KTM the war, demand for repair works fell sharply and Trunkenpolz started thinking about producing his own motorcycles. The prototype of his first motorcycle, the R100, was built in 1951. The components of the motorcycle were produced in house, except for the Rotax engines which were made by Fichtel & Sachs. Serial production of the "R100" started in 1953. With just 20 employees, motorcycles were built at the rate of three per day. In 1953, businessman Ernst Kronreif became a sizable shareholder of the company which was renamed and registered as "Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen". In 1954, the "R125 Tourist" was
Taurus (manufacturer) Taurus (manufacturer) Forjas Taurus is a manufacturing conglomerate based in São Leopoldo, in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Founded as a tool and die manufacturer, the company now consists of divisions focusing on firearms, metals manufacturing, plastics, body armor, helmets, and civil construction. And counted as local manufactured firearms Taurus produced its first revolver, the Model 38101SO, in 1941. Beginning in 1968, it exported revolvers to the U.S. market through a series of importers. In 1971, the Bangor Punta Corporation, then the parent company of Smith & Wesson, purchased 54 percent of Forjas Taurus, allowing the two