1928 BMW R52
Photo © 2008 by Anastasia Keriotis/Dharma Love
This is my really old bike. I bought it 2004 in Germany and brought it back to California in 2006. In 2008 it appeared at the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance. It is a matter of experience here that I have only spent an additional 1/3 of the original purchase price in making it function properly! (Lest you think I'm being sarcastic, just read about the travails of my R12).
R52 Information
| Specifics for My R52 | |
|---|---|
| Year of This Bike | Frame: 1928 Engine: 1929 |
| Serial Number | Frame: 23107 Engine: 50788 |
| General R52 Information | |
| Years Model Built | 1928 - 1929 |
| Quantity Built | 4,383 |
| Serial Numbers | Frame: 20 000 - 30 600 (shared with models R57, R62 and R63) Engine: 47 001 - 51 383 |
| Displacement Bore x Stroke |
494cc 78mm x 63mm |
| Compression Ratio | 5:1 |
| BHP (approx.) | 12 HP |
| Engine Configuration | Air cooled, 180° boxer twin, side valve Single 22mm BMW-proprietary twin slide carburetor Bosch D2A gear driven magdyno producing 45 watts @ 6 volts nominal, single spark magneto ignition |
| Transmission | 3 speed, linear hand shift, 1st & 3rd constant mesh |
| Transmission Ratios | 1st: 2.58 2nd: 1.42 3rd: 1 |
| Final Drive Ratio | Solo: 4.75 Sidecar: 5.7 |
| Front Forks | Trailing link with undamped 6 blade leaf spring suspension |
| Brakes | Front: 1 leading shoe drum, 200mm dia. Rear: 1 leading shoe external contracting shoes around cardan drum |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 12.5 liters (3.3 US gallons), no reserve |
| Weight | 152 kg (335 lbs.) |
| Wheelbase | 1400 mm (55 in.) |
| Maximum Speed | 100 km/h (62 mph) |
