This page lists brands for which there are not yet pages or little historical information is currently available. For a more complete listing visit the Swiss Motorcycles index.
Armec
Aregger Mechanik, Lorensäge, Emmenbrücke
1986- Sidecar construction
Sources: morger.net
Berliette
A. Berlier built 500cc motorcycles in Geneva, 1917
Sources: morger.net
Bleidorn
In 1896 Karl Bleidorn of Maschinenfabrik Arbon 1896 first built Switzerland's first motorcycle.
Sources: morger.net
BPR
Buratti, Ponte & Roch of Geneva built motorcycles from 1929 to 1932
Sources: morger.net
Cosmos
Schild & Co AG of Biel, 1904 - 1913
Built motorcycles using Zedel and Fafnir engines, and also built bicyclettes.
Darling
Friedrich Lochner Motorradbau, Sumiswald, Bern 1924 - 1926
Constructed motorcycles powered by 246cc two-stroke engines of their own manufacture.
Sources: Wikipedia
Doranio
Doranie & Cie., Geneva, built motorcycles from 1906.
Sources: morger.net
Dufaux
Henri and Armand Dufaux of Geneva built their first powered bicycle in 1895, forming the company H&A Dufaux & Co in 1899. Their primary passion was aviation, and they sold motorcycles to finance this, forming the Motosacoche company in 1903.
Duss Evolution GmbH
Entlebuch, near Lucerne.
Developed between 2004 and 2007, the Duss 1000cc 90º V-twin supermotard was in style somewhat like the KTM. It was claimed to produce 120 hp weighed only 145 kilos, and had componentry by Öhlins, Wilbers and Marchesini. It does not appear to have reached production.
More recently the firm has designed a straight six motorcycle engine.
Sources: duss.ch
Eff-Eff
Furrer & Fröhlicher of Solothurn in 1904 built a 3hp single-cylinder motorcycle
Further details have proved elusive.
Sources: morger.net
Famo
Lightweight motorcycles built by Jacob Reimann (1), Maschinenfabrik Hinwil (near Zurich) from 1919 to 1922, and then by J. & E. Forster, also of Hinwill until 1924.
In France, Reimann marketed the Famocyclette in 1922-23, a motorised bicycle with a 132cc Famo horizontal engine above the pedals and a cylindrical petrol tank. The name is derived from Fahrrad motoren : moteurs de bicyclette.
In Mannheim, Germany, a 127cc Famo was produced. It is unclear whether these were related.
N.B. 1. poss. Jakob
Sources: morger.net, François-Marie Dumas, Tragatsch p132.
Fiducia
1902-1905
Giesserei Weber of Uster constructed motorcycles powered by 450cc engines of their own manufacture.
Sources: morger.net
GG
Grüter & Gut Motorradtechnik GmbH, Ballwil.
From 1994 they built highly distinctive motorcycles and quads.
Sources: morger.net
Helvetia
1896 Karl Bleidorn, Maschinenfabrik Arbon, built the first Swiss motorcycle.
Sources: morger.net
Helvetia
1898-1900
Built in Combs-la-Ville Paris, an "Elektromobile". It is listed as a Swiss firm.
Sources: morger.net
Helvetia
1905-1906
G.A. Saurer & Cie., Arbon built a motorcycle with a Z-L engine
Sources: morger.net
Helvetia (Willisau)
Motorcycles built in 1928 using 170cc PA engines. Related to Universal.
Over the years there were several companies of the same name.
Sources: Wikipedia
Henriod
A steam-powered tricycle built by Fritz Henriod, Biel 1896-1903
Sources: morger.net
HMO
E. Hegetschwiler of Ottenbach built sidecar combinations using BMW engines and components from 1964.
Sources: morger.net
Jenny
Jean Jenny of Chàtelaine, Geneva, built a two-stroke motorcycle in 1926
Sources: morger.net
Imholz
Imholz Fahrradwerke AG, St. Gallen 1924-1927
Built motorcycles using Moser two-stroke and four-stroke engines.
Sources: Wikipedia
La Chaine
Walther Schmid of Geneva built a motorcycle with rear suspension in 1906
Sources: morger.net
La Colombe
Louis Ischy of Payerne built motorcycles beginning in 1905
Sources: morger.net
La Genevoise
Alfred Morgenegg of Geneva built a 750cc motorcycle in 1917
Sources: morger.net
La Routier
Bonnet & Jaquard of Romainmötier built several motorcycles 1904-1906
Sources: morger.net
Landi
AG J. Zehnder & Söhne of Gränichen built a 750cc motorcycle in 1939. That same year, Condor built a sidecar machine named Landi, and Motoscoche released a 500cc single-cylinder Landi model.
Sources: morger.net
LCR
Louis Christen of LCR Engineering, Rheineck, built racing motorcycles and sidecars (Motorrad-Renndreiräder) from 1976. In co-operation with Krauser they built 80cc racers and the famed Domani sports sidecar combination. The Zundapp LCR was another 80cc machine.
LCR sidecars have won 18 World Championships and 6 World Cups, and are one of the most famous racing sidecars ever produced.
Sources: lcr-sidecar.com
See also Krauser
Le Side-Motor
Motosport AG of Moutier built an unusual tricar with a 495cc V-twin MAG engine from 1923 to 1925.
Sources: moto-collection.org
Lista
Josef Popart of Erlen built lightweights 1955-1960
Sources: morger.net
Keller
Kel-Cha Motor AG, Camorino, Tessin. 1929 - 1932
Charles Keller built the oddly named Kel-Cha 397cc motorcycle. The engine block was aluminium, with a cast-iron cylinder head. The 19" wheels were painted bright red, spokes and all. It was the only model produced, and although attractive it proved too expensive for the market, which was in free-fall.
