The R26 was the followon to the R24 (1949), BMW's first postwar motorcycle. R26 Specifications: Single cylinder, 245cc, 15 horsepower, 4-stroke, overhead valves. Bing 1/25/46 throttle slide curburetor. 4-speed gear box, positive-stop foot control. Front and rear internal shoe brakes. Drive shaft (not chain) on the port side. Curb weight: 158 Kg. Maximum load: 167 Kg. Maximum speed, single passenger: about 128 Km/h. Fuel consumption: 3.5 liters / 100 Km at 90 Km/h (70 mpg at 55 mph). Acceleration: 0-60 in about an hour.
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purpose; I didn't have one. |
Gear shift pedal operation. Neutral is between 1st and 2nd. |
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Me on my 1955 R26 in 1967,
when I lived 170 West 109th Street*, NYC (but I think this picture was taken
on 114th Street). Note the bent front-brake lever, a hazard of parking on
the street, sideways between two cars -- cars getting into or out of spaces
always knock the bike over and break the levers, headlight, etc. Parking
lengthwise, on the other hand, is a provocation to space-crazed car owners,
and likely to get your bike turned around sideways and/or pushed over
anyway. In the winter, I just drove it up the steps into my apartment to
avoid parking headaches. Prior to the R26, I had owned a 1949 Volkswagen
(small divided rear window, flapping turn signals, and non-synchromesh
manual transmission requiring double-clutching to downshift; I paid $50 for
it and drove it all over Europe while in the Army).
Photo: Tim Lee (CLICK to enlarge).
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