Since its beginning in 1913 Germany, the Bavarian Motor Works corporation (BMW) has been synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. But while BMW is normally associated with cars, it actually began its operations making airplane engines until the time that aircraft production was banned in Germany in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles. Turning its attention to other modes of transportation in order to sustain the business, BMW was soon poised to begin production on the BMW motorcycle in 1923.
Such production stemmed from the company’s experience in aeroengineering; allowing them to get to work on what would become the famous BMW boxer engine. This boxer engine - which has been redesigned and reconstructed several times prior to reaching this place of effective operation - in combination with aluminum-alloy cylinders and a flat twin engine make up the R 32, the first BMW motorcycle and the model for future designs.
The following year, BMW won in a German racing championship, setting the BMW brand up for continued victories and a reputation for coming out on top. In fact, the R 37 – the next in the R series of BMW motorcycle – is introduced just two years after the R 32 and is defined by its racing design; a design that brings it much success in the racing world. Variations of the R model of the BMW motorcycle would continue to be produced for both consumer and racing use. Different styles of the design were based on consumer need at the time, as well as the company’s financial standing. But even when BMW officially began producing cars in the late 1920s, the BMW motorcycle continued to be the prime product of the company. BMW continued to produce the R series BMW motorcycle up until the 1980s when the K series was introduced to the market.
Today’s BMW motorcycle continues to be revered in the marketplace as much for its name as for the specific product. The products that BMW delivers continue to uphold the superior reputation of the brand; the brand upon which consumers have come to rely.
