Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands Viewing: Tues 27th October from 1pm Auction: Wed 28th October from 10am Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ Registration No: G741 BJTFrame No: 6373211MOT: April 2027 Groundbreaking aerodynamic bodywork Water-cooled 16-valve inline four cylinder Supplied with some old MOTs and a V5C BMW was established in the early 1900s as a manufacturer of aircraft engines and produced their first motorcycle in 1923, the R23, already sporting the flat twin boxer configuration they have now become synonymous with. Faced with impending emission regulations being introduced in the United States and Europe, more control was needed over the amount of fuel entering the combustion chamber. From an engineering standpoint, this was easier to achieve with more cylinders at an overall smaller displacement leading to the K series of flat fours and triples. The K1 was a radical turning point for BMWs design philosophy, offering a distinctive avant-garde style that tore up the company’s somewhat conservative image. With bold colours and graphics on its aerodynamic bodywork, the bike achieved a remarkably low drag coefficient of 0. 34 and featured BMW’s first 16-valve engine and pioneering ABS anti-lock brakes. With styling perhaps ahead of its time, only 6, 921 were produced during its limited production run, and the model is now regarded as a rare collector’s item. A rare model in the UK, this distinctive looking K1, finished in blue with yellow graphics, certainly stands out from the crowd. Maybe not the prettiest bike ever designed, the wind tunnel developed bodywork resulted in a new standard for low coefficient of drag on a motorcycle. A CD of 0. 34 with the rider prone meant that BMW could claim a 150 mph top speed with ‘only’ 100 horses, pre-dating the Suzuki’s similarly aerodynamic Hayabusa by a number of years. Presented in original trim, the vendor has used it up freqently andit will be supplied with some old MOTs and a current V5C. ** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply** Entry by catalogue and can be purchased for £20 (admits 2...
