271:
twin leading-shoe front brake. It also came with a more modern sporty narrow front fender rather than the deeply valanced fender used on other BMW twins. BMW announced the R68 as "The first 100 mph motorcycle." It was shown as a road bike, capable of 105 mph (169 km/h), with normal two low exhaust silencers, and an off-road version with a single high silencer. A separate pillion pad resembled a passenger saddle, but was provided for the rider to slide backward in order to crouch low for higher speeds.
334:
282:
27:
326:
270:
In
October 1951, at the German International Motorcycle Show in Frankfurt, BMW displayed a new high performance model. The machine had improved performance of 35 hp (26 kW) compared to the low-compression R67/2, a racing-type magneto, bigger bore 26 mm Bing carburetors and improved
308:
is suspended with a large chrome plated spring and is connected directly to the rear saddle so the rider can slide backward and crouch at higher speeds. Rear foot pegs were normally included for the rider to use when sliding on the rear saddle to crouch for high speeds.
297:
on the right. A plunger attached to the rear drive limits vertical movement so the front of the drive shaft is connected to the transmission with a round rubber puck with holes to receive the drive shaft's attachment plate.
525:
382:
795:
301:
The hand-operated tire pump held under the frame has a swing-out lever so the rider can hold it down with his foot, unlike later BMW tire pumps.
1140:
1076:
1066:
1061:
856:
846:
841:
836:
1283:
1273:
1130:
1071:
759:
729:
699:
694:
962:
577:
217:
508:
541:
386:
319:
289:
In the photo to the left are some of the unusual elements of the rear part of the R68. Note the exposed, hard chrome
262:. A total of 1,452 models were manufactured from 1952 to 1954, making it one of BMW's rarest production motorcycles.
487:
468:
1278:
1237:
357:
570:
668:
318:
A 1954 R68 restored by Tim
Stafford of San Diego took second place among German motorcycles at the 2012
1247:
1242:
689:
456:
347:
1216:
612:
1268:
563:
294:
147:
137:
540:. 2009-12-21. BMW Motorrad:Experience:History:Historical BMW Models:The '50s:R68. Archived from
1017:
72:
8:
278:, BMW introduced full-width brakes on the R68. Previously they had half-width brakes.
977:
972:
1206:
504:
483:
464:
109:
82:
312:
The short vertical handle on the side of the transmission is often referred to as a
769:
631:
498:
171:
127:
99:
337:
Two cylinder heads and boxer design are easily seen with the fuel tank removed.
1232:
790:
1262:
800:
95:
586:
537:
259:
1185:
1175:
1154:
1147:
1135:
1125:
1108:
1098:
1093:
1083:
1051:
1039:
1034:
1024:
886:
866:
851:
290:
333:
1211:
1180:
1118:
1113:
1103:
1088:
1056:
1044:
1029:
1012:
990:
881:
876:
871:
861:
774:
749:
719:
704:
673:
275:
255:
942:
937:
891:
764:
754:
724:
714:
709:
641:
636:
352:
181:
88:
1201:
1005:
1000:
995:
982:
957:
831:
281:
65:
555:
967:
947:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
826:
805:
1170:
907:
821:
669:
F650 Funduro, F650ST Strada, F650GS (single) & F650GS Dakar
607:
533:
305:
104:
72 mm × 73 mm (2.83 in × 2.87 in)
26:
159:
293:
connecting the rear drive on the left with the rear of the
325:
236:
approximately 4.6 litres per 100 kilometres (61 mpg
228:
17 L (3.7 imp gal; 4.5 US gal)
503:. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing Company. p. 13.
