What was BMW’s first production motorcycle, unveiled in 1923?

The BMW R 32 was BMW’s first production motorcycle, unveiled in 1923.

Designed by Max Friz, the R 32 used a 494 cc horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine. Its cylinders projected sideways, and a shaft drive transferred power to the rear wheel. This layout established engineering themes that remained important in BMW motorcycles for many years.

BMW presented the motorcycle at the 1923 German Motor Show in Berlin. The machine’s opposed-twin engine was mounted across the frame, while its shaft drive offered a clean alternative to the chain drives common on many motorcycles of the period.

The R 32 is sometimes confused with later BMW models such as the R 75, which became famous for military use during the Second World War. The R 32 matters historically because it created BMW’s motorcycle identity rather than merely adding another model to an existing range.