Lot details
Registration No: Un-Reg
Frame No: 534427
Engine No: 534427
cc: 500

BMW were faced with rebuilding an almost totally destroyed factory following the end of hostilities in 1945, were banned from building motorcycles, cars or aero engines by the allies and were hampered by the scarcity of raw materials. Consequently their first postwar production vehicle, a bicycle, utilised the one material that was available in sufficient quantities, aluminium, extensively in its construction. Scrap aircraft components were melted down and the frame of the bicycle was cast as a unit in the material. As the allies relaxed their restrictions on what BMW were allowed to produce, the company introduced a single cylinder 250cc machine, the R24 in 1948 and followed it with an over head valve, horizontally opposed twin displacing 500cc in 1950, typed the R51/2. This machine was based on the pre war R51. The cycle parts were similar to the pre-war model and featured plunger rear suspension and telescopic front. The horizontally opposed twin cylinder over head valve engine displaced 494cc and produced 24bhp at 5,800. For 1952 a subtly revised model, typed the R51/3 was introduced. Detail changes made to the new model included revised gear ratios and a slight drop in compression ratio to 6.3:1, however, further modifications were made to the model the following season when new brake drums were adopted, these then being replaced for the 1954 season by full width items. During the three years that the R51/3 was available approximately 18,400 examples were built, selling for 2,750 DM.
The example offered dates from 1953 and has been restored to a high standard throughout. The finish of the machine reflects the gradual shift away from the austere early post war models that employed black enamel on items such as the wheel rims and brake plates to a brighter appearance that occurred with the adoption of plated rims and alloy brake plates. We are informed by the vendor that the motorcycle has been started regularly and it is accompanied by Spanish documentation.