To avoid shutting its doors, the company found a new role in the post-war period as a motorcycle manufacturer under the direction of Dr Fritz Neumeyer, producing its first machine in 1921: a licensed two-stroke model, followed by many others of various types and capacities.
By 1938, with the Munich Crisis unfolding and Europe on the brink of war, Zündapp had already built no fewer than 200,000 motorcycles at its Nuremberg factory, most of them from the K-series, which would serve as the basis for this military model.
Indeed, the Zündapp KS750 began development that same year in response to a request from the OKH (Oberkommando des Heeres, or High Command of the Army) for a robust, off-road-capable motorcycle suitable for liaison, reconnaissance and transport missions across diverse theatres of war, while still being fast on the road when required.
Already renowned for its quality engineering, the German firm presented a motorcycle with unusually advanced specifications, including hydraulic brakes, wide wheels, generous ground clearance, shaft drive to both the rear wheel and the sidecar, and even heating for the rider’s hands and feet as well as for the sidecar. All of this made the KS750 a true war machine, exceptionally well equipped to handle the harshest conditions—from the North African deserts to the frozen steppes of the Eastern Front.
Interestingly, the OKH trials ranked the KS750 above BMW’s R75. The Army Command even suggested that the Bavarian manufacturer produce the KS750 under licence, but pride prevailed and the offer was refused. Nevertheless, BMW adopted several features from its rival, including two-wheel drive and the hydraulic braking system. In fact, from 1942 onwards a programme was introduced to standardise parts between the two models, simplifying maintenance and logistics.
Used on every front where German forces fought, the KS750 proved to be a high-quality vehicle. Owing to the high torque of its opposed-twin engine, it boasted remarkable traction and could carry up to three fully equipped soldiers, earning it the nickname “Elephant” or “Kriegs Elephant” (War Elephant). However, its technical sophistication also made it expensive to produce: both the construction time and cost of a single KS750 could instead yield two Volkswagen Kübelwagen, capable of performing the same tasks while offering greater carrying capacity. This realisation led to the end of KS750 production in 1944.
Between 1940 and 1944, Zündapp built 18,635 units of the KS750. After the war, limited production resumed and continued until 1948.