Zundapp and Matchless Motorcycles

[bigwheelzip]

Saw a couple of bikes touring together in Brittany France yesterday that I don't recall ever seeing on the road on the USA, a Matchless and a Zundapp. The sidecar on the Zundapp had a fake ships wheel for the passenger.

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[steveno]

a guy in the avionics shop in West Germany had fixed up a Zundapp with a side car. he gave me a ride from the shop to the barracks which was about 4 blocks. I wanted out of the side car about half way there

 

[bigwheelzip]

a guy in the avionics shop in West Germany had fixed up a Zundapp with a side car. he gave me a ride from the shop to the barracks which was about 4 blocks. I wanted out of the side car about half way there

Seeing the sidecar on this one, I don't blame you. It looked like a bathtub, and very uncomfortable.

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[Kurusu]

Around here. Matchless and AJS motorcycles were quite common in the 50s and 60s. I even got to ride on a 500 from a friend in the early 80s. But you don't see them much on the road anymore.

 

[Marshwheeling]

In the days when I was riding a DBD34 BSA Gold Star, I had a buddy who had a Matchless G80. I really wanted his Matchless. Where the Goldie was high-strung and cantankerous, the Matchless was gentle, smooth and flexible, very easy to live with. I have always regretted selling the BSA, and regretted just as much never having a G80.

Just as today, some people will tell you a Marttiini is a better knife than a Mora, back in its day there were those who would insist the Zundapp 600cc boxer was a better bike than the much more popular BMW R60.

The closest I ever came to one was when a guy introduced himself to me and said he was in love with a girl I used to baby-sit when she was a kid. The story he told me was charming, but probably better left off this page. His Zundapp was one of those that were “better than any BMW”. I couldn’t say how true that was, but there were a lot more BMWs on the road, just as there are a lot more Moras than Marttiinis.

 

[Old TexMex]

Zundapp and Horex were in the stable of my buddy who was first at RISD, then moved to Mexico City. Those machines held up to Pemex fuel, the Toluca hiway and the Chihuahuan desert, and eventually (after four years of road use) were ridden as far north as Ft. Worth. From there, they are lost in the fog. Over engineering to say the least.
Matchless Typhoon was a firebreathing 600 single monster, but cursed by Lukas. I wanted a G80 or a Catalina. Never found either.
Matchless built some 500s for the U.S. market with Indian badge. That was during the Enfield- Matchless combination I believe (but I could be mistooken)

 

[IAMSWUTIAMS]

My Dad had a Zundap when I was a kid. This was the early 60's in SoCal.

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[Inusuit]

In 1968, I rode a BSA Victor and my friend had a Matchless 500 single. That was in Colorado. Another guy had an A. J. Stevens. That was a rare bird.

 

[Dave_n]

In my younger days in the UK (early 1960s) I had a Zundapp. Nice smooth-riding bike. Dave_n

 

[jrm53]

I have a friend that has had several Matchless's my only Zundap was a 250cc Super Saber from 1958. Jeff

 

[Walter Rego]

Mike Love and Brian Wilson were familiar with the Matchless marque in the early '60's.
Remember this song ?

First gear, it's all right (Honda, Honda, go faster, faster)
Second gear, I'll lean right (Honda, Honda, go faster, faster)
Third gear, hang on tight (Honda, Honda, go faster, faster)
Faster, it's all right.
It climbs the hills like a Matchless,
Cause my Honda' built really light.
When I go in to the turns
Better hang on tight.
I'd better turn on the lights
So we can ride my Honda tonight.

 

[sar4937]

I raced a Rickman with a 125cc Zundapp in the early 70's. I loved the fin ringing from the radial head.

 

[xb40]

You mean Zun dap dap dap. 250cc 2 cycle. Early 60’s and again in 1969.

 

[britbike1]

Here in MN

Matchless and Zundapp were available in the 50's and 60's. I still have a matchless brochure from a dealer here in mpls. Some of the guys in high school (1960) had zundapps and harley super 10s. One guy had a harley 45. In those days you could get brand new 45 engines in the box, surplus, for about $100 if IIRC.
NSU's were also around as were Ariel. Loved the variety of bikes back then. There was also some guy named Honda who came along about the time. That's another story.