BMW Classic Cars for Sale

BMW got into the motorcycle business in 1921, making engines for other manufacturers and now produces bikes under the BMW Motorrad brand.

BMW in History

In 1921 the German manufacturer was producing the M2B15 flat-twin engine, a design by Max Friz which was used on motorcycles by makers like Nuremberg and Victoria. In 1922, BMW and Bayerische Flugzeugwerke merged with the former acquiring the helios motorcycle. From 1923 to 1925, the automaker released its first motorcycle which was also designed by Friz, the R32. It was the introduction of the manufacturer’s trademark shaft-drive system, a dual-slide carburetor and a recirculating oil system.

As with many European companies, BMW was in ruins after WWII, and when Germany surrendered, the manufacturer was prohibited from motorcycle production. The company then got permission to resume production and launched the R24 post-war bike in 1948. It was an upgrade of the R23, which was used for design inspiration. Then in 1960, BMW had to sell its aircraft division to cover the financial struggles that the motorcycle industry was going through during that period. In 1983 the automaker introduced the K Series, one of its most successful motorcycle lines. The series was redesigned in 2004 with a liquid-cooled, in-line four-cylinder engine.

BMW Racing

BMW Motorrad has featured in numerous races since its inception, including the Dakar Rally, Isle of Man TT, and World Superbike Championship. It won its first race in 1924 and the R32 Boxer then proceeded to clinch nine other titles. Ernst Henne set a 14-year world record in 1937 with a BMW supercharged 500cc. The motorcycle manufacturer has six Dakar Rally titles under its marquee. In 1939, BMW won the Isle of Man TT with Georg Meier. 75 years later in 2014, Michael Dunlop took the top award in the opening race, piloting the S1000RR. He also won the Senior TT. BMW entered the World Superbike Championship in 2007 with the S1000RR. Its factory team for the 2009 season included Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser with Roland Resch and Andrew Pitt joining them for the 2010 season.

Classic BMW Bikes

BMW produces off-road, luxury custom, racing and sports touring bikes. The R32 falls into the category of the best bikes for the German manufacturer. It was a trailblazer with its recirculating oil system when most bike makers were using the total-loss oiling systems. The R32 came with a 486 cc, 8.5 hp engine with speeds of 95 to 100 km/h. In 1935, BMW had the R12 and R17 models, which were the first to carry the hydraulically damped telescopic forks. From 2000 to 2002, the manufacturer produced the C1, the only scooter it offered for sale.