The history of BMW vintage motorcycles

Although the BMW brand is primarily known for its high-quality motor vehicles, the company called "Bayerische Motorenwerke GmbH" began building aircraft engines in 1917. In 1923, just six years later, chief designer Max Friz began working on motorcycles. BMW motorcycles are still built today according to the principle of building motorcycles with boxer engines and cardan drives in a tubular frame.

Success in racing

They also had very quick success in racing: after only four years, Rudolf Schleicher won the gold medal in the Six Days Race in England in 1927. In 1939, a BMW was considered the fastest motorcycle in the world and the motorcycles of Bayerische Motorenwerke GmbH won 491 gold medals in one year and Schorsch Meier won the coveted English Tourist Trophy on a 500cc compressor machine.

From racing machine to utility motorcycle

In the 1920s, BMW utility motorcycles had a displacement of 493ccm, later a few motorcycles with 248ccm came along and finally, at the end of the 1920s, models with 743ccm followed. The end of the Second World War hit the Bavarian Motor Works hard, so production began in 1948 with the single-cylinder BMW R24. As a further development of the R24, the BMW R25 was presented in 1950, which featured rear wheel suspension and a reinforced crankshaft. The BMW R25/2, equipped with an improved cylinder head, is still the BMW motorcycle produced in the highest number of units.

The BMW R51/2 was the first 500cc post-war machine to appear in 1950, and its two-cylinder boxer engine and angled carburettors caused a stir both nationally and internationally. The BMW R51/3 was a further development with the same chassis but an improved engine. The identical BMW R67 was characterized by its 594cc displacement and the enormous performance that this meant. For these more powerful (today's) vintage motorcycles, the sidecar manufacturer Steib launched a "BMW-Steib special sidecar" specially designed for BMW. Sporty drivers were particularly enthusiastic about the BMW R68, which was characterized above all by its high top speed, but also stood out with its small seat cushion on the rear wheel.

The BMW R50 as the driving force of the two-cylinder

The BMW R50 was another guarantee of success in 1955. With it, BMW brought a new full swing frame with rear swing arm onto the market. The 494cc vintage motorcycle was a complete success and a total of 13,510 were built until 1969. The BMW R60 and R69 were equipped with engines and chassis from the BMW R67/2 or R68. A new single-cylinder machine was also developed in 1956: the BMW R26 with a long-arm swing arm.

The BMW R27 was the last of the classic BMW vintage motorcycles to come onto the market in 1961. Today, BMW is the only existing German motorcycle brand on the market alongside Hercules.

This text is based on the source: "The German Motorcycles of the Economic Miracle Period" by Brigitte Podszun, published in 1985 by Podzun-Motorbücher.

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