Description
BMW 1928 R 42 494 cc side valve transverse twin frame#14826 engine# 44987
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 speedometer was incorporated in the petrol tank as 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.
This rare flat tank BMW is an older restoration in excellent condition .