Beschreibung:

• German make of the highest quality • Purchased in 2009 and restored • Described by the vendor as in working order A 'well known manufacturer of high class motorcycles' according to Tragatsch, 'Wanderer' was the brand name of Winkelhofer & Jaenicke, a bicycle-making firm founded in Chemnitz, Saxony around 1885. Like those of many of its contemporaries, its first motorised two-wheeler of 1902 was merely a power-assisted cycle. The company built its first automobile in 1903 and was also known for its typewriters and mechanical calculators. Wanderer's motorcycles quickly established a reputation for excellence, being sturdily built and finished to the highest standard. By 1913 Wanderer's range of motorcycles had expanded considerably and was topped by a 408cc v-twin. Distinguished by their wedge-shaped fuel tanks, these early Wanderer twins were of an advanced specification for their day, boasting bottom-link forks, sprung frames, two-speed hub gears, automatic lubrication, and an internal expanding rear drum brake. A 'militarised' version of Wanderer's v-twin was widely used by the German armed forces during WWI, and it was with the civilian version of this model that the company resumed production at the war's end. In the early 1920s a new 616cc v-twin appeared boasting unitary construction of the engine/gearbox unit, which was suspended at upper crankcase height from the duplex's frame's lower rails. Wanderer was successful in racing during the 1920s, especially with their 8-valve v-twin, being favoured by top riders such as Schuster, Urban, Kohlrausch, and Ebert. In 1929, during the Great Depression, the company's owner, Dresdner Bank, sold the motorcycle business to František Janeček (founder of Jawa). In 1932 Dresdner disposed of the rest of Wanderer, its Siegmar-based car division becoming part of the Auto Union together with Audi, DKW, and Horch. As far as Wanderer motorcycles went, the sale to Janeček marked the end of the line and there were no more made after 1929. This superb Wanderer v-twin was purchased in 2009 and has been restored by the vendor. The machine is described by the vendor as in working order, having been cared for by the owner's in-house mechanic. There are no documents with this Lot.