Sources: Moto-collection.org
Mallmallwallon-DMT
Built in Geneva by Pierre Dunant, 1903
Sources: morger.net
MADC
1901-1905, built motorcycles with 215cc engines. The firm was the forerunner of Motosacoche.
Sources: Wikipedia
Moto Geneve
Séchehaye & Cie of Geneva produced Zedel-powered machines from 1910 for a short period.
Sources: morger.net
Motoclette
Frizt Haag & co, Geneva. Built 1904-1915 using Zedel, Moser and other engines.
Sources: Wikipedia, La Moto Francaise, Tragatsch p217
MV
Müller-Vogel & Cie of St. Aubin built high-performance engines for cars and motorcycles. They produced the 737cc V-Twin used in the aptly named Quick of 1917.
Sources: morger.net, moto-collection.org
Oris
Built by Oris-Velofabrik of Liestal in 1903 using a Zedel engine.
Sources: morger.net
Paul Speidel
P. Speidel of Geneva, 1914-
The man who built the Quick also produced motorcycles under his own name, one of which in 1923 employed an oil-coooled Bradshaw 350cc engine which was factory certified to deliver over 14hp.
Sources: moto-collection.org
Piot Moto
Gilbert Piot built performance engines and specialised in carbon fibre components in the 1990s.
Sources: Wikipedia
Pony
Lightweights built by Amsler & Co. AG of Feuerthalen from 1948
Sources: morger.net
Quick
P. Speidel of Geneva, 1914
Production of motorycles began in 1914 using Condor, Moser and Precision engines, and in 1917 the firm built a high-performance motorcycle powered by a 737cc V-Twin supplied by Müller-Vogel (MV) of Saint Aubin. It was capable of 132 km/h, making it one of the fastest production motorcycles available. In total some 70 or 80 motorcycles were built, including those using the Paul Speidel marque. A number of four-wheelers were constructed, one of which was a cyclecar which took part in the 1922 Swiss Grand Prix using the same MV 750 engine.
(see also Paul Speidel)
Sources: moto-collection.org
Reima
Werner Maltry built high-performance 490cc twins for racing purposes during the early 1960s.
Sources: Wikipedia
Rex
Motorcycles built by Maschinenfabrik Gränichen AG (MAFAG) of Gränichen 1932~1950
Sources: morger.net
Riva
Solec AG of Bern began building electric motorcycles in 1992
Sources: morger.net
Roger Barbier
Known also as R.B., during the 1920s the Geneva firm built 250cc four-stroke motorcycles and later oil-cooled OHC 500s.
Sources: morger.net, et al.
Royal
Helvetia-Fahrradfabrik of Basel built motorcycles 1900-1912
Sources: morger.net
Royal Standard
M. Pauchand & Cie, Geneva (parent company Ateliers des Charmilles, S.A)
Founded in 1919, the company built its first motorcycle in 1928, an inline 398cc parallel twin with chain drive designed by René Zürcher, son of Ernest, co-founder of Zedel. Production ceased in 1932.
Sources: moto-collection.org
Schwalbe (Uster)
One of two Swiss marques of this name, this one was built by Ruegg & Co of Uster, Zürich from 1901 - 1905 using a 2¾ hp Zedel engine.
The other Schwalbe was in Aalen, and used the same engines.
Sources: Wikipedia
Senn Moto-Spezial
Georg and Walter Senn built custom Harley-Davidsons in the 1970s and 80s. It was a large firm for a custom builder with over 40 employees.
Sources: Wikipedia
SAM
SA de Construction Mécanique of Geneva built motorcycles with engines from external suppliers from 1904.
Sources: morger.net
Seymaz
Erich Vaugnat built sidecar combinations for road-racing.
Sources: Wikipedia
Strübi
The Strubi was a motorcycle with a fully enclosed cabin and a door. It had a JLO 250cc two-stroke twin located at the front of the cabin directly below the steering column, between the rider's knees. The steering was conventional. Nothing else was.
Sources: ig-jlo-twin.eu
Swissauto
The Burgdorf has been building engines for automobiles and motorcycles since 1987
Sources: morger.net
Taddeoli
P. Taddeoli of Geneva built motorcycles between 1901 and 1906
Sources: morger.net
Tourist
Desplands & Cie. of Lausanne built a number of different of motorcycles from 1903
Sources: morger.net
Trike HS
Rewaco Fahrzeugbau AG of Oberentfelden built three-wheelers from 1989
Sources: morger.net
Vaucher
Motorcycles built by E. Vaucher of Geneva from 1910
Sources: morger.net
Velosolex H-S
The Vélosolex Type 330 was built entirely in Switzerland, in the famed Hispano-Suisse factory, from 1952
See also Velosolex
Sources: moto-collection.org
Volksroller
Mowag Fahrzeugbau of Kreuzlingen produced 50cc scooters in 1958
Sources: morger.net
Walco
Walco of Biel built mopeds with Sachs engines around 1967
Sources: morger.net
Zedel (ZL)
Zürcher, Lüthi & Cie of Saint-Aubin-Sauges built motorcycle engines between 1897 and 1908. See
Zurcher for more information.
Zehnder
Maschinenfabrik Gränichen AG of Gränichen
Between 1923 and 1939 Zehnder established a reputation for reliability and over the years built commuter-style motorcycles with horizontal single-cylinder two-stroke engines of 110cc, 150cc and 220cc along with a number of higher performance sports and racing machines. During this time they were absorbled by Standard, in 1928. Standard ceased production in Germany in 1938 and moved to Swizterland where they used the Zehnder factory to build motorcycles, production continuing there into the 1950s.
Sources: moto-collection.org
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