This page lists brand names beginning with the letter "S" for which limited historical information is currently available.
For a more complete listing visit the German Index.
SAR
Built in Berlin by Maschinenfabrik Raetsch, 1923-1930
Models A 27 and B 27 were powered by their own 125cc two-strokes, later models with engines from Kuehne.
The marque is covered in some depth by Karl Reese in his book "Berliner Motorräder"
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Sarolette, Libelle
Manufactured by Herbert Schulze, Berlin, 1949-1952
The Sarolette scooter was introduced in 1949 with a 100cc Sachs engine. The following year the Libelle 100 (Sachs) and Libelle 120 (JLO) scooters appeared, only to disappear into the mist two years later.
There was also a Libelle 3-wheeler built in Austria 1952-1953.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Sartorius
Bunzlau firm built machines with 195cc sidevalve and 348cc ohv Kühne engines between 1924 and 1926.
Source: Tragatsch p269
Saturn
Built by Steudel-Werke 1921-1927, these motorcycles were fitted with 248cc two-strokes, 348cc ohv singles and 497cc sidevalve V-twins. A shaft-drive version of the V-twin was built but did not enter production. They also produced a 194cc or 200cc engine available as a Hilfs-Motor (bicycle attachment engine) and as a complete motorcycle in several variations. These were all produced at their Leipzig factory.
N.B. Most references to Steudel refer only to the bicycle attachment engine and a V-4 two-stroke.
Source: Tragatsch p269
Schlenker Monoroue
Ferdinand Schlenker built a monowheel in the fashion of Garavaglia.
Believed to have been originally built by Edison-Puton of Paris in 1910, it was discovered by Ferdinand Schlenker whilst a prisoner of war on a French farm in 1939. Over the following years he rebuilt and modified it in Germany, completing it in 1946. The machine was purchased by the Chatellerault motor museum in the year 2000.
The aluminium footboards are inscribed "F.Schlenker - Sexau". Sexau is just 10km from the French border and 20km from Colmar.
See also Garavaglia and Cislaghi
Note. Published information on this machine is scant and sometimes conflicting. Precis above is "best guess".
Sources: François-Marie Dumas, alienor.org, douglas-self.com
Schliha
Manufactured by Heinrich Schlüpmann in Berlin c1924-1933
Schliha motorcycles had quite unusual two-stroke engines of their own production in capacities of 125cc to 596cc, some of which were water-cooled. He went on to build two-stroke aviation engines.
Source: François-Marie Dumas
Schlimme
Falkenberg firm built lightweights powered by DKW 1842cc and 175cc two-strokes 1924-1925.
Source: Tragatsch p270
Schmidt, EB
Manufactured by Ehrhardt B. Schmidt in Leipzig, 1924.
It appears to have been a lightweight, single-speed belt drive motorcycle with pedal start.
Source: motorräder-aus-leipzig.de
Schmidt, RS
Robert Schmidt of Leisning and Berlin, 1921-1924
These were lightweight 200cc motorcycles with the engine inclined at 45 degrees offered by Schmidt under his own name and also his initials, RS. Similar machines were marketed by AMAG and it is unclear which of the firms manufactured them.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Schneider
Manufactured in Görlitz, 1924-1926
Fitted DKW 142cc 175cc and 206cc two-stroke engines to their own lightweight motorcycles.
Source: Tragatsch p270
Schnell-Horex
Karlsruhe, 1952-1954
Roland Schnell, who won the German 350 championship in 1951 on a modified Parilla, designed and built these racing machines using Horex OHC engines of 248, 348 and 498cc, the 350cc machine proving particularly competitive. Schnell and Horex dealer Herman Gablenz formed a company which produced some twelve machines over its short lifespan. Riders included Gablenz, H.P. Müller, Robert Zeller, Georg Braun, Erwin Aldinger and Fritz Kläger.
