1966 BMW R69S

Frame no. 661447 Engine no. 661447

Previewing at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please contact [email protected] for scheduling.

BMW introduced its first post-war twin-cylinder model in 1949; this was the R51/2, which was based, as its designation suggests, on the pre-war R51. For the next few years 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 (nominally) 500cc and 600cc respectively, the newcomers inherited the updated, flat-twin engine introduced on the R51/3 a few years previously. This heavily revised power unit was deployed in all-new cycle parts, the most notable departures from preceding practice being the 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.

A luxury tourer capable of over 100mph, the R69 cost as much as a small family car and sold to discerning enthusiasts for whom expense mattered little when set against the excellence of BMW engineering. The R50 and R69 were produced until the arrival of the slightly more powerful 'S' versions for 1961. The larger of these, the R69S, produced 42bhp and was good for a top speed of around 110mph. 'Luxury roadster with superb high-speed performance yet docile traffic manners; magnificent steering, roadholding and brakes,' was Motor Cycle magazine's verdict.

This R69S has been consigned from a well-known private collection in the NE. The bike was housed in a private Museum type setting along with a stable of historic single-seater race cars. Just like this BMW, each bike from that collection represents the best example attainable at the time of purchase and appears as a fine grouping of bikes from the heyday of British and European motorcycle manufacture. Whilst some are suitable for the concours lawn, others are intended to be wound-up and ridden along sweeping country lanes - or on the racetrack!