In 1916, two companies, Gustav Otto's Flugzenmaschinenfabrik (Airplane Factory) and Karl Rapp's Flugwerke Deutschland, merged to form the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (Bavarian Airplane Works). Initially this company designed and manufactured airplane engines.The Bayerische Flugzeugwerke was renamed the Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works, BMW) in 1917 by Karl Rapp and Max Friz. Their new logo, a roundel representing an airplane propeller in the blue sky, is still used today on all BMW motorcycles and automobiles. A former Daimler employee, Joseph Popp became BMW's managing director. Airplane engines, especially a V-12 model, was BMW's primary output.
With funding from the German air force, BMW began manufacturing the Fokker DV II one of the best aircraft of that time. However the fortune of the company turned in 1919 with the end of WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was forbidden to manufacture airplanes. Reluctantly Max Friz, BMW's head designer, turned to motorcycle and automobile engines to sustain the company. Withing four weeks, Friz designed the now legendary horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine known today as the "boxer" engine.
The first 'boxer' engine, M2B15, was based on a British Douglas design. The M2B15 proves to be moderately successful, but with the development of the first light alloy cylinder head, a second more successful version of the boxer engine evolves. In 1923, the first BMW motorcycle, the R32, is produced. Using the new aluminum alloy cylinder heads, Friz designs a 486cc engine with 8.5 hp and a top speed of 60 mph. The engine and gear box form a single unit. The new engine featured a recirculating wet-sump oiling system which was very advanced for 1923, as many motorcycle manufacturers still used a total-loss oiling. BMW used this type of recirculating oiling system until 1969, showing the advanced design of the times.
The R32 became the foundation for all furture boxer powered BMW motorcycles. BMW oriented the boxer engine with the cylinder heads sticking out on each side for cooling. Other motorcycle manufacturers, aligned the cylinders with the frame, one cylinder facing towards the front wheel and the other towards the back wheel. For example, Harley-Davidison introduced the model W, a flat twin orientated fore and aft design, in 1919 and built them through 1923.
Also the R32 incorporated a shaft drive. BMW continued to use shaft drives in all their motorcycles until the introduction of the F650 in 1994. The F650 series is the only model BMW that does not use shaft drive.
In 1935, BMW introduced the first production motorcycle to use telescopic forks. Also, by this time the benefits of overhead cams were known. Higher revs could be obtained before the onset of valve float. However, the basic boxer design did not lend itself to overhead cams. To obtain the benefits of overhead cams without overly increasing the engine width, BMW incorporated a system that was so adavnced for its racing bikes that it resurrected it many decades later in the R1100RS oilhead. The system was two cams in the head operating short puch rods via rocker arms.
In 1937, Ernst Hene rode a supercharged 500cc overhead cam BMW 173.88 MPH, setting a world record that stood for 14 years. Ernst Hene died at the age of 100 in 2005.
With funding from the German air force, BMW began manufacturing the Fokker DV II one of the best aircraft of that time. However the fortune of the company turned in 1919 with the end of WWI and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Germany was forbidden to manufacture airplanes. Reluctantly Max Friz, BMW's head designer, turned to motorcycle and automobile engines to sustain the company. Withing four weeks, Friz designed the now legendary horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine known today as the "boxer" engine.
The first 'boxer' engine, M2B15, was based on a British Douglas design. The M2B15 proves to be moderately successful, but with the development of the first light alloy cylinder head, a second more successful version of the boxer engine evolves. In 1923, the first BMW motorcycle, the R32, is produced. Using the new aluminum alloy cylinder heads, Friz designs a 486cc engine with 8.5 hp and a top speed of 60 mph. The engine and gear box form a single unit. The new engine featured a recirculating wet-sump oiling system which was very advanced for 1923, as many motorcycle manufacturers still used a total-loss oiling. BMW used this type of recirculating oiling system until 1969, showing the advanced design of the times.
The R32 became the foundation for all furture boxer powered BMW motorcycles. BMW oriented the boxer engine with the cylinder heads sticking out on each side for cooling. Other motorcycle manufacturers, aligned the cylinders with the frame, one cylinder facing towards the front wheel and the other towards the back wheel. For example, Harley-Davidison introduced the model W, a flat twin orientated fore and aft design, in 1919 and built them through 1923.
Also the R32 incorporated a shaft drive. BMW continued to use shaft drives in all their motorcycles until the introduction of the F650 in 1994. The F650 series is the only model BMW that does not use shaft drive.
In 1935, BMW introduced the first production motorcycle to use telescopic forks. Also, by this time the benefits of overhead cams were known. Higher revs could be obtained before the onset of valve float. However, the basic boxer design did not lend itself to overhead cams. To obtain the benefits of overhead cams without overly increasing the engine width, BMW incorporated a system that was so adavnced for its racing bikes that it resurrected it many decades later in the R1100RS oilhead. The system was two cams in the head operating short puch rods via rocker arms.
In 1937, Ernst Hene rode a supercharged 500cc overhead cam BMW 173.88 MPH, setting a world record that stood for 14 years. Ernst Hene died at the age of 100 in 2005.
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BMW motorcycles
BMW motorcycles
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