German Motorrad

Today in Motorcycle History

Boge Motorcycles

A Brief History of the Marque

Manufacturer: Otto Boge KG, Bielefeld
1923-1927 [1]

Founded in 1907 by Otto Boge (1878-1937), after the first war they began production of special tools for the motor industry.

In 1923 the company began building motorcycles using their own sidevalve engines, along with power-plants from Velocette and Blackburne for their racing machines. Their motorcycle catalogues included pages about their special tools.

Boge engines were supplied to other firms in the '20s such as Atlas.

The dire economic climate of the mid twenties forced the closure of a large portion of the German motorcycle industry. Boge ceased production of their motorcycles in favour of petrol-driven air compressors and survived.

The firm is still in business (boge.com). In the 1960s and 70s they produced motorcycle suspension fitted as standard equipment to BMW motorcycles including the R90s, and their components may be found today on many high-end machines such as Beta Trials.

Notes 1. At least one source says motorcycle production ceased in 1925.

Sources: GTU Oldtimerservice, motorradfahrer-ruhrgebiet.de, Tragatsch p92.


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