1260:
285:R68 rear and shaft drives and seats arrangement
375:
571:
500:Original BMW Air-Cooled Boxer Twins 1950-1996
690:F650GS (twin), F700GS, F800GS & F800GSA
578:
564:
25:
433:
431:
421:
419:
409:
407:
405:
403:
332:
324:
280:
254:is a 594 cc (36.2 cu in)
132:35 hp (26 kW) @ 7,000 rpm
496:
477:
1261:
455:
428:
416:
31:1954 R68 (featuring full-width brakes)
559:
400:
64:1955–1960 R69, 1961–1969
1284:Motorcycles introduced in the 1950s
1274:Motorcycles powered by flat engines
585:
480:BMW Motorcycles: the Complete Story
13:
14:
1295:
1238:BMW Motorcycle Owners of America
358:List of motorcycles of the 1950s
320:Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
216:190 kg (419 lb) (
87:594cc BMW 268/1 OHV air-cooled
204:
194:
166:Rear: 200 mm simplex drum
164:Front: 200 mm duplex drum
1:
461:BMW Twins: the Complete Story
363:
199:
368:
207:: 985 mm (38.8 in)
202:: 725 mm (28.5 in)
197:: 2,130 mm (84 in)
122:169 km/h (105 mph)
7:
341:
10:
1300:
1243:History of BMW motorcycles
444:
348:History of BMW motorcycles
265:
186:1,400 mm (55 in)
1225:
1194:
1163:
900:
814:
783:
742:
682:
661:
654:
624:
600:
593:
383:"R68 specifications page"
232:
224:
212:
190:
180:
170:
158:
154:Rear: Telescopic plungers
146:
142:4-speed manual foot shift
136:
126:
118:
108:
94:
81:
71:
60:
52:
44:
36:
24:
775:G650GS & G650 Sertão
258:version of the pre-1955
1279:Shaft drive motorcycles
1248:List of BMW motorcycles
613:C600 Sport & C650GT
478:Preston, Bruce (1996).
176:19 x 3.5 front and rear
40:BMW AG, Munich, Germany
617:BMW C400X & C400GT
425:Falloon pp: 8–13
338:
330:
286:
497:Falloon, Ian (2003).
336:
328:
284:
526:"BMW R68 data page"
314:mechanic's shifter.
56:1938–1941 R66
21:
339:
331:
329:Top view of an R68
287:
19:
16:Type of motorcycle
1256:
1255:
1207:Ernst Jakob Henne
1164:Other motorcycles
738:
737:
650:
649:
510:978-0-7603-1424-1
482:. Crowood Press.
463:. Crowood Press.
248:
247:
152:Front: Telescopic
110:Compression ratio
1291:
770:BMW G650X series
659:
658:
598:
597:
580:
573:
566:
557:
556:
552:
550:
549:
514:
493:
474:
438:
435:
426:
423:
414:
411:
398:
397:
395:
394:
385:. Archived from
379:
233:Fuel consumption
206:
201:
196:
29:
22:
18:
1299:
1298:
1294:
1293:
1292:
1290:
1289:
1288:
1269:BMW motorcycles
1259:
1258:
1257:
1252:
1221:
1190:
1159:
896:
810:
779:
734:
678:
662:Single cylinder
646:
620:
589:
587:BMW motorcycles
584:
547:
545:
524:
511:
490:
471:
447:
442:
441:
436:
429:
424:
417:
412:
401:
392:
390:
381:
380:
376:
371:
366:
344:
268:
260:BMW motorcycles
243:
239:
208:
203:
198:
165:
153:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1297:
1287:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1254:
1253:
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1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1229:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1167:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1157:
1151:
1150:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1122:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1096:
1091:
1086:
1080:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1048:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
904:
902:
898:
897:
895:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
816:
812:
811:
809:
808:
803:
798:
793:
787:
785:
781:
780:
778:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
752:
746:
744:
740:
739:
736:
735:
733:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
686:
684:
680:
679:
677:
676:
674:F650CS Scarver
671:
665:
663:
656:
652:
651:
648:
647:
645:
644:
639:
634:
628:
626:
622:
621:
619:
618:
615:
610:
604:
602:
595:
591:
590:
583:
582:
575:
568:
560:
554:
553:
521:
520:
516:
515:
509:
494:
488:
475:
469:
452:
451:
446:
443:
440:
439:
427:
415:
399:
373:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
361:
360:
355:
350:
343:
340:
267:
264:
246:
245:
241:
237:
234:
230:
229:
226:
222:
221:
214:
210:
209:
192:
188:
187:
184:
178:
177:
174:
168:
167:
162:
156:
155:
150:
144:
143:
140:
134:
133:
130:
124:
123:
120:
116:
115:
112:
106:
105:
102:
92:
91:
85:
79:
