pre
war
motorrad

bmw's first vehicles.

1923 – 1926
R 32

BMW’s very first motorcycle featured the horizontally opposed four-stroke flat-twin engine delivered to other manufacturers. This engine was modified in order to be fitted in traverse arrangement into a double-loop tubular frame with the three-speed gearbox connected directly to the power unit. Instead of a wear-prone chain, the power unit incorporated a drive shaft with a grease-packed bevel gear final drive housing on the rear wheel. Featuring longitudinal fins, the cylinders were cast in one piece with the cylinder heads and had upright valves. The engine output claimed by BMW for this touring machine was very modest.

produced

3,090

engine

R32
494 cc (30.1 cu in) sv
6.25 kW (8.5 hp)

1925 – 1926
R 37

Incorporating the frame and running gear of the R 32 with leaf-spring front-wheel swinging arm, drum brake at the front and wedge-block brake at the rear, the R 37 featured a new sports engine with overhead valves in the encapsulated aluminium cylinder heads and steel cylinders.

produced

152

engine

R 37
494 cc (30.1 cu in) ohv
12 kW (16 hp)

1925 – 1927
R 39

BMW’s first single-cylinder machine was conceived as a sports model with a shorter wheelbase, pressed-in cylinder liners in the upper half of the housing, the same cylinder head as the R 37 and, for the first time, an outer-shoe brake on the drive shaft flange.

produced

855

engine

R 39
247 cc (15.1 cu in) ohv
5 kW (6.5 hp)

1926 – 1928
R 42

This machine had a new frame with straight front tubes and a curved saddle support, a more powerful engine with cross-fin upright-valve cylinders and removable aluminum cylinder covers, a new bevel gear final drive housing with oil lubrication and sidecar mounts, as well as an outer-shoe brake fitted on the drive shaft.

produced

6,502

engine

R 42
494 cc (30.1 cu in) sv
9 kW (12 hp)

1927 – 1928
R 47

The ohv sports model also benefited from the modified running gear and suspension. It featured grey-cast iron cylinders and a two-slide carburetor replacing the complicated three-slide version.

produced

1,720

engine

R 47
494 cc (30.1 cu in) ohv
13 kW (18 hp)

1928 – 1929
R 52, R 62

By enlarging the cylinders of the 500 cc class sv engine, BMW was able to offer a model in the 750 cc class. New components: reinforced gearbox, larger brake drum in the front wheel and spiral-tooth bevel gears on the final drive.

produced

8,712

engine

R 52
487 cc (29.7 cu in) sv
9 kW (12 hp)

engine

R 62
745 cc (45.5 cu in) sv
13 kW (18 hp)

1928 – 1930
R 57, R 63

The next step was to fit the half-litre model with the engine of the R 47. With the larger cylinder bore and shorter stroke, this engine was also available in the 750 cc class and could be given extra power for successful racing.

produced

1,800

engine

R 57, 1928 – 30
494 cc (30.1 cu in) ohv
13 kW (8 hp)

engine

R 63, 1928 – 29
735 cc (44.9 cu in) ohv
18 kW (24 hp)

1929 – 1934
R 11

Pressed steel profile tubes on the frame and wheel forks then replaced the conventional soldered tubes and bushings. Consistent development of the engines culminated in the 5th series in 1934 featuring a chain-driven camshaft and two carburetors.

produced

7,500

engine

R 11
745 cc (45.5 cu in) sv 1
3/15 kW (18/20 hp)

1929 – 1934
R 16

The new suspension and running gear was also combined with an ohv sports engine fitted from the 3rd series in 1932 with two carburetors. In 1933 both engines were improved by the introduction of retainer ring-guided roller connecting rods and a reinforced final drive.

produced

7,006

engine

R 16
735 cc (44.9 cu in) ohv
18/24 kW (25/33 hp)

1931 – 1936
R 2

This machine came with a new single-cylinder engine in the 200 cc class not requiring a driving license. New features: lightweight pressed steel frame, drum brake on the rear wheel, all-enclosed cylinder head as of 1933, and an increase in engine power of 2 hp as of 1934.

produced

15,207

engine

R 2
198 cc (12.1 cu in) ohv
4/6 kW (6/8 hp)

