1959 BMW R26

Registration No: 838 XVJ
Frame No: 365643
MOT: Exempt

• Imported from South Africa in 2016
• Restored 2016-20 with invoices totalling thousands
• Very 'correct' and close to factory specification

BMW was established in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, producing their first motorcycle, the R23, in 1923. This inaugural model sported the flat twin-boxer configuration with which BMWs have now become synonymous. Introduced in 1956, the R26 was fitted with a tuned version of the earlier R25’s 250cc single-cylinder engine and pivoted-fork front and rear springing similar to that previously confined to the R50 and the R69. As with most BMW’s the R26 was revered chiefly for its solidity and high quality of engineering and construction, which made it a very capable and comfortable touring bike. Motor Cycling wrote in 1956: “The riding position proved extremely comfortable at all speeds, and many consecutive hours were spent awheel without a trace of fatigue… Steering of the race-bred variety made cornering a sheer joy… Whether hot or cold, a first-kick start could virtually be guaranteed.”

This beautifully presented R26 was imported from South Africa in 2016 and restored to a very high standard by the previous owner, with care taken to preserve originality where appropriate. A thick paperwork file includes receipts for thousands of pounds spent with Ulis Motorradladen in Germany and a workshop manual. Registered with the DVLA since 2020, the current V5C Registration Document is supplied.

For more information, please contact:
Mike Davis
mike.davis@handh.co.uk
07718 584217