BMW launched its legendary R5 80 years ago – a bike that, at the time, represented a significant technological development that was to influence motorcycle construction right through to the 1950s. Inspired by the 500cc factory racing machine of 1935, it was one of the ground-breaking sports motorbikes of the late 1930s, featuring a new concept in lightweight frames among its notable firsts.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the BMW R 5, BMW Motorrad honoured this icon of its two-wheel heritage at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2016, Italy, with a special model: the BMW R 5 Hommage.
At the core there is an original 500 cc two-cylinder engine provided by motorcycle enthusiast Sebastian Gutsch. This Boxer engine was damaged in a race and provided the starting point for creating the BMW R 5 Hommage.
As befits a custom bike, the Hommage bike was elaborately hand-crafted from scratch. Ronny and Benny Noren were called upon to produce the parts according to the specifications of the BMW Motorrad Design Team.
The two-cylinder 4-stroke Boxer engine of the R 5 was completely newly designed at the time and had an output of 24 bhp at 5,500 rpm. The valve drive was taken care of by two camshafts powered by a timing chain. Thanks to the likewise newly designed frame made of electrically welded oval tubing, the light R 5 reached a top speed of 135 km/h, making it almost as fast as the R 17 with 33 bhp 750 cc, which is one of the reasons it was so frequently used for racing, just like the engine selected for the BMW R 5 Hommage, which was damaged during a race.
The steering head is slightly more tilted to give the R 5 Hommage greater presence and expressive stance, while at the same time underscore the fact that it belongs to the custom bike world. As far as the frame is concerned, the focus here was on the oval shaped tubes which were such a striking feature of the original. Together the frame and fuel tank draw a continuous line from the steering head to the rear wheel hub, giving the side view a touch of elegance. The hand-made steel rear fender perpetuates the minimalistic layout.
A particularly defining feature in terms of the appearance of the original R 5 was the telescopic fork - new at the time - whose characteristic fork covers were aerodynamically shaped at the level of the headlamp.
The heart of the BMW R 5 rests within the minimalist proportions of the Hommage bike. The technical highlight of the engine is the specially developed supercharger, which in the BMW R 5 Hommage now significantly boosts the output of the original 500 cc power unit of 26 bhp to achieve a contemporary accurate level.
A completely newly built stainless steel exhaust system ensures that this increase in power is appropriately reflected in terms of sound.
Other contemporary accents are provided by the new rear wheel suspension, the modern piston brake system and the elaborately designed front and rear wheel hub. The latter combines the brake system and spoke mount in a single formal unit - a detailed reflection of the minimalistic concept embodied by the BMW R 5 Hommage.