1932 – 1937
R 3, R 4

Designed for use by government authorities and in off road events, these single-cylinder models had a larger engine and reinforced R 2 suspension. The drive shaft was moved to the right, and in 1933 the first BMW four speed gearbox was introduced.

produced

15,933

engine

R 3, 1936
305 cc (18.6 cu in) ohv
8 kW (11 hp)

engine

R 4, 1932 – 37
398 cc (24.3 cu in) ohv
9/10 kW (12/14 hp)

1935 – 1942
R 12

Launching the R 12, BMW introduced the first hydraulically- dampened telescopic front wheel fork in motorcycle construction, offering a lot more riding comfort and better handling compared to the conventional leaf-spring swinging arm. The same side-valve engine as on the R 11 was fitted in the standard pressed steel frame, available either with one SUM or two Amal carburetors. New features on the Boxer models were the 4-speed gearbox and rear wheel drum brake replacing the conventional drive shaft brake.

produced

36,008

engine

R 12
745 cc (45.5 cu in) sv
13/15 kW (18/20 hp)

1935 – 1937
R 17

Apart from the touring machine, BMW still offered an exclusive sports model with the more powerful ohv engine. The R 17 was Germany’s most expensive motorcycle at the time, but also the fastest production model built in Germany.

produced

434

engine

R 17
735 cc (44.9 cu in) ohv
24 kW (33 hp)

1937 – 1940
R 35

While the successor to the R 4 still featured the pressed steel frame, the front wheel was suspended on an unsparing telescopic fork. Most of these motorcycles were sold to public authorities for training or as courier machines.

produced

15,386

engine

R 35
342 cc (20.9 cu in) ohv
10 kW (14 hp)

1936 – 1937
R 5

A completely new design by Rudolf Schleicher : engine with tunnel housing, two camshafts, foot-operated shift mechanism on the gearbox, tubular frame made of conical oval tubes without seams, adjustable shock absorption on the telescopic fork, footrests instead of footboards.

produced

2,652

engine

R 5
494 cc (30.1 cu in) ohv
18 kW (24 hp)

1937
R 6

The R 5, BMW’s fast sports machine in the 500 cc class and the most modern motorcycle of its time, was soon supplemented by a sidecar machine with a brand new sv engine requiring just one central camshaft.

produced

1,850

engine

R 6
597 cc (36.4 cu in) sv
13 kW (18 hp)

1938 – 1941
R 51, R 66

Two years after being launched, the new tubular frame was improved by the addition of straight-travel rear wheel suspension. BMW’s new top model, the R 66, featured an ohv sports engine derived from the power unit of the R 6.

produced

5,444

engine

R 51, 1938 – 40
494 cc (30.1 cu in) ohv
18 kW (24 hp)

engine

R 66, 1938 – 41
597 cc (36.4 cu in) ohv
22 kW (30 hp)

1938 – 1941
R 61, R 71

The touring and sidecar models with side-valve 600 cc class engine soon also became available with the new rear wheel suspension. By increasing engine size to 745 cc, a new and more powerful model was created to follow the proven R 12.

produced

7,205

engine

R 61, 1938 – 41
597 cc (36.4 cu in) sv
13 kW (18 hp)

engine

R 71, 1938 – 41
745 cc (45.5 cu in) sv
16 kW (22 hp)

1937 – 1940
R 20, R 23

The new version of BMW’s 200 cc model came with a bolted tubular frame, simple telescopic fork and a completely revised engine. When the 200 cc category not requiring a license was abolished in 1938, engine capacity was increased to 247 cc.

produced

14,021

engine

R 20, 1937 – 38
192 cc (11.7 cu in) ohv
6 kW (8 hp)

engine

R 23, 1938 – 40
247 cc (15.1 cu in) ohv
7 kW (10 hp)

1941 – 1944
R 75

A sidecar machine for military purposes on and off-road, the R 75 featured a new ohv engine, off-road transmission and reverse gear, sidecar wheel drive with limited-slip differential, bolted tubular frame and oil pressure brake at the rear.

produced

Approximately 18,000

engine

R 75
745 cc (45.5 cu in) ohv
19 kW (26 hp)

prewar motorrad

bmw's first vehicles.

pre
war
motorrad