteen
Manufactured from 1925 to 1939 by the Heinrich Vosteen company, Bremen, Buntentorsteinweg 82, and later at Grünenstrasse 113, about 1.5 km away.
Lasten-Dreiräder (cargo tricycles) fitted with 197 cc engines (most likely from ILO), eligible for the tax-free class. Records show that 29 were freshly registered in 1936 and 41 in 1937.
It is believed they also built motorcycles.
Sources: Axel Oskar Mathieu Archive, Automobilia 85-45.
V.S.
Manufactured in Burgfarrnbach, 180km north of Munich, from 1922 to 1924.
The company built unusual motorcycles with concealed front suspension using 415cc engines (78 x 87mm).
Source: deacademic.com
N.B. There was also a V.S. built by Allright for the British market.
Rarer German Marques
