Vehicles · Germany · 1941-1944
BMW R75
military motorcycle
The BMW R75 was a 745cc flat-twin motorcycle-and-sidecar combination developed from 1938 at the German Army's request, distinguished by shaft drive to both the rear wheel and the sidecar wheel through a locking differential, plus a two-speed transfer case for off-road gearing. It was built from 1941 until Allied bombing wrecked the Eisenach factory in 1944, with production never reaching its 20,200-unit target. Widely used by the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front and in North Africa, it shared 70% parts commonality with its rival, the Zündapp KS 750, under a wartime standardisation programme.
| engine | 745cc flat-twin, 26hp |
|---|---|
| weight | 420 kg (dry) |
| drive | shaft drive to rear wheel and sidecar wheel |
| produced | under 20,200 target |
Eastern Front, Western Europe, Mediterranean and North Africa
