BMW 1927 R42 500cc 2 cyl sv 2808

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Description

BMW 1927   R 42   494 cc side valve transverse twin  frame#12440  engine# 41591

 The first BMW, the 500 cc side valve R 32,  was marketed in 1923. 3100 machines were built.
Two years later an OHV version was brought out, the R 37. This machine had the smallest production run of all commercially produced models in the company’s motorcycling history: only 175 were produced. In 1926 the R 42 saw the light: it was based on the R 32 but some modifications had made it faster and more practical: the brakes were improved and the engine got light alloy removable cylinder heads.
Power was still modest at 12 HP @ 3400 RPM.
The machine was relatively light with 126 kg and the maximum speed was about 95 km/h.Petrol consumption, claimed the makers, was about 3.5 litres per 100 km.
The company marketed the R 42 as a touring machine,  its OHV brother the R 47 that was produced in 1927/1928 was the sports version.
Specifications were, as could be expected from BMW, top of the range.
Ignition and lighting were taken care of by Bosch, a Veigel  speedometer was  a standard fitting  and the finish was first class overall.
The R 42 had a production run of three years and some 6900 machines were built.
The BMW is a nice restored machine .