Bücker motorcycles in a furniture store

 Bücker? Never heard of it!

With German motorcycles you think of BMWs. But Germany has - like France and England - known hundreds of motorcycle brands. Among them were very serious companies that made high-quality engines. "Robust bicycle parts and the highest possible craftsmanship". Those were the principles of Franz Bücker, a man who opted for 100% quality.

Started as an engineer

His career started with a forced technical engineering course and, like so many survivors of that war, was greatly influenced by the First World War. During some archive work we came across some material about that motorcycle manufacturer Bücker. For us it was a shadow name from the list 'Hoffmann, Imperia, Imme, Lohner, Rumi and more of those kinds of motorcycles that you must have heard of. But Bücker was a serious brand. And now there is even a Bücker museum. In a furniture store.

Started in a shed

In 1922 he started his company 'to manufacture and instant attitude of two-wheelers'. The company started just like Harley-Davidson once did: The company was a shed. Bücker installed Bekamo two-stroke built-in engines in normal bicycles there. And from that moment on he tested his products by using them in competitions. Initially, the small company initially built light motorcycles in small numbers. The limitation in numbers was part of his quality control. Motorcycles from 1924 to 100 cc were already designed and built in 1000. The fastest and strongest Bücker motorcycle was an 1000 cc JAP V twin in full race trim with 75 hp and 175 km / h top speed.

Many competition successes

The founder of the company successfully participated in motorcycle races and cross-country rides and managed to win countless victories. In addition to the Bekamo blocks, he used engines from MAG, Columbus, Blackburne, Bark, Sachs, Jap and Ilo. The Bücker motorcycles were sold through wholesalers and direct traders throughout Germany, but Bücker motorcycles were also sold in Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece and Switzerland. More and more competition riders chose Bücker motorcycles in races, track races and reliability rides. In 1949 there was even a successful factory team consisting of F. Bücker, H. Walz, K. Barth and Rauf Kompenhans.

Relocation and downfall

From 1937, a new factory site was built in the north of Oberursel, on the Weilstrasse in the German state of Hesse, located in the district of Hochtaunuskreis. The Bücker motorcycles were built there between 1937 and 1955. When the motorcycle trade collapsed, the company tried to survive as a Goggomobil dealer. Later it became a Ford dealers. Via the marriage line, the company became a furniture factory and the location remained the same as where that furniture maker Kunz is now located. And where now the Bücker motorcycle museum is in memory of the named grandfather.

A tribute from the family

In the current furniture factory of the family company, a nice overview of the Bücker motorcycle history can now be seen. The family says: “In memory of our previous generations, we find that this type of unique exhibition, which is also part of the industrial culture of Oberursel, is being made permanently accessible to the public. You are therefore welcome from Monday to Friday ”.

The Bücker motorbikes shown on exhibition were all restored by Mr Heinrich Walz, the father of Mrs. Ursula Krieger-Kunz. And so everything stays in the family. Nice is not it?