100 years of BMW R-series motorcycles

From WW1 aircraft engines to Le-Mans, Formula 1, sporty and luxurious passengers cars, globetrotter’s around-the-world adventure- & Dakar rally bikes, custom motorcycles and more – BMW is one of the top names when it comes to speed on wheels. They have chosen a slightly different approach with an interesting twist.

But, what it really takes to stay in this highly competitive business for 100+ years?

As much as we’d like to say it is their R series – BMW’s longest-running motorcycle series – it takes a whole lot more than above-average engineering. Like most of BMW’s competitors, times have been tough during the changing times in production, economics, wars, market trends, and more. At some point, once the Eisenach company was occupied by the USSR (behind the Iron Curtain), BMW was even forced to produce pots and pans to survive. What has been their secret to such successful longevity, a brand that has a cult-like following? The number of awards from on/off-road racing events has been only one such indicator, but there’s clearly something more.

Let’s start with one of the most notable engineering masterpieces that first saw light in 1923, the BMW’s R-series motorcycle, the R32 with a 2-cylinder flat-twin a.k.a boxer engine with a shaft drive. We are not going over the top by saying that BMW R-series has been the backbone of the whole BMW motorcycle industry, but highlighting it through this post.

From wings to wheels

bmw r80 custom — *Classic R-series with its iconic flat-twin a.k.a boxer twin engine*

BMW motorcycle series

K / S / M / R / G / F / C

Engine types
K – Three or more cylinders
S – Four-cylinder sport bikes
M – 4-cylinder superbikes
R – Flat twin / boxer-twin
G – Single-cylinder adventure bikes
F – Parallel twin engines
C – Scooters

↓

BMW’s aircraft engine production: 1917 – 1918 / 1933 – 1945
In 1921 – BMW commenced manufacturing motorcycle engines for other companies
In 1923 – Bayerische Motoren Werke started their own production of motorcycles with the release of the R32
R-series single-cylinder motorcycles were made between 1925 – 1967

BMW R motorcycles timeline from 1923 to 2022

Disclaimer – This list of BMW R-series motorcycle production featured below is based on multiple online resources. Due to a wide variety of information found online – some dates of production might be incorrect. Whenever you find a mistake, feel free to leave a comment below so we could create an update at some point!

1920s

R32 | 1923 – 1926
R37 | 1925 – 1926
R39 | 1925 – 1927
R42 | 1926 – 1928
R47 | 1927 – 1928
R62 | 1928 – 1929
R63 | 1928 – 1929
R52 | 1928 – 1929
R57 | 1928 – 1930
R11 | 1929 – 1934
R16 | 1929 – 1934

1930s

R2 | 1931 – 1937
R4 | 1932 – 1937
R12 | 1935 – 1942
R17 | 1935 – 1937
R3 | 1936 – 1936
R5 | 1936 – 1937
R35 | 1937 – 1940
R6 | 1937 – 1937
R20 | 1937 – 1938
R71 | 1938 – 1941
R66 | 1938 – 1941
R23 | 1938 – 1940
R51 | 1938 – 1940
R61 | 1938 – 1941
R66 | 1938 – 1941

*BMW R7 was never made but would inspire the later R5 and R17 models.

1940s

R75 (Sidecar) | 1941 – 1944
R24 | 1948 – 1950

1950s

R51/2 | 1950 – 1950
R25 | 1950 – 1951
R51/3 | 1950 – 1953
R67 | 1951 – 1951
R25/2 | 1951 – 1954
R68 | 1952 – 1954
R68 SDT Special | 1952 – 1955
R67/2 | 1952 – 1955
R25/3 | 1953 – 1956
R67/3 sidecar | 1955 – 1956
R26 | 1955 – 1960
R69 | 1955 – 1960
R50 | 1955 – 1960
R60 | 1956 – 1960

1960s

R69S | 1960 – 1969
R27 | 1960 – 1966
R50S | 1960 – 1962
R50/2 | 1961 – 1969
R28 Military | 1964 – 1964
R60/2 | 1867 – 1969
R50US | 1967 – 1969
R60US | 1967 – 1969
R69US | 1967 – 1969
R50/5 | 1969 – 1973
R60/5 | 1969 – 1973
R75/5 | 1969 – 1973

1970s

R60/6 | 1973 – 1976
R75/6 | 1973 – 1976
R90/6 | 1973 – 1976
R90S | 1973 – 1976

R100S | 1976 – 1980
R100RS | 1976 – 1992
R100/7T | 1976 – 1984
R100 | 1976 – 1996
R100/7 | 1976 – 1977
R75/7 | 1976 – 1979
R60/7 | 1976 – 1980
R80/7 | 1977 – 1984

R100RT | 1978 – 1995
R100T | 1978 – 1984

R60/7 TIC | 1978 – 1982
R80 TIC | 1978 – 1985
R45 | 1978 – 1985
R45/N | 1978 – 1985
R65 | 1978 – 1985

1980s

R80G/S | 1980 – 1987
R100CS | 1980 – 1984
R45T/N | 1980 – 1985
R100 TIC | 1980 – 1984
R100CS | 1980 – 1984
R65T | 1980 – 1985
R65LS | 1981 – 1985
R80ST | 1982 – 1984
R80 Monolever | 1984 – 1995
R80RT | 1984 – 1995
R80 | 1984 – 1995
R45/T | 1980 – 1985
R45/T/N | 1980 – 1985
R100R (91) | 1991 – 1995
R100R (Mystic) | 1993 – 1996
R65 Nonolever | 1985 – 1993
R65RT SF | 1985 – 1988
R80R (91) | 1991 – 1994
R80R Mystik (84) | 1994 – 1995
R65 (20kw) | 1985 – 1993
R65 (35kw) | 1985 – 1988
R100RS (Monolever) | 1986 – 1992
R100RT Monolever | 1987 – 1996
R80GS | 1987 – 1990
R80GS | 1990 – 1995
R80GS GD (CH) | 1990 – 1995
R80GS (E88) | 1987 – 1990
R65GS | 1987 – 1992
R100GS (E88) | 1987 – 1990
R100GS Paris Dakar (E88) | 1989 – 1990
R1 Prototype | 1989 – 1992

1990s

R100GS Paris Dakar (E91) | 1990 – 1996
R100GS (E91) | 1990 – 1994
R80GS (E91) | 1990 – 1994
R80GS | 1990 – 1995
R80GS PD | 1990 – 1990
R100GS | 1987 – 1990
R100GS PD | 1989 – 1990
R100R (E91) | 1991 – 1995
R80R (91) | 1991 – 1994
R100R 91 | 1991 – 1995
R1100RS (259) | 1992 – 2001
R1100R | 1993 – 2001
R1100GS | 1993 – 1999
R100R Mystic | 1993 – 1996
R1200C (259C) | 1993 – 2004
R80R Mystic | 1994 – 1995
R850R (259R) | 1994 – 2001
R100R Mystic | 1994 – 1996
R1100RT | 1994 – 2001
R850R (259) | 1996 – 2001
R850GS | 1996 – 2000
R80GS Basic | 1996 – 1996
R1200C (259R) | 1996 – 2005
R850C (259C) | 1997 – 2000
R1100S (259) | 1997 – 2005
R850R (R28) | 1999 – 2007
R1100GS – 75^th Anniversary | 1998 – 1998
R1100RT 75^th Anniversary | 1998 – 1998
R1150GS | 1998 – 2003
R1150R (R28) | 1999 – 2006

2000’s

2010s

2020s

R18 | 2020-

After a perfect R-series flagship?

bmw r100 custom cafe racer — Check out the R100 Restomod by Renard Motorcycles