78:
75:
69:
68:
62:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
46:
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1296:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1266:
1264:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1230:
1228:
1226:Miscellaneous
1224:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1193:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1162:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1149:
1146:
1145:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1123:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1049:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
905:
903:
899:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
813:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
788:
786:
782:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
747:
745:
741:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
687:
685:
683:Twin cylinder
681:
675:
672:
670:
667:
666:
664:
660:
657:
653:
643:
640:
638:
635:
633:
630:
629:
627:
623:
616:
614:
611:
609:
606:
605:
603:
599:
596:
592:
588:
581:
576:
574:
569:
567:
562:
561:
558:
544:on 2014-08-08
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
522:
518:
517:
512:
506:
502:
501:
495:
491:
489:9781861260055
485:
481:
476:
472:
470:9781861261533
466:
462:
458:
454:
453:
449:
448:
434:
432:
422:
420:
410:
408:
406:
404:
389:on 2014-08-08
388:
384:
378:
374:
359:
356:
354:
351:
349:
346:
345:
335:
327:
323:
321:
316:
315:
310:
307:
302:
299:
296:
292:
283:
279:
277:
274:For the 1954
272:
263:
261:
257:
253:
240:; 51 mpg
235:
231:
227:
225:Fuel capacity
223:
219:
215:
211:
193:
189:
185:
183:
179:
175:
173:
169:
163:
161:
157:
151:
149:
145:
141:
139:
135:
131:
129:
125:
121:
117:
113:
111:
107:
103:
101:
97:
93:
90:
86:
84:
80:
76:
74:
70:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
39:
35:
28:
23:
952:
892:K1600 series
796:HP2 Megamoto
546:. Retrieved
542:the original
538:BMW Motorrad
530:BMW Motorrad
529:
499:
479:
460:
457:Walker, Mick
391:. Retrieved
387:the original
377:
317:
313:
311:
304:The rider's
303:
300:
295:transmission
288:
273:
269:
251:
249:
138:Transmission
37:Manufacturer
632:C evolution
536:, Germany:
291:drive shaft
53:Predecessor
1263:Categories
1233:247 engine
1217:David Robb
1212:Ernst Loof
791:HP2 Enduro
548:2012-08-12
393:2012-08-10
364:References
276:model year
238:‑imp
191:Dimensions
148:Suspension
45:Production
1171:GS series
983:/7 series
978:/6 series
973:/5 series
801:HP2 Sport
784:HP series
369:Citations
353:BMW R51/3
242:‑US
182:Wheelbase
119:Top speed
89:flat-twin
61:Successor
1202:Max Friz
901:R series
815:K series
743:G series
655:F series
625:Electric
594:C series
519:Websites
459:(1968).
342:See also
77:standard
1186:S1000XR
1176:S1000RR
1155:R nineT
1148:R1300GS
1141:R1250RT
1136:R1250RS
1126:R1250GS
1119:R1200CL
1109:R1200ST
1099:R1200RT
1094:R1200RS
1084:R1200GS
1077:R1150ST
1067:R1150RT
1062:R1150RS
1052:R1150GS
1040:R1100RT
1035:R1100RS
1025:R1100GS
887:K1300GT
867:K1200RS
857:K1200LT
852:K1200GT
847:K1100RS
842:K1100LT
837:K1100RT
445:Sources
437:Preston
266:History
252:BMW R68
20:BMW R68
1195:People
1181:S1000R
1131:R1250R
1114:R1200C
1104:R1200S
1089:R1200R
1072:R1150S
1057:R1150R
1045:R1100S
1030:R1100R
1018:R900RT
1013:R850RT
1001:R100RT
991:R80G/S
882:K1300S
877:K1300R
872:K1200S
862:K1200R
760:G310RR
750:G310GS
730:F900XR
720:F800ST
705:F800GT
700:F850GS
695:F750GS
601:Petrol
534:Munich
507:
486:
467:
413:Walker
306:saddle
213:Weight
160:Brakes
100:stroke
83:Engine
1006:R100S
943:R60/2
938:R51/3
765:G450X
755:G310R
725:F900R
715:F800S
710:F800R
642:CE 04
637:CE 02
450:Books
256:sport
172:Tires
128:Power
114:8.0:1
73:Class
48:1,452
996:R90S
958:R69S
832:K100
505:ISBN
484:ISBN
465:ISBN
250:The
96:Bore
66:R69S
987:R80
968:R75
963:R71
953:R68
948:R65
933:R45
928:R32
923:R27
918:R18
913:R12
827:K75
806:HP4
218:wet
1265::
908:R2
822:K1
608:C1
532:.
528:.
430:^
418:^
402:^
322:.
98:/
579:e
572:t
565:v
551:.
513:.
492:.
473:.
396:.
244:)
220:)
205:H
200:W
195:L
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
