BMW 1928 R42 500cc 2 cyl sv

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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 .