c.1953 BMW 247cc R25/2

Please kindly note that this motorbike will be available for viewing by prior appointment in Dortmund: please contact [email protected] for booking.

BMW's first new post-war model, the 247cc R24 can traces its roots back to the R23 of 1938. Developed from the 198cc single-cylinder R20 of 1937/38, itself a development of BMW's best-selling R2, the 247cc R23 was produced between 1938 and 1940. The reintroduction of a 247cc model had been prompted by changes in German licensing laws, which had removed the favourable concessions previously enjoyed by machines up to 200cc, instituting a new up-to-250cc category instead. Powered by an overhead-valve engine producing 10bhp, the R23 came with a four-speed gearbox and featured shaft drive like the larger models. Weight with a full tank of fuel was 297lbs and the top speed around 60mph. Its R24 successor arrived in 1948 looking virtually unchanged but producing an additional 2bhp. In mid-1950 the R24 was superseded by the R25, which featured plunger rear suspension but was otherwise very similar. An improved R25/2 version was introduced during 1951 incorporating a stronger crankshaft and minor revisions to the front mudguard stays and seat springing. Built between 1953 and 1956, the final R25 variant - R25/3 - featured a new telescopic front fork, full-width alloy hubs and alloy wheel rims as the principal upgrades.

This R25/2 is offered with a German Fahrzeugbrief (registration document). The engine turns over and the machine comes with a headlamp key. It should be noted that the frame and engine do not match, the latter being from an R25/3.