It is actually strange that we are only talking about a few names and models in the classic motorcycle world. The 'usual suspects' are of course Harley-Davidson, the BMW boxers, the heavy bikes of the big British brands and the four giants from Japan plus more than a handful of the most beautiful history from Italy.
But there was and is so much more about classic motorcycles
And for all those brands there is in any case a (limited) group of enthusiasts. Because we don't see the members of something like a club for the motorcycle brand Ratier (1955-1963) filling the Gelredome yet. By the way, Ratier was a brand that came about more or less by chance from the French companies CMR and Cemec.
The French government had purchased a large order from Cemec for the L12 (based on spoils of war, the BMW BMW R71 / 7 models). But the parts provision for that had become very tight. Ratier did not stop with the production of parts, but made a new series of the old side valve boxers in 1959. In addition, they also came up with modern head valves of tight 600 cc with an improved frame. That type was sold as the C6 S in the early 1960s including suspension rear fork and telescopic fork.
Such a little-known brand: UT
The brand name is sort of a derivative of Unterürkheim, a suburb of Stuttgart. There, Hermann Scheihing started producing motorcycles in 1922. He built Bekamo engines with a cylinder capacity of up to 250 cc lying in low tube frames. The two-strokes developed by Hugo Ruppe were equipped with compressors. Three years after the foundation, Scheihing had to sell his company and the new owner became the Bergmüller & Co. machine factory.
From that moment on the UTs had tube frames and 'Tiger' front forks and the power sources were mainly sourced from Blackburne. That was about side and head valves. JAP engines were also installed at a later stage. The range consisted of models of 200, 250, 300, 350, 500 and 600 cc engines. The frame tubes were adapted to the power according to the motorization. In 1930, Bergmüller sold the shop to two employees, Hugo Schwenk and Johann Schnürle.
Sold and moved
That couple, including staff and machinery, moved to a former weaving mill in 1935. In connection with the rise of National Socialism, the company was obliged to say goodbye to the foreign engine block suppliers and the UTs were obliged to receive German power sources. The German supplier of those two and four strokes, of head and side valves between 200-600 cc was Bark & Küchen. Also such a name that has disappeared into the mists of time. After the Second World War, UT supplied models with a choice of manual or foot switching. The UT KT 125 was equipped with an ILO two-stroke engine, had a sheet steel front fork and had to do without rear suspension.
A complete offer
The range of models with ILO blocks soon consisted of 100, 175, 200 and 250 cc one and two cylinders. And the bicycle parts were among the best in their segments. Already in 1950 the company made its own telescope front forks and then it was also possible to order plunger rings behind. At the IFMA of 1951, the brand was the first German manufacturer to present a rear fork with hydraulically damped shock absorbers. 1963 fell over UT because of the global motorcycle crisis. Shock absorbers.
