Studio : Rubicon Models

Publisher : Rubicon Models

Binding : Toy

Product Description
In the 1930s, BMW were producing a number of popular and highly effective
motorcycles. In 1938 development of the R75 started in response to a
request from the German Army. Preproduction models of the R75 were powered
by a 750cc side valve engine, which was based on the R71 engine. However it
was quickly found necessary to design an all-new OHV 750cc engine for the
R75 unit. This OHV engine later proved to be the basis for subsequent
post-war twin BMW engines like the R51/3, R67 and R68.

The third side-car wheel was driven with an axle connected to the rear
wheel of the motorcycle. These were fitted with a locking differential and
selectable road and off-road gear ratios through which all four and reverse
gears worked. This made the R75 highly maneuverable and capable of
negotiating most surfaces. A few other motorcycle manufactures, like FN and
Norton, provided an optional drive to sidecars.

The BMW R75 and its rival the Zundapp KS750 were both widely used by the
Wehrmacht in Russia and North Africa, though after a period of evaluation
it became clear that the Zundapp was the superior machine. In August 1942,
Zundapp and BMW, on the urging of the Army, agreed upon standardization of
parts for both machines, with a view of eventually creating a Zundapp-BMW
hybrid (designated the BW43), in which a BMW 286/1 side-car would be
grafted onto a Zundapp KS750 motorcycle. They also agreed that the
manufacture of the R75 would cease once production reached 20,200 units,
and after that point BMW and Zundapp would only produce the Zundapp-BMW
machine, manufacturing 20,000 each year. Only 16,510 were produce before
the war ended.

Since the target of 20,200 BMW R75's was not reached, it remained in
production until the Eisenach factory was so badly damaged by Allied
bombing that production ceased in 1944. A fur
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