We cannot talk about BMW’s centenary of motorcycle manufacturing without first mentioning six-cylinder engines. If you know your cars, you’ll know BMW is famous for its exquisite sixes. Sixes are in BMW’s DNA — they made BMW’s name and reputation way back in the Great War, when Fokker D.VII biplanes powered by BMW IIIa engines dominated aerial dogfights over the trenches.
Despite BMW’s efforts, Germany lost the war and the Allies banned BMW from making its powerful six-cylinder aircraft engines. BMW made households goods and brakes to stay afloat until inspiration hit: motorcycles. Motorcycles saved BMW.
BMW has since given us some of the most interesting, innovative and endearing two-wheelers of all. Significantly, the first BMW, the R 32, was entirely of BMW’s own design at a time when so many factories were building copies under licence, just to get turnover. This was a notable achievement, especially in light of the fact that when BMW started building cars a few years later, they were licensed copies of the English Austin 7.
We have Max Fritz to thank for the R 32’s design. He took the side-valve twin-cylinder boxer engine BMW had previously made for other factories, redesigned it to run
