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25 years of Wunderlich
25 years of practical products for the perfect, person-
alised motorbike
We would like to thank all of our cus-
tomers and business partners. In 2010
we are celebrating our 25th anniversa-
ry. For a quarter of a century, the name
of Wunderlich has been inseparable
from Yamaha and BMW motorbikes.
The story of Wunderlich GmbH began
in the garage of Erich Wunderlich’s
parents.
In an 8-page “catalogue”, prepared on
a typewriter, the first products were
presented, such as the innovative di-
rect lubrication system for the over-
head camshaft.
Two years later, the garage was too
small and we moved to a warehouse at
the Ahrweiler train station. Our product
range included everything from parts
for optimising the chassis to tuning
parts. In 1988, our current Head of Op-
erations, Peter Hoppe, was employed
as our first member of staff.
The path we had taken had long since
proved to be the right one and a further
move into an idyllic old vineyard with
over 1000 m² of warehouse space was
already necessary in 1989. With the
purchase of an R 100 GS, the course
had already been set in the direction
of BMW and in 1991 we made our
first, very successful appearance at
a trade fair at the IFMA in Cologne. A
year later our catalogue had a distribu-
tion of 5,000 with 67 pages, on which
over 200 products could be found. Just
four years later, 20,000 copies of the
catalogue were printed and Wunder-
lich began to concentrate exclusively
on BMW.
We made progress step by step. Our
staff numbers increased continuously,
a further move, into our own building in
Bodendorf, took place, and even that
would not be our final address. Since
2004, we are located in Sinzig, where
now, in 3 buildings, we have space for
all of our departments, from adminis-
tration, through development, to the
warehouse.
“25 years” trips off the tongue, but the
youngest members of our staff today
were not even born then, and a brief
look back shows that it really is a long
time.
1985 At the age of 17 Boris Becker
becomes the first German to win the
Wimbledon Grand-Slam tournament.
Setting up of the company in Erich
Wunderlich’s parents’ house in Ahr-
weiler. The first catalogue appears:
8 pages long, produced on the type-
writer of Alberto Wunderlich, Erich’s
father. Focus of the catalogue: as a
fan of powerful torque, it has to be the
legendary Yamaha single cylinder XT
and SR 500.
1986 The Soviet Union fires its com-
mand module for the “Mir” space sta-
tion into orbit.
Development of a direct lubrication
system for the overhead camshaft of
the single cylinder engine. The first
production run exceeds the budget
several times over. The first advertise-
ment is placed with the “Tourenfahrer”
motorcycle magazine - with an over-
whelming response.
1987 The USA begins work on GPS
(Global Positioning System).
There is no longer enough space in the
parental home and the first move takes
place. An office with a warehouse is
rented cheaply at the Ahrweiler train
station. The product range stretches
from chassis improvements to com-
plex tuning parts.
1988 George Bush is elected president
of the United States.
Development, customer service and
sales can no longer be carried out by a
single person. The first member of staff
is appointed. It is Peter Hoppe, Head
of Operations today and one of the key
pillars of the company
1989 The Berlin Wall falls.
The old warehouse is bursting at the
seams. The company moves to an idyl-
lic old vineyard in Ahrweiler with over
1000 m² of warehouse space. The first
BMW appears in the company fleet. It
is an R 100 GS.
1990 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is
closed for safety reasons.
The youngest of our current Wunder-
lich employees is born. The move away
from Yamaha is at the horizon.
1991 “Ötzi”, a mummified body over
5000 years old, is found in the glaciers
in the border region between the North
and South Tyrol.
First appearance at a trade fair at the
IFMA in Cologne. Wunderlich presents
the first converted R 100 GS with dou-
ble headlights, double rear lights and
many other refinements.
1992 The XXVth Summer Olympic
Games take place in Barcelona.
The first separate BMW accesso-
ries catalogue appears. It features 67
pages, with more than 200 parts. 5000
copies are printed.
1993 Boris Yeltsin wins the first demo-
cratic elections in Russia.
The R 1100 RS is launched. A mile-
stone in the history of BMW models
and confirmation for the company, that
it has backed the right brand.
1994 Sony brings the first Playstation
on to the market in Japan.
This is the year of the new R 1100 GS,
which also finally brings the company
to focus 100% on the BMW brand.