Sources: Tragatsch p270, Phil Aynsley
Schroff-Record
Manufactured by Georg Schroff of Berlin 1923-1925
These were bespoke motorcycles with engines from Franz Krause. They had chain drive and two-speed gearbox, and were available in red or black. The same - or very similar - machines were marketed under the G.S. brand.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Schüler
Manufactured by Luftreederei Max Schüler of Osnabrück, 1923-1925
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Schunk
1926-1928 Zella-Mehlis (Thüringen)
Source: wikipedia.de
Schütt
1933-1934
Paul Schütt of Flensburg designed and built these interesting machines using a transverse-mounted 196cc two-stroke in a Duralumin frame.
Source: Tragatsch p270
Schürhoff
Schürhoff & Co. of Bielefeld and after 1925 Gevelsberg, built motorcycles from 1923 to 1953 under the names SCB and Siegfried and their own using engines from Sachs, Zündapp and JLO. Postwar production was mainly mopeds.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
SCK
Manufactured in Cologne 1924-1925
SCK, a garment company, built motorcycles using 350 and 500cc engines from JAP and MAG fitted to British frames. Sales were slow.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Securus
Manufactured by Securus Mobilbau, Max Ortmann, Berlin
Referred to as a trivoiturette, it was built in 1906 only. It could be configured as a tandem two-seater or as a deliver vehicle, and a steering wheel was optional instead of handlebars.
Engines available were 4 CV and 5 CV, two speed gearbox, max speed 35 km/h.
Source: lestricars.es.tl
Seegard
Manufactured in Berlin by Fietz, Paul & Co, 1924-1925
These were motorcycles with 150cc and 200cc engines from Cambra, Alba and Rapid, according to customer choice. Unfortunately, the customers chose not to.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Seith
Manufactured in Hof (Saale) in the 1950s, these were children's motorcycles powered by 38cc Victoria two-stroke engines. They are believed to be sought after by collectors.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Sept & Unger (S&U)
1925-1926. Michael Sept and Fritz Unger of Schwabacher Straße 67 in Nürnberg
The firm acquired ENAG in 1925 and some machines were built under that marque.
Sources: meisterdinger.de, wikipedia.de
Sewüt
Schweinfurt und Würzburg, 1924-1926
Built lightweight motorcycles fitted with DKW 142cc 175cc and 206cc two-stroke engines
Source: Tragatsch p272
SFW
1924-1926. The company resumed manufacture of the 2.5hp two-stroke motorcycles which Nordstern had built before it became bankrupt in 1924.
Source: Tragatsch p272
Sieg
1922-30
SIEG Motorradfabrik H. Jüngst GmbH, Dahlbruch, Kreis Siegen
Jüngst designed and built a variety of models with engines from Alba, Bober*, Cockerell, Columbus, DKW, JLO, Hansa, Villiers, JAP, MAG and especially Blackburne. Frames were from Gruhn and Difra.
Models include: Type Z 206c DKW Two-stroke; 498cc MAG ohv V-twin of 1928; 500cc Columbus 1927 (an example exists at the Technikmuseum Freudenberg)
* No other reference to "Bober" engines found .
Source: Tragatsch p273, motor-hist-foto.de
Siemens-Schuckert
Manufactured in Nonnendamm, Berlin, 1899-1908
Siemens-Schuckert Werke built motorcycle engines and complete motorcycles. Their main products were electic-powered utility tricycles.
The firm continued to operate during the first and second wars, and eventually became Siemens AG, which in 2019 employed 385,000 people.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice,
Sigurd
Willi Hausherr GmbH of Berlin produced motorcycles from 1902 to 1912 under three brands, Sigurd, Komet and Royal. Most, possibly all, used versions of the French Ixion engine built in Germany under licence.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Simplex
Manufactured by Orion Aktiengesellschaft of Berlin, 1921-1925
Later known for their Orionettte and Motorette marques, the Simplex had a 98cc bicycle auxiliary engine.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Slevogt
Manufactured by Karl Slevogt Kleinwagenbau in Hameln, 1930-1932 (Possibly 1932 only)
The machine was a tricycle, with a single wheel in the front driven by a 200cc Rinne engine mounted above it. It seated two, and weighed 200 kg.
