Motorcycle pure: from Hockenheim to Hollywood

“The passion is simply in your blood – there’s no rational explanation for it,” says Marcus Walz. The 57-year-old caught the bug when he was a teenager: a trained mechanical engineer, he spent every spare minute dismantling, optimising and recreating motorcycles. Born and raised in Heidelberg, Marcus Walz has long been regarded as one of the most dazzling personalities on the international custom bike scene.  

Celebrity customers 

For motorbike fans, the WalzWerk Motorcycles brand stands for high-quality, handcrafted design and a distinctive aesthetic appeal. Even Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves and George Clooney are among those who can be seen speeding through the neighbourhood on one of these iconic machines – despite the fact that the waiting time for a motorbike manufactured by Walz and his team can be more than a year, even for a celebrity. Racing drivers Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard have less far to travel for a test run: the headquarters of the motorbike manufacturing company – which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2025 – is in Hockenheim, right next to the famous race track. Marcus Walz has been racing motorbikes himself for many years, and he’s had his share of serious accidents, too. 

Turning old into new 

“Unlike retro bikes, which are mass-produced as new machines in a classic guise, our focus is on authenticity. Our motorbikes are genuine classics that are upgraded to incorporate state-of-the-art technology and a customised look,” explains Walz. Old machines – mainly from the 1980s – by brands such as BMW or Triumph are completely refashioned into new Walz creations. Every bike is stripped down to the last screw, given a new frame, chassis, springs, forks and wheels, elaborately painted, and then fitted with components and design elements that are developed in-house. The engines are overhauled, too – generally to make them more powerful. A machine that leaves the Walz factory is “pure motorbike”, as Walz is keen to point out. “We don’t have any electronic gimmicks that easily fail.” In addition, every motorbike is ergonomically adapted to the customer’s height, weight and riding style. 

Hard shell, soft core 

The image of the rough-and-tumble, tattooed motorbike builder that Walz playfully embraces may seem clichéd, but behind the tough façade there’s a friendly and sensitive personality. Walz is a vegetarian and animal rights activist – he consistently refrains from using leather on his motorbikes. There’s one question you simply have to ask Marcus Walz: “What’s the secret of your success?” He thinks for a moment before stating confidently: “It’s the passion to create something new with your own hands that a lot of people dream of.”