1936 BMW R5

Vintage black BMW motorcycle on a wooden bridge.

The BMW R 5 made its debut in 1936 and significantly redefined motorcycle design in several ways. Its creator, Rudolf Schleicher, regarded it as his most pivotal design. The bike's sophisticated appearance was characterized by advanced features such as a double-cradle frame and a state-of-the-art telescopic fork. These innovations endowed it with qualities that would become standard in future generations of motorcycles and exerted a lasting stylistic influence on the industry.

Vintage black BMW motorcycle on wooden floor.

This R5 was built late 1936 and delivered to London based BMW importer, AFN Ltd. in January 1937.

Vintage black motorcycle dashboard and handlebars.

From the mid-1930s until the onset of World War II, BMW exported 217 new motorcycles to England, all distributed through their sole authorized UK dealer, AFN, Ltd.

Close-up of a motorcycle engine and foot pedal on a wooden surface.

The R5 was the first BMW motorcycle to feature a foot-operated four-speed gearbox.

This BMW R5 is a triple-matching-numbers example, with motor, heads, and cylinder numbers all matching, and the frame and motor numbers corresponding to the original ID tag. BMW's digital birth certificate further confirms its authenticity, including production and delivery details.