Slevogt worked at Laurin & Klement as chief designer in 1906, moving to Puch the following year where he held similar senior positions.
In 1910 he joined A. Ruppe & Sohn as head of design, building Apollo automobiles. Slevogt introduced water cooling and other major improvements.
In 1922 and 1923, Karl Slevogt won his class driving Apollo in major races in Stuttgart. He had been competing since 1909, had established a world record, and continued racing successfully until at least 1929.
Source: spitzerer.de
Snob
Snob Motorenwerk GmbH, Düsseldorf Oberkassel, 1921-25
Built 154cc IOE engines for Hilfsmotor and lightweights.
They were also very competitive, using OHV engines designed by Karl Döpfner. Works riders included Pons, Mischke.
Sources: Tragatsch p275, motor-hist-foto.de
Solomobile
Manufactured by Solomobil GmbH in Berlin 1920 to 1923.
The firm built a tricycle with an air-cooled engine, and also produced an automobile.
Source: motor-car.net
Sommer
Manufactured by Jochen Sommer Motorradmanufaktur, Eppstein, 2002-
With considerable experience as a trader in Indian Enfield motorcycles since the 1990s selling original units along with modified Scrambler and Clubman versions, the firm began building their own machines using Sommer Diesel 462 engines with German frames and Enfield componentry.
Sources: GTU Oldtimerservice, motorradmanufaktur.de
Spindler
Kassel, 1922-25
Built lightweights using Bekamo 149cc two-stroke engines
Source: Tragatsch p276
Spiess
Manufactured by Otto Spiess in Berlin 1902 and 1907, the motorcycles had singles and twin-cylinders engines from Minerva, Zedel and Fafnir.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Staiger
Established in Nuremberg in 1956, Staiger Fahrzeugfabrik built mopeds until 1960.
The name reappeared in Stuttgart in 1966. Staiger & Co lightweights and mopeds remained in production until 1970. A 49cc two-stroke Sachs machine was built in 1969.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Star
The firm was established by HF Günter in Berlin, 1920, and was sold the following year to Deutsche Werke AG (D-Rad), also of Berlin.
The Star was a 391cc horizontally opposed twin.
See also D-Rad.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Steidinger
1925-27
Motorfahrzeugbau Steidinger, St. Georgen, Schwarzwald
Built lightweights with 199cc two-stroke engines mounted in triagulated frames.
Sources: Tragatsch p277, motor-hist-foto.de
Steigboy
Manufactured by Steigboy Apparatebau GmbH of Gießerstraße 18, Leipzig-Plagwitz from 1921 to 1930.
Founded by Friedrich Boysen, the firm was a A well-known manufacturer of exhaust systems for automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft, the firm's first three-wheel delivery vehicles (Schnell-Lieferwagen) appeared in 1926[1], with a rear tray. The following year a front tray model appeared. Engines from Sturmey-Archer and Villiers were employed in they years 1928-1930. By 1930 they were building luxury passenger three-wheelers. That year they folded.
The firm re-appeared immediately after the war as an exhaust manufacturer.
Notes. 1. Possibly 1924
Sources: motorräder-aus-leipzig.de, conam.info
Steinbach
Manufactured by Franz-Josef Steinbach of Saarbrücken, 1984-1989
Known as the Steinbach-Rotax, the 500S was powered by a 504 Rotax and late in the piece the 600S with a 560cc Rotax was built. The frame was designed by Walter Baumgarten, or based on it, and closely resembled the Egli.
The FJS machines were available in race-tuned guise suitable for SOS racing.
Sources: GTU Oldtimerservice, et al.
Stellbrink
Manufactured by Stellbrink Fahrradwerke of Hillegossen, near Bielefeld, 1934-1950
A limited number of Sachs-powered motorcycles were built before the war, with production resuming in 1945. Post-war models included the MF 98 with a JLO engine, and the MG 125E also with a JLO. There were also mopeds with Zundapp engines.
