DKW Auto-Union Project: February 2017

Friday, 17 February 2017

DKW - DGW Delivery Triporter

Soon after DKW began selling the clip-on bicycle Hilfsmotor in 1919, the company began manufacturing its own bicycle with a custom engine mounting bracket. Shortly afterwards they began development of a sesselrad 'motorized chair' or what we would call a motor-scooter. The first model was the Golem, which mounted the engine to the tube frame between the rider's feet. This proved not to be a very successful design so was remodeled into the Lomos, which mounted the engine beneath the rider's seat. The Lomos was a better vehicle, but it too failed to secure a market. In 1922 the company began manufacturing its first real motorcycle, the DKW Reichtfahrtmodel. https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2025/08/dkws-first-motorcycles.html

The leftover stock of bicycles, Golem and Lomos parts didn't go to waste but were assembled into a delivery tricycle. These were very popular machines during the 1920s and many companies built them to a standard design. Sold as the DKW Transport-Rad until at least 1926. DKW itself stopped manufacturing these light commercials but transferred engines and components to JS Rasmussen's Framo company, which manufactured motorcycle seats, frames, fittings and carburetors for DKW. From 1928 Framo were building a revised and improved delivery tricycle. These were sold as Framo transporters and briefly as DKWs and DGWs. https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2017/07/framo.html

"Bring new life into your business! The new DGW delivery van.

Should your business remain at its current snail pace in a time of rapid progress, or do you want to give your company a new lease of life, give it new impetus and get ahead of the competition? You yourself know that with your own express delivery car you will save valuable time, make your deliveries, and do your shopping much faster, and increase the operating radius of your business and thus your revenue. You know what a priceless advertisement a DGW car would represent for your business, but the question of costs has made you hesitant to purchase a reliable transport vehicle. Today this obstacle no longer exists. According to special instructions from the largest motorcycle factory on the continent, you will receive a DGW transporter that is world class in terms of its quality and reliability, equivalent to the well-known DKW motorcycle, through a comfortable twelve-month payment plan of just 22.50 per week. Ask for a prospectus about the 3 different versions available – full leather box body or a loading platform with and without side panels."

DKW transporterwagen brochure: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2025/10/1928-dkw-transporterwagen.html

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

DKW's First Motorcycles

Soon after DKW began manufacturing their own bicycles with mountings for their popular bicycle auxiliary motor, the DKW Hilfsmotor, experiments began to develop a proper motorcycle. The first vehicles were motor scooters - Sesselrads in German - such as the Golem and Lomos. These were not very successful and production soon stopped and the leftover parts were used to develop motorized delivery tricycles, which were popular light commercials during this period. https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2023/11/dkw-dgw-delivery-triporter.html

In 1922, designer Hermann Weber set about modifying the DKW bicycle with an improved and strengthened frame capable of mounting the DKW Hilfsmotor within the 'triangle' of the bicycle frame. The motor was bolted to the lower frame and a long petrol tank was fitted over the top frame. To improve the engine's efficiency it was given a cooling shroud which directed a modicum of fresh air over the cylinder fins. Drive was by belt to the rear wheel as with the Hilfsmotor, except now the belt ran between the riders legs. A rudimentary silencer directed the exhaust downwards but exhaust gases were not piped away from the rider as in modern motorcycles. The engine was single speed without a clutch, which would be introduced in 1925. The bike still had pedals and the rider would start the motor by pedaling or via a hand-lever on the side of the engine (carried over from DKW's stationary motor range).

This was an extremely primitive machine but thanks to its successful performance in the 1922 Reichfahrt race followed by endurance and speed trials on the AVUS track later that same year. To capitalize on these successes, the model was subsequently renamed the Reichfahrtmodel. The engine underwent rapid improvement, being uplifted from its original 118ccs to 148ccs.

Year-on-year DKW's motorcycles underwent rapid improvement. In 1925 a clutch was introduced, carried over from the Lomos scooter and a two-speed gearbox. The engine was also set upright at the bottom of the bicycle frame, instead of leaning forward. The pedals were dropped entirely and footplates were fitted for the rider. Front suspension was improved with damping springs. Drive was still via belt to the back wheel. The new bike, the 'Sportsmodel mit Getribe' (sporting model with clutch) was still quite archaic compared to contemporaries, but it was cost effective and performed well.

The ZM model (meaning Zschopaur Model) of 1926 was an improvement over the Leichtmodel. The engine and gearbox was redesigned into a more compact unit. A kickstarter was now fitted to the engine, replacing the hand lever. Five engine variants were available during the model's short, two-year, production run - 128cc, 170cc, 178cc, 181cc and 206cc. The multiplicity of capacities were developed to exploit the complex German road-tax rates.

At the same time as the ZM model, DKW introduced the experimental SM (Stahlmodel). The SM (steel model) used the same engines / clutch / gearbox as the ZM but the body was constructed of pressed steel plates rather than rolled steel tube. The central beam of the body housed the petrol tank. Drive was still via belt to the rear wheel. The experiment with pressed steel bodywork would not prove successful however as the welded seams exhibited a tendency to crack over time and production was stopped after approximately 1000 units had been built.