| MODEL | BMW R 2 1931 - 1936 |
| Year | 1931 - 1936 |
| Engine Type | Four stroke, single cylinder vertical, OHV, 2 valves |
| Displacement / Capacity | 198 cc / 12.1 cu in |
| Bore X Stroke | 63 x 64 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 6.7:1 |
| Cooling System | Air cooled |
| Max Power | 6.0 kW / 8 hp @ 4500 rpm (1931-1933: 4.5 kW / 6 hp @ 3500 rpm) |
| Max Torque | — |
| Ignition | Battery ignition |
| Induction | 1 x Amal carburettor, 18.2 mm (early series: Sum) |
| Start System | Kick |
| TRANSMISSION SPECS | |
| Lubrication | Wet sump, forced feed by gear pump |
| Gear Box | 3 Speed, hand shift |
| Clutch | Single plate, dry |
| Final Drive | Shaft |
| CHASSIS SPECS | |
| Frame | Pressed steel duplex frame |
| Front Suspension | Cantilever leaf spring (9 leaves) with friction damper |
| Rear Suspension | Rigid |
| Front Brakes | 180 mm drum |
| Rear Brakes | 180 mm drum |
| DIMENSION SPECS | |
| Overall Length | 1950 mm / 76.8 in |
| Overall Width | 850 mm / 33.5 in |
| Overall Height | 950 mm / 37.4 in |
| Seat Height | — |
| Wheelbase | 1320 mm / 52.0 in |
| Ground Clearance | — |
| Dry Weight | — |
| Wet Weight | 130 kg / 287 lbs |
| WHEEL SPECS | |
| Front Tyre | 3.00 x 25" |
| Rear Tyre | 3.00 x 25" |
| FUEL SYSTEM | |
| Fuel Capacity | 11 Litres / 2.9 US gal |
| Fuel Consumption | — |
| Top Speed | 95 km/h / 59 mph |
Photo: Stahlkocher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Spaeth Chr. (uploaded by ChiemseeMan), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The R 2 was BMW's 200 cc single, built for the German tax- and licence-exempt class that existed from 1928. It used a pressed-steel frame like the bigger twins plus shaft drive, which made it one of the dearest bikes in its class but a strong seller. Over six series it gained covered valve gear, a friction-damped fork, an Amal carburettor with 8 hp and a smaller tank before production ended after more than 15,000 machines.
