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.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Reconaissance
Can conduct reconnaissance / scout missions to assess threat levels, enemy strength, et al - typically through lightweight design.
✓Utility
General utility-minded design to accomplish a variety of battlefield tasks, typically in a non-direct-combat fashion.
Length
6.9 ft 2.1 m
Width
3.0 ft 0.9 m
Height
3.1 ft 0.95 m
Weight
331 lb 150 kg
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base BMW R35 production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Installed:
1 x 1-cylinder, 4-stroke, 340cc developing 14 horsepower at 4,500rpm.
Speed
62.1 mph (100.0 kph)
Range
155.3 mi (250.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base BMW R35 production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
None.
Not Applicable.
R35 - Base Model Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
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Nazi Germany
