Münch (motorcycles)

Munch was a small German manufacturer of high performance, individually and elaborately built motorcycles. This originated as a single unit using a mostly air-cooled car engine and many separately developed by company founder Friedel Münch components. Between 1967 and 1976 Münch built 476 motorcycles. Based on the model policy almost every machine is unique in terms of equipment and material.

History

Friedel Münch was a design engineer at Horex before he acted in Friedberg- Ossenheim with motorcycles, engines repaired and incidentally worked in racing. End of the 1950s took the racer Jean murite contacted Münch.

He planned to build a motorcycle with a reliable engine and well-functioning brakes. Münch chose the air-cooled four-cylinder car engine from the NSU Prinz 1000 with 1000 cc displacement, created from components of Horex the clutch and the gearbox and made the remaining parts of the bike after his own drawings himself. In addition to the engine earn the rear wheels and the front brake from electron - light metal casting special attention.

This unique concept was a large following. The motorcycle model should be named Mammoth. But this name was trademarked by the Maschinenfabrik Berner & Co and the model was officially called simply TT. Among enthusiasts, however, kept the name Mammoth today. Over the years, models with 1000, 1200 and 1300 cm ³ capacity made ​​. Munch was also involved with success for racing. As a result of mismanagement and economic difficulties (insufficient quantities in relation to the high production costs ) the company faced several times before the ruin.

A collaboration with the American publisher and Münch enthusiasts Floyd Clymer began in 1966. However, she was not of long duration ( up to 1969 ), since the economic success failed to materialize, Clymer got into health and financial difficulties and did not get along with the technician mentality of Friedel Münch.

On Clymer in 1970 by the American George Bell, a millionaire's son who built a new production facility in Old Town Forest settlement together with Münch. However, Bell separated in late 1971 due to lack of short-term economic success of the Munich KG, which was then forced to declare bankruptcy.

The company was rescued by the packaging manufacturer Hassia, who was interested in the motorcycles of Münch. So then a new design was presented with a three-cylinder two -stroke engine at the Cologne Salon of the public who Münch 3 This presentation but brought only moderate success, only two were built. Nevertheless, the business was going well with the previous four-cylinder concept, and in a few months have been produced up to 30 Münch -4. Customers had to wait some months for the ordered machine.

The TTS -E in 1973 came on the market, the first production motorcycle with a mechanical ball Fischer- gasoline injection, which was also used in tii BMW 2002. The motorcycle reached nearly 74 kW ( 100 hp ), a top speed of over 200 km / h ( test value: 206.9 km / h ) and accelerated in 4.2 seconds to 100 km / h 1973 was the price of the TTS -E without accessories DM 19,425, which corresponds to taking into account inflation currently 29,200 euros. The new Japanese big bikes grew in the 1970s, a strong and also cheaper competition, so that the sales figures decreased significantly.

To save the company, offered Luigi Colani in 1972 his help and designed a super Münch with an aerodynamic fairing and a handlebar, which could be placed in tabloid and race position. The machine was not given the difficult economic situation in series. End of 1973, Hassia withdrew and Münch again remained only the possibility to declare bankruptcy.

The bankruptcy estate, including the naming rights bought in 1974 the wholesale business and Münch - driver Heinz W. Henke, in which Friedel Münch then worked as a technical manager. The production was directed towards the construction of individual single pieces. New models have not been developed, but the existing revised and improved. 1977 Münch separated by Henke and started under the brand " Horex " to develop kits that allow the displacement of the Munich models could be increased to 1400 to 1800 cm ³. Henke built until the beginning of 1980 more Münch motorcycles, which, however, had nothing to do with the " mammoth ".

Until the 1990s, Friedel Münch was persuaded again and again, to assemble some new Münch -4 from individual parts.

Status

A tight-knit club scene provides for the preservation and maintenance of existing machines. Purchase prices within the clubs reach orders of magnitude to 30,000 to 50,000 €. It is under Münch drivers as indelicate, a Munch "just so" offering for sale, without having previously offered a club member the chance to acquire. Lately, you can let yourself build an original Münch -4. One company based in Lüneburg company offers the opportunity to do so for some years. The parts for it are made according to the original design documents using the original materials.

Most Münch motorcycles, which can be seen today in museums and collections date from the period after 1971. From there began the production of the Münch 4 in "bigger" numbers. The early models from late 1966 to late 1970, have become very rare, and are not all available.

To give collectors and museums the opportunity to show these early Münchs in their collections for the chronology of these early Münch motorcycles are produced as historically accurate replicas since 2003 in Krautheim (Jagst ) in Baden- Württemberg. The investigation work for this exact replicas took about two years to complete. It could still be traced some witnesses who could back it up with historical imagery the details of research, including Friedel Münch has helped a lot of knowledge and information. Through the construction of these replicas, it was possible to present to posterity these important early motorcycles Munch history. Münch examined the work of the manufacturer of the replicas and accepted it.

Mammut 2000

As of 1997, there was the initiative of the Münch - owner and businessman Thomas Petsch, a completely new model to build " Münch Mammut 2000 " as the strongest production motorcycle in the world in small series of 250 pieces for wealthy lovers. For the Münch Motorrad Technik GmbH was founded.

As a result of significant problems in the design and manufacture of components delayed the originally scheduled for 2000 delivery until 2002. After eight machines delivered the project in mid-2002 was stopped. Built were only 15 Münch Mammut 2000 from Sachs Vehicle and Engine Technology GmbH in Nuremberg. After it was over, because the computational cost exceeded the purchase price of 86,000 € far and as a cost -covering production was not possible.

Trivia

2010, the movie mammoth with Gérard Depardieu about a past trip with a Münch Mammut was published.