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LOT 546

c.1965 BMW 494cc R50/2 Registration no. RBV 990J Frame no. 639969 Engine no. 639969

Sold for £5,520 inc. premium
Lot 546

c.1965 BMW 494cc R50/2
Registration no. RBV 990J Frame no. 639969 Engine no. 639969

c.1965 BMW 494cc R50/2
Registration no. RBV 990J
Frame no. 639969
Engine no. 639969

In the early 1950s, BMW concentrated on refining what were essentially pre-war designs, but by 1955 was ready with a brace of new machines, the R50 and R69. Of 494cc and 594cc respectively, the newcomers inherited the up-dated flat-twin engine introduced on the R51/3 a few years previously, but deployed this in all-new cycle parts, the most notable departures from preceding practice being an Earles-type leading-link front fork and swinging-arm rear suspension enclosing the driveshaft in the right leg - developments first seen on the works racers. The twins carried on with only minor detail changes for the next few years and then in August 1960 an entirely new and much improved engine was announced. The '500' continued thereafter as the R50/2 and the '600' became the R69S, while a high-performance of the former, the R50S, was added to the range.

An old-style continuation logbook on file (issued 1972) reveals that this machine was previously registered as 'VHL 879J'. The date of first registration is recorded as 1st December 1970. The current vendor purchased this BMW R50 in January 2018 from marque specialist Bob Porecha. The sales receipt is on file and the machine also comes with DVLA correspondence, some MoTs (most recent expires August 2019), and a V5C Registration Certificate.

Footnotes

As with all Lots in the Sale, this Lot is sold 'as is/where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding.

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  • 28 April 2001, 09:00 - 17:00 BST
  • 27 April 2019, 09:00 - 18:00 BST

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