The Sachs 400 is one of the model names of Sachs Bikes, the German brand that continues the motorcycle production of Fichtel & Sachs and Hercules. The company’s Wikipedia articles list their models without a separate entry for the 400, so this page describes the range and the company history behind it.
Sachs 400 at a glance
| Maker | Sachs Bikes, Nuremberg |
|---|---|
| Company from 1995 | Sachs Fahrzeug- und Motorentechnik GmbH |
| Company from 2008 | SFM GmbH |
| Capacity class | 400 cc |
| Same class in the range | Sachs Quattrocento, a 400 cm³ motorcycle-scooter of 2007 |
| Engine supply | Sachs bought engines in from other makers for its larger models |
| Larger models | Roadster 650 (Suzuki XF 650), Roadster 800 (Suzuki VS800GL) |
| Insolvency | June 2006 |
| Management buyout | 1 January 2007 |
| Focus after the rescue | scooters |
The 400 has no Wikipedia page of its own; the sources mention the capacity class and the Quattrocento but not a separate history for this model.
History of the Sachs 400
The 400 cc place in the range
Sachs Bikes was formed in 1995, when the Mannesmann-owned Fichtel & Sachs sold the Hercules brand and its bicycles to the Dutch ATAG Cycle Group and kept the motorcycle production in Nuremberg under the Sachs name. The German article on the company lists its models by capacity, and the 400 cc class appears there in the shape of the Quattrocento, a motorcycle-scooter of 400 cm³ presented in 2007.
Engines bought in
The larger Sachs models of the 1990s were built around engines from other manufacturers: the Roadster 125 used a Yamaha Virago 125 unit, the Roadster 650 a Suzuki XF 650 Freewind engine and the Roadster 800 a Suzuki VS800GL Intruder engine. Sachs, for decades a supplier of engines to other makes, had become a customer. The same period produced the Roadster 800’s derivative, the B-805, and the Beast 1000 concept, which was still in development when the company ran into trouble.
After the insolvency
Sachs Bikes filed for insolvency in June 2006. A management buyout led by the managing director took the company over on 1 January 2007 with the aim of concentrating on scooters, and in 2008 the insolvency proceedings were closed and the firm was renamed SFM GmbH. The Quattrocento of 2007 belongs to that turn towards scooters, together with the smaller Speedjet and Speedforce models.
Design and features
- 400 cc class: the middle of the Sachs range, between the 125 cc bikes and the 650 and 800 cc roadsters.
- Quattrocento: the 400 cm³ motorcycle-scooter of 2007.
- Bought-in engines: the larger Sachs models used Yamaha and Suzuki units.
- Scooter years: the model appeared as the company rebuilt itself after 2006.
Sachs 400 versions
- Sachs 400: the 400 cc name in the range.
- Sachs Quattrocento: 400 cm³ motorcycle-scooter, 2007.
- Roadster 650: 650 cc single with a Suzuki engine.
- Roadster 800 and B-805: 800 cc V-twin models.
The larger Sachs machines are described in Sachs Beast and the scooters in Sachs Quattrocento and Sachs Speedforce. More are in the Sachs collection.
Sources
- Sachs Bikes, German Wikipedia: model list, Quattrocento, company history
- Sachs Motorcycles, English Wikipedia: Roadster engines, insolvency and rescue