Sources: GTU Oldtimerservice, Moped Archive
Steudel
Steudel-Werke of Auenstraße in Kamenz built machines with bicycle atttachment engines 1924-1925 which may have been marketed under the Saturn brand, the make of the bicycles they built. They built a voitureette in 1905 using a De-dion Bouton engine.
Founded in 1895 by Horst Steudel, it became quite a large firm, their main focus being engines of up to 32 cylinders which were supplied to many other manufacturers. They produced a V-4 two-stroke engine designed for heavy motorcycles which was adopted by DKW for their P25 in 1929, and this engine subsequently powered many thousands of DKW light cars until 1940.
Another product was an autocycle produced from 1920, a bicycle with a clip-on engine which enjoyed considerable success and was exported as far afield as Japan.
Sources: wikipedia.de, motor-car.net, et al.
Sticherling
Manufactured by Kraftfahrzeugwerke W. Sticherling & Co., Engeln bei Magdeburg, 1922-1926
The firm's primary and probably only model G 26 was a fairly basic motorcycle powered by a 173cc DKW two-stroke engine, belt drive and long footboards.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice, Tragatsch p278, motorradphoto.de
Stock of Liepzig
Manufactured by W. Stock, Fahrzeugbau GmbH, Leipzig W33
These were commmercial three-wheelers built around 1932, believed to have been sourced from DKW and FRAMO
Source: motorräder-aus-leipzig.de
Stolco
1922-24
Manufacturer: Stollstein & Co., Stuttgart, Ostendstraße 83
Using Grade 148cc two-stroke engines they built lightweights similar to a great many others of the early 1920s.
Sources: Tragatsch p278
Stoewer
1904-05
Gebrüder Stoewer, Fabrik für Motorfahrzeuge, Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland)
The firm built three-wheelers and a motorcycle powered by a Fafnir engine. Subsequently they built automobiles until 1945.
Falter-Werke acquired the rights to the "Stoewer Greif" name in 1938 and built bicycles and later mopeds of that name.
Sources: Tragatsch p278, motorradphoto.de
Stricker
Struco
Manufactured by Struchtemeier & Co. of Bielefeld, 1921-1924
Founded in 1901 as a bicycle manufacturer, the firm built clip-on engines and powered bicycles. Their two-speed auxiliary bicycle engines drove the rear wheel via chain and were sold to many other companies in the area.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
Stukenbrok
Manufactured by August Stukenbrok in Einbeck
Well-known their his extensive mail-order catalogue which sold bicycles. Motorcycles are listed in their 1914 catalogue and are believed to have been built both before and after the Great War.
Sources: Pilot Michael, Wikipedia.de
Sturm
1923-25
Sturm Fahrzeugwerk Dierssen & Co., Lüneborg
Built lightweights using Alba engines
Sources: Tragatsch p278, motor-hist-foto.de
Sudbrack
Manufactured in by H & W Sudbrack GmbH, Langestraße 60, Schötmor.(1)
In 1939 built lightweights powered by 100cc Sachs engines. Postwar production began in 1949 with a 100cc JLO, the FM100, followed by the Pfeil FP 50. It is likely they also used JLO and Zundapp engines. Moped production ceased in 1955, the firm continuing with bicycles until the 1980s.
Notes
1. Address is also listed as Bielefeld and Bad Salzuflen. (GTU)
Source: Moped Archive, GTU Oldtimerservice, et al.
Superia
1925-28
Built and raced by Adolf Kornmannn of Karlsruhe using 348cc and 49cc Kuchen ohc engines, and also a 496cc sv engine from ECE. Established endurance records with Erich Stolz as co-rider.
Source: Tragatsch p280
S.U.T.
Manufactured by Scholz & Tegener GmbH, Berlin 1921-1927
Their first models had 192cc four-stroke engines, followed in 1925 by tax-exempt 198cc lightweights, and 250 and 350cc motorcycles, the unit-construction engines and frames manufactured in-house.
Source: GTU Oldtimerservice
If you have a query or information about German motorcycles, please contact us
