BMW 1955 R50 500cc

BMW 1955 R50 500cc

R60 and R60 / 2 are 600 cc boxer of the two that were manufactured from 1956 to 1969 in Munich , Germany , by BMW .

History of production

Some 20.133 of these 600 cc shaft, opposed twin R60 (1956-1960, 28 HP or 21 kW), R60 / 2 (1960-1969, 30 HP or 22 kW), and R60US (1968-1969, 30 HP) were built. These models, with the exception of those who have the designation "united States", were designed primarily as a motorcycle crashed to pull sidecars (mounting points were built in) and had frames of tubular steel duplex.

Simultaneously manufactured models were related, including the R50 500 cc (1955-1960, 26 HP or 19 kW), the R50 / 2 (1960-1969, 26 HP), the R50 S (1960-1962, 35 HP (or 26 kW) , the R50US (1968-1969, 26 hp), and the R69-oriented-sport 600 cc (1955-1960, 35 HP), R69S (1960-1969, 42 HP 31 kW), and R69US (1968-1969, 42 HP).

In the united States, all these Earles-fork and US-fork (i.e., telescopic fork) models 1955-1969 are often grouped together as "Slash-2" BMWS, even though it is technically incorrect. Not all of them, as we have seen, have the name "/ 2".

Perhaps the most famous pilot of BMW of the 1960s was Danny Liska, who took models R60 from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in one trip, and from Europe's North Cape to Cape of Good Hope in south Africa for a second trip. His book on the first trip, Two Wheels to Adventure (Alaska to Argentina motorcycle), was published in 2004.

Though BMW first used telescopic oil damped front forks in the 1930s, they opted to use forks Earles in these models. The fork triangular front Earles, the name of its designer, the englishman Ernest Earles, this excludes any immersion for the user during the braking front heavy, which is common with telescopic forks. Also worked well in the duty sidecar. Though heavy and ponderous in the transformation, the fork Earles gave the old Beemer a stable ride and reassuring.

In 1968, BMW introduced telescopic forks on some of its models, slash-and-burn-2, and were continued in the year 1969 model. Modified, they became the front forks on the 5-slash-models introduced for model year 1970. The photo of the red R60US to the right was taken at a BMW dealership in 1968 and shows a whole new bike waiting for its first buyer. Earles fork and telescopic fork models both were manufactured for these two years and were available for customers.

During the 1960s, very few motorcycles were available with shaft drive. BMW were the most common. The driveshaft rode in an oil bath, enclosed in the right of the swingarm , unlike the previous models of BMW, and drove the rear wheel through a cup splined internally which meshes with a coupler crown introduced to the drive pinion. This meant that the seals that leak could become a problem for the owners. Because the clutch was dry, there were seals at the rear of the crankshaft, at both ends of the transmission, in the rear part of the transmission shaft, and the front and rear of the drive unit rear: lots of seals to develop leaks.

The front brakes were shoes double that dan, and the rear had a single shoe leader. According to the modern standards, they were not good brakes. Tires, front and rear, were interchangeable in 3.50 inches by 18 inches in size.

Motorcycles sold in America had high handlebars with a cross brace. The ones sold at other places come with low, handlebars the Euro.

A variety of styles of saddle were available for these motorcycles. Those delivered in the US normally gave with a unique "double" or chair bank, either the standard size or a large version that comes with the faucet handle passengers rear quarters chrome. Alternatives available included a Denfeld (not "Denfield") or saddle Pagusa driver solo, or driver and passenger single chairs.