ENGINE 494CC M51A BOXER TWIN
OUTPUT 18 HP @ 4,000 RPM
CURB WEIGHT 286 LBS.
TOP SPEED 68.4 MPH
PRICE WHEN NEW RM 1,850 ($440)
YEARS PRODUCED 1927-28
NUMBER BUILT 1,720
COLOR BLACK
OWNER BMW NA CLASSIC
LOCATION WOODCLIFF LAKE, NEW JERSEY
#34695
1927 R 47
Two years after BMW built its first-ever motorcycle, the R32, Rudolf Schleicher's R 37 established BMW as a dominant force in racing. In 1927, the R 47 improved Schleicher's sport bike with a more robust frame and a rear brake that operated against the cardan shaft. Factory-entered R 47s won the 1926 500cc German championship for Ernst Henne, the 1927 500cc German title for Hans Soenius, and countless racers for private entrants. An R 47 also served as the basis for Henne's first speed record bikes, which set world records in 1929 and 1930.