BMW Motorcycle 2

The BMW R75 is a World War II-era motorcycle and sidecar combo produced by the German company BMW.

In the 1930s BMW were creating a volume of popular and highly effective motorcycles. In 1938 development of the R75 were only available in response to a request from the German Military.

Preproduction models of the R75 were powered by a 750 cc aspect valve engine, that was based on the R71 engine. However it was quickly found essential to design an all-new OHV 750 cc engine unit for the R75 device. This OHV engine later became the foundation for subsequent post-war twin BMW engines like the R51/3, R67 and R68.

The 3rd side-car wheel was powered with an axle connected to the rear wheel of the motorcycle. These were fixed with a locking differential and selectable road and off-road gear ratios by which all four and invert gears functioned. This made the R75 highly manoeuvrable and capable of negotiating most floors. Additional motorcycle manufactures, like FN and Norton, provided an optional drive to sidecars.

The BMW R75 and its competitor the Z?ndapp KS 750 were both extensively utilized by the Wehrmacht in Russia and North Africa, though after a period of analysis it became clear that the Z?ndapp was the superior machine. In August 1942 Z?ndapp and BMW, on the urging of the Military, agreed upon standardization of parts for both machines, with a view of eventually making a Z?ndapp-BMW hybrid (designated the BW 43), when a BMW 286/1 side-car would be grafted onto a Z?ndapp KS 750 motorcycle. In addition they decided that the produce of the R75 would stop once production come to 20,200 products, and from then on point BMW and Z?ndapp would only produce the Z?ndapp-BMW machine, processing 20,000 every year.

Since the goal of 20,200 BMW R75's had not been reached, it remained in production until the Eisenach manufacturer was so badly broken by Allied bombing that creation ceased in 1944. A further 98 devices were put together by the Soviets in 1946 as reparations.

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