BMW RS 54
The BMW RS 54 was a racing motorcycle that was offered by Bayerische Motorenwerke in small numbers for private drivers from 1953. 24 copies went from the factory to selected motorsport enthusiasts.
history
After the Second World War , BMW was initially able to use the pre-war supercharged model, the RS 255 , at national racing events, but from 1951 had to switch to a supercharged version due to the FIM regulations and initially relied on the bumper engine without supercharging . 1951–52 a new air-cooled 2-cylinder boxer engine was developed under the direction of Alexander von Falkenhausen and Rudolf Schleicher . BMW presented the RS at the 1953 IAA ; The Federal Minister of Economics, Ludwig Erhard , also had the motorcycle shown to him, which should also be available to private riders.
Only Walter Zeller was internationally successful with the works motorcycle. While the price of the motorcycle was around 10,000 DM back then, models that still exist today are traded for 20 times the price.
technology
The RS 54 with a displacement of 498 cm³ and an Amal carburetor was manufactured in two engine variants. The long-stroke version with 4-speed gearbox went to private drivers, the short-stroke version with 5-speed gearbox was installed in the factory machine - later also in the sidecars.
The vacuum motor made in the first version 45 hp (33 kW) at 8500 min -1 , later models with fuel injection about 60 hp (44 kW). Overhead camshafts with vertical shaft drive made it possible to increase the speed of the boxer engine.
For the chassis of the racing motorcycle, BMW used the new Earles fork to guide the front wheel; The RS was presented in 1953 with a telescopic fork . The rear wheel was driven according to BMW standards via a cardan shaft, which ran here for the first time in the right swing arm. The wheelbase is specified at 1370 mm, the curb weight at 132 or 135 kg. A duplex drum brake was installed on the front wheel .
Technical specifications
| Langhuber | Kurzhuber | |
|---|---|---|
| Bore / stroke | 66 × 72 mm | 70 × 64 mm |
| compression | 8: 1 | 10: 1 |
| Performance / at | 45 HP 8500 min -1 |
60 HP 9500 min -1 |
|
Top speed in km / h |
> 200 | 230 |
Sidecar
The RS-54 engine was used with great success in the World Team Championship . With the RS-54 engine, BMW won the constructors ' championship in the motorcycle world championship from 1954 to 1974 in uninterrupted order . In the last expansion stage, the bevel boxer made 80 hp.
“21 world championship titles in the sidecar class . Stability and reliability made the BMW RS engine [...] the most successful racing engine in the twentieth century. "
In January 2013, a 1954 racing team was auctioned at Bonhams for 123,600 euros.
See also
Web links
- BMW RS 54. In: BMW history. BMW AG, accessed on January 17, 2016 (dossier of the BMW Group Archives).
- RS 54 on YouTube
- Fred Siemer: 60 years of the BMW RS 54. January 14, 2014, accessed on January 17, 2016 : "from motorcycle classic 02/2014"
Remarks
- ↑ Rauch assumes 20 copies.
- ↑ In this context, Rauch speaks of the model designation “RS 53”, while BMW uses the “RS 54”.
- ↑ Bonhams had an RS-54 for 110,000 euros in the auction in January 2013. → [1]
- ↑ The Drivers' Championship was during