Munich-based BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke aka Bavarian Motor Works) dates it founding to March 7, 1916. First involved in building aircraft engines, it began building its famous cars in 1929 but motorcycles actually came first. BMW became synonymous with the best in motorcycling after its chief aircraft engine designer came up with the now famous ‘boxer’ engine. (He also added his love of aviation via the BMW logo, a stylized propeller, although others attribute it to the official colors of Munich.) At the 1923 Paris Motorcycle Salon, BMW unveiled its all new motorcycle design, the 498cc R32. (As for the BMW tradition of using letters and numbers, the ‘R’ stands for Rad, German slang based on the word motorad or motorcycle.) The two-cylinder opposed engine was called a ‘boxer’ because the layout of the horizontal pistons looked like two fighters punching away. The cylinders were aluminum alloy and thus advanced over most of the competition. Other advanced features included a wet-sump recirculating oil system through a geared oil pump, most other bike manufacturers relying on the total loss system. It was the placement of the engine that was most revolutionary, rotated 90 degrees from the norm of the day so that the cylinders benefited from direct air flow and subsequent cooling. An added benefit of the layout was the incorporation of ‘unit construction’ for the three-speed transmission bolted to the crankcase with its clutch and flywheel. (It would take Britain’s Triumph some 40 years before it got around to unit construction.) While all these technological features weren’t ‘firsts,’ it was the first time that they were all packaged together to produce an elegant and the most advanced mass produced bike of the times. It was the sensation of the Paris show, a design that would stand the test of time for the six decades to follow. Another sensation would appear in 1976 with the appearance of a new BMW milestone machine, the R100RS. Nothing had prepared the motorcycling world for its space-age appearance. As the bike mag’s exclaimed it was ‘wicked cool.’ All eyes were on the wind-tunnel developed aerodynamic fairing that also served a function. As was observed, ‘It is virtually impossible for the rider to determine speed without consulting the speedometer.’ The impact of its styling was also compared to the Porsche Carrera. In effect, it was the birth of a whole new class of motorcycles…the sports-tourer. It also became BMW’s best-selling model until the appearance ten years later of the four-cylinder K100RS. Offered up from a private collection, this #2 R100RS built in the 20th Century, still in pristine condition in this the 21st Century, could very well still be running flawlessly in the 22nd Century. It has indeed stood the test of time. Titled as a model year 1977, sold on a California Certificate of Title.
Munich-based BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke aka Bavarian Motor Works) dates it founding to March 7, 1916. First involved in building aircraft engines, it began building its famous cars in 1929 but motorcycles actually came first. BMW became synonymous with the best in motorcycling after its chief aircraft engine designer came up with the now famous ‘boxer’ engine. (He also added his love of aviation via the BMW logo, a stylized propeller, although others attribute it to the official colors of Munich.) At the 1923 Paris Motorcycle Salon, BMW unveiled its all new motorcycle design, the 498cc R32. (As for the BMW tradition of using letters and numbers, the ‘R’ stands for Rad, German slang based on the word motorad or motorcycle.) The two-cylinder opposed engine was called a ‘boxer’ because the layout of the horizontal pistons looked like two fighters punching away. The cylinders were aluminum alloy and thus advanced over most of the competition. Other advanced features included a wet-sump recirculating oil system through a geared oil pump, most other bike manufacturers relying on the total loss system. It was the placement of the engine that was most revolutionary, rotated 90 degrees from the norm of the day so that the cylinders benefited from direct air flow and subsequent cooling. An added benefit of the layout was the incorporation of ‘unit construction’ for the three-speed transmission bolted to the crankcase with its clutch and flywheel. (It would take Britain’s Triumph some 40 years before it got around to unit construction.) While all these technological features weren’t ‘firsts,’ it was the first time that they were all packaged together to produce an elegant and the most advanced mass produced bike of the times. It was the sensation of the Paris show, a design that would stand the test of time for the six decades to follow. Another sensation would appear in 1976 with the appearance of a new BMW milestone machine, the R100RS. Nothing had prepared the motorcycling world for its space-age appearance. As the bike mag’s exclaimed it was ‘wicked cool.’ All eyes were on the wind-tunnel developed aerodynamic fairing that also served a function. As was observed, ‘It is virtually impossible for the rider to determine speed without consulting the speedometer.’ The impact of its styling was also compared to the Porsche Carrera. In effect, it was the birth of a whole new class of motorcycles…the sports-tourer. It also became BMW’s best-selling model until the appearance ten years later of the four-cylinder K100RS. Offered up from a private collection, this #2 R100RS built in the 20th Century, still in pristine condition in this the 21st Century, could very well still be running flawlessly in the 22nd Century. It has indeed stood the test of time. Titled as a model year 1977, sold on a California Certificate of Title.
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