Once BMW secured its place as a motorcycle supplied to the German Wehrmacht prior to World War 2 (1939-1945), it continued to improve upon a design which began with the R4, this itself based on a civilian model. The R4 of 1932 was followed by the R12 of 1935 and, from this work, came the R35 model. The R35 retained the medium class categorization and was used to succeed the R4 models in the training role - the switch beginning in 1937.
The R35 differed physically from the earlier models in that it showcased telescoping front forks. It retained the hand-shifted nature of its 4-speed transmission. A stamped steel frame was used for ruggedness. Large fenders were seated over the wheels to protect the operator from debris and mud being thrown at his face - however, this continued the BMW issue of the fenders collecting too much mud in them, restricting the effectiveness of the front wheel.
Power was from a 1-cylinder, 4-stroke 340cc engine of 14 horsepower. This drove the vehicle to speeds of 100 kph with a range out to 250 kilometers.
As with other German military motorcycles of the war, the R35 was used operationally in the dispatch role due to its inherent speed and agility when maneuvering cross-country or weaving through traffic. no sidecar was fitted to this model.
Power & Performance Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the BMW R35 Medium Military Motorcycle.
1 x 1-cylinder, 4-stroke, 340cc developing 14 horsepower at 4,500rpm. Installed Power
62 mph 100 kph Road Speed
155 miles 250 km Range
Structure The physical qualities of the BMW R35 Medium Military Motorcycle.
1 (MANNED) Crew
6.9 ft 2.1 meters O/A Length
3.0 ft 0.9 meters O/A Width
3.1 ft 0.95 meters O/A Height
331 lb 150 kg | 0.0 tons Weight
Variants Notable series variants as part of the BMW R35 family line.
R35 - Base Model Designation
Operators Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the BMW R35. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.
Total Production: 20,000 Units Contractor(s): BMW - Nazi Germany
[ Nazi Germany ]
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Image from the Public Domain.
Going Further... The BMW R35 Medium Military Motorcycle appears in the following collections:
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