1967 BMW R50US
Traditional
2-cyl. 494cc/26hp
$12,000*
Past sales
Protect your 1967 BMW R50US from the unexpected.
Model overview
Model description
BMW twins of the 1950s and 1960s are considered some of the most rideable classic motorcycles of all, and even a long road trip can be undertaken with relative confidence. Even today, something like a 1967 BMW R50/2 would still be up for such adventures, even with a sidecar. For years, little had changed with the boxer twins, and that included the Earles-type leading-link front suspension with hydraulic damping.
Now, though, BMW created the R50US, which used a telescoping front fork developed in endurance racing. It provided 8.4 inches of travel and sufficient resistance to dive to make the Earles fork obsolete. The air-cooled, overhead-valve horizontally opposed 494cc twin produced 26hp at 5,800 rpm, and when the rider flattened out over the tank the top speed was 87 mph (62 mph with a sidecar attached). The R50/2 accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 10.3 seconds, which was at least as quick as the average six-cylinder, midsize car of the day.
With a bore and stroke of 68 x 68 mm and a low 7.5:1 compression ratio, the boxer twin was fed by a pair of inclined 24mm Bing carburetors. Unitized construction mated the engine to the four-speed gearbox, and of course there was shaft drive. Like its R60/2 and R69S siblings, it had a six-volt, 60-watt Bosch electrical system with magneto, as electric start was still a few years away for BMW motorcycles. Tank capacity was 4.5 gallons, but an oversize 6.5-gallon tank was available. More than 2,600 1967 BMW R50s were produced.