Lot 218: BMW R67

From the Ivor Halbert collection. Until the 1920s BMW were famous only for building aero engines but in 1923 they unveiled their first complete motorcycle by aircraft designer Max Fritz. A shaft-driven machine, it had a 500cc engine with the crankshaft running legthways and the cylinders protruding sideways in boxer configuration. A simple, effective layout that is still used to this day.

Following World War Two, Germany was precluded from producing motorcycles of any sort by the Allies. When the ban was lifted, BMW had to start all over again, using surviving pre-war motorcycles to create new plans. In 1948 it introduced the 250cc R24, which was essentially a pre-war R23, complete with rigid rear end.

When larger machines were permitted, BMW introduced its R51/2 in 1950, a model that was in production for only one year and was essentially a pre-war design. The R51/3 was then introduced in 1951 for a production run of four years.

The 600cc R67, sister model to the R51/3 and almost identical visually, was also introduced in 1951 and lasted just one year before being revised as the R67/2, with an extra 2hp, in turn replaced in 1955 by the R67/3, which was in production until 1956. Of exceptionally high quality, only 1,470 of the original R67 models were made and survivors are now rare and sought after.

This BMW R67 was purchased by Ivor Halbert in 1978 and then passed to his brother, Brian, in 1994. It is said to have been maintained in excellent running order with an exceptionally quiet engine, gearbox and driveshaft. The bike appears to be very original and still has the correct BMW rubber saddle. The magneto was rewound in 1978. The last MOT expired in 1994 so the bike may now need some precautionary recommissioning before being put back into use. It comes with a green continuation log book from 1973 and a modern V5C.