BMW R50

R60/2

Granada red R60/2 • Dominican blue R50/2 • Standard black R60/2
Manufacturer	BMW
Production	1956 to 1969
Assembly	Munich, Germany
Bore / stroke	72 mm × 73 mm
Compression ratio	7.5 : 1
Top speed	90 mph
Power	30 hp
Ignition type	Magneto
Frame type	Twin-loop steel tubular
Suspension	Long swinging arm with strut and oil-pressure shock absorbers
Brakes	drum brake, Ø 200 mm
Tires	3.50 x 18
Dimensions	L: 84" W: 26" H: 39"
Weight	430 lb (wet)
Fuel capacity	17 L
Fuel consumption	47.0 MPG

The R60 and R60/2 are 600 cc boxer-twin that were manufactured from 1956 to 1969 in Munich, Germany, by BMW.

Some 20,133 of these 600 cc shaft-drive, opposed twin R60 (1956–1960, 28 hp or 21 kW), R60/2 (1960–1969, 30 hp or 22 kW), and R60US (1968–1969, 30 hp) were built. These models, except for those with the "US" designation, were designed primarily as rugged motorcycles to pull sidecars (mounting points were built in) and had duplex tubular steel frames.

Simultaneously manufactured were related models, including the 500 cc R50 (1955–1960, 26 hp or 19 kW), the R50/2 (1960–1969, 26 hp), the R50 S (1960–1962, 35 hp or 26 kW), the R50US (1968–1969, 26 hp), and the 600 cc sport-oriented R69 (1955–1960, 35 hp), R69S (1960–1969, 42 hp or 31 kW), and R69US (1968–1969, 42 hp).

In the United States, all these Earles-fork and US-fork (i.e., telescopic fork) models from 1955 to 1969 are often lumped together as "Slash-2" BMWs, even though that is technically incorrect. Not all of them, as seen above, have the "/2" designation.

Perhaps the most famous BMW rider of the 1960s was Danny Liska, who took R60 models from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in one trip, and from Europe's North Cape to South Africa's Cape of Good Hope in a second journey. His book about the first trip, Two Wheels to Adventure (Alaska to Argentina by Motorcycle), was published in 1989 with a second edition published in 2004. In the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", John and Sylvia accompany Robert Pirsig, the author, and his son Chris, on a 1968 road trip from Minnesota to San Francisco, riding a BMW R60. Throughout the book Pirsig contrasts his passion and care in taking care of his bike to John's fear of technology: "The BMW is famous for not giving mechanical problems on the road and that's what he is counting on."

Though BMW first used oil-damped telescopic front forks in the 1930s, it chose to use Earles forks on these models. The triangular front Earles fork, named after its designer, Englishman Ernest Earles, precluded any front-end dive during heavy front braking, which is common with telescopic front forks. It also worked well in sidecar duty. Though heavy and ponderous in turning, the Earles fork gave the old Beemer a steady and reassuring ride.