1995 Jacques Chirac is elected presi-
dent of France.
The success of BMW ensures continu-
ous growth at Wunderlich. On average,
more than 50 packages of parts are
shipped from the company every day.
1996 In Atlanta in the USA, the XXVIth
Summer Olympic Games take place.
Development of the first ERGO seats
and ERGO touring screens.
1997 In Britain, the Labour Party under
Tony Blair wins the general election.
The number of employees has now in-
creased to twelve. Five of them are re-
sponsible for customer support alone,
on site and on the phone.
1998 France beat Brazil 3:0 in Paris to
win the World Cup.
A new catalogue appears now annual-
ly, and every year the number of prod-
ucts grows. Our own developments
play an increasingly important part in
this. First appearance at INTERMOT
exhibition in Munich.
1999 Johannes Rau is elected as Fed-
eral President of Germany.
A shortage of warehouse space,
cramped offices and too little customer
parking force the company to move
again, this time to Bad Bodendorf.
2000 Michael Schuhmacher becomes
Formula 1 World Champion with Ferrari
for the first time.
Wunderlich is one of the few and first
companies in the motorcycle sec-
tor to be awarded the DIN/ISO 9001
certificate and is therefore allowed to
apply for TÜV certificates. Wunderlich
has its first 65 m² exhibition stand at
the INTERMOT exhibition. It is a great
success: importers from every country
are literally fighting over the sales rights
of the BMW range, which is now exten-
sive.
2001 The Czech Republic become ice
hockey world champions in the final
against Finland.
Wunderlich GmbH is probably the first
company in the motorbike sector to be
certified in accordance with the new
DIN/EN/ISO 9001:2000 directive (KBA
compliant).
2002 Introduction of the Euro.
The first office units are erected on the
site in Bad Bodendorf. Space is once
again at its limit. In order to concen-
trate fully on developing/testing BMW
products, the Yamaha division is closed
down.
2003 Concorde flies from New York to
Paris for the last time.
There are now four large sea containers
on the site. The “summer of the cen-
tury” ensures a good motorbike sea-
son, but the temperatures in the office
unit reach over 40° C at times. The first
plans for a new building on the Sinzig
industrial park are formed.
2004 Greece win the European Foot-
ball Championship under Otto Reh-
hagel.
In January 2004 our home moves to
Kranzweiherweg. Wunderlich cel-
ebrates its first “open house day” and
over 1000 customers join in.
2005 Angela Merkel is elected as Fed-
eral Chancellor in Germany.
Wunderlich celebrates its 20-year an-
niversary and looks forward to the next
20 years!
2006 The football World Cup takes
place in Germany.
A 3D printer for rapid prototyping, a 3D
laser scanner and a new CNC milling
machine are acquired.
2007 Germany beat Poland to become
handball world champions.
The “Classic” catalogue, now the 19th
edition of the Wunderlich catalogue,
appears. Nine new members of staff
are appointed (Development, Market-
ing, Sales, Purchasing, Shipping, Ac-
counts).
2008 Barack Obama is elected presi-
dent of the USA.
A new high-bay warehouse with a ca-
pacity of 524 pallet racks, covering a
floor space of approx. 600 m² is built.
2009 The aircraft captain Chesley B.
Sullenberger avoids a disaster by com-
pleting an emergency landing on the
Hudson River in New York City.
The OnRoad catalogue, which runs
to approx. 700 pages, appears, with a
print run of 40,000 copies.
2010 Wunderlich turns 25 and sends
congratulations to Tianna Madison, Lily
Allen, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lewis Hamil-
ton, Michael Phelbs and everyone else
who came into the world in 1985.
As a special present, the readers of the
renown “Motorrad” motorcycle maga-
zine placed us in first place in the vote
for “Best Brand Customizing”.
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The main building with administration, shop and the shipping
centre (1), the first construction stage of the high-shelf ware-
house (2) and the research and development department (3).
On the right, part of our test track and some of the additional
storage units (white garages) containing the performance test
station, the archive, etc. can be seen.
Erich Wunderlich (left) and Peter Hoppe (right) in 1994 in front of the company premises
at that time in Ahrweiler.
The first custom-built company building in Bad Bodendorf in 1999
