Lutz - Dürkopp

Dürkopp bicycle with a unique auxiliary engine, constructed by Otto Lutz. Lutz engine was manufactured in 1948-1954 in two versions, 50cc and 60cc. Gas mask containers were used to produce fuel tanks.

Dürkopp was a highly respected supplier of top quality bicycles and componentry ranging from the turn of the century until the late 1950s. A multifaceted company, it also produced motorcycles, scooters, automobiles, arms, heavy machine tools and is still a major manufacturer of industrial and homeowner sewing machines.

Lutz was a small engine manufacturer from Brunswick (Germany). They started to build stationary engines for water pumps and similar stuff in 1948.

Lutz history

This engine manufacturing company was established in 1948 by Otto Lutz, an experienced German constructor. Before war, he was a professor at the Technical University in Stuttgart and then a leader of a section in German Aircraft Engine Research Institute. Lutz decided to build an efficient auxiliary engine, which could be easily installed in any bicycle frame. Just after war, only production of small engines (below 60 cm3) was allowed in Germany, so newly designed 2-stroke engine was 58 cm3. It was used not only for motorizing bicycles, but also for lawn mowers, pumps and all kind of machinery. Later Lutz developed several types of scooters, too. In 50s he worked on early model of moped, Autobahn Roller. In 1953 Lutz started lecturing in Technical University in Stuttgart again and left his company unattended; three years later Lutz company bankrupted due to financial troubles. This happened before Autobahn Roller production was started, so only prototypes of this vehicle exist. Lutz continued research work in Stuttgart for many years, developing constructions of jet engines and 2-stroke engines.

Dürkopp early history

In the second half of XIX century Bielefeld was an important textile industry centre. Sewing machines, imported from USA, were very expensive Two mechanical engineers, Baer and Koch, decided to use the conjuncture. They started a sewing machines manufacture, first one in the town. It was a big success, but in 1865 Baer left to start his own business. Koch & Co. – this is how Bielefeld manufacture was named after 1865 – hired two constructors: Dürkopp and Schmidt. In 1861 Dürkopp developed his first model of a sewing machine. In 1867 he started a new company with Schmidt. They worked together for a decade. After Shmidt resigned in 80s, the company was named Dürkopp & Co. Sewing machine boom was over in this time, but Dürkopp & Co started to manufacture bicycles and was successful on this new market.

At the turn of the century they considerably developed and varied their production. In this time Dürkopp manufactured motorcycles, bicycles, motor cars and lorries. In their catalogue there were motorcycles with one and two cylinder engines, and even a four cylinder series. These engines were solely their own construction. Because of a foray into motor car production, motorcycle manufacture was temporary stopped between 1912 and 1927. Thereafter, Dürkopp mostly used the engines from other manufactures to fit into their motorcycles. After Dürkopp died in 20s, the company changed its name to Dürkoppwerke AG.

Dürkopp post-war history (from www.duerkopp.de)

After the Second World War Dürkopp continued to manufacture motorcycles. M10 model was revived, followed by the MKL 100, MF 100, MFS 100 models (all with 98cc Sachs engines) and then M125. At the same time, Dürkopp were also developing their own engines, e.g. a 200cc two stroke engine for a scooter. In 1951, the most successful Dürkopp motorcycle the MD150, was launched. The MD150 was the first post-war product with an engine solely made by Dürkopp again. The machine was one of the best constructed from the German motorcycle-industry and also one of the fastest. In addition the MD200 with a 198cc engine, was also available from 1952. They were manufactured to 1954. In this year full series production of Diana scooter started.

In 1955 Dürkopp merged with Ardie factory from Nuremberg. A couple of mopeds were marketed after this union, under both the Dürkopp and Ardie names. In 1962 Dürkopp was taken over as a subsidiary company by FAG-Kugelfischer GmbH, situated in Schweinfurt. At the beginning of the eighties the manufacturing of bearings ended. Today Dürkopp-Adler is a modern company with its main focus on the manufacturing of industrial sewing machines.