History of the BMW R32
Ever since the flat ‘twin boxer’ hit the streets about 100 years ago, BMW Motorrad has been a stupendous technological success and a master in innovation. It has truly developed into an ‘ultimate riding machine’ as the advertisement goes.
Soon after Max Friz became BMW’s head designer, the Treaty of Versailles after WWI banned manufacture of aircrafts and engines. It might have been a quirk of fate and events as Max immediately set about designing the fastest motorcycle in the world to sort of make BMW stay afloat.
Barely had the order been passed, Max Friz got the pulsating motorcycle with the flat tein ‘boxer engine’ off the drawing board.
Moving away form the longitudinal positioning concept of the two cylinders common among other motorcycle manufacturers, Max changed its position. Substituting the chain drive for the shaft drive used till 1994 to transmit engine power directly to the rear wheel and by a single unit fitting the gearbox on the engine, the new BMW pioneered the boxer series which still carries the name and feel of the world of pugilism.
By 1929, the BMW motorcycle was the fastest compared to any of its kind in the world. But 6 years earlier in 1923 when the first BMW motor cycle, the R 32 rolled out, it arrived in the world of bike racing straightaway. In the last 90 years, models from the BMW stable won many prestigious championships worldwide.
Framed on a British Douglas design, the boxer was modified and adapted for the R 32.
Managing a top speed of around 60mph, the R 32 sported a 6.3kw 486cc engine far ahead of its time with a re-circulated oiling system. Similar models had systems with total oil-loss when R 32 arrived. So far ahead was the system that it withstood changes till 1969.
Cooled with two cylinders jutting out on both sides, the boxer engine of the R 32 set the pace for all future BMW models.
Boxer or ‘flat twin’ is basically the now famous two cylinder engine, each on either side of the crankshaft, promising excellent vertical and horizontal balance. The innovative design which set the trend was oriented especially for more advanced cooling.
The R 32, a rave among men of the 1920’s was a jumpstart to real motor cycles of the future after having come a long way from the earlier chain driven models made by the company---the Flink and the Helios.
Under the initiative of Max Friz, BMW entered the motorcycle industry after the company manufactured engines ran successfully for Victoria Motorcycles in 1922. Constant experiments even yielded a belt-drive model before settling with the shaft-drive.
Popularity of the R 32 soared soon after it came to the market in 1923 with sales tipping three thousand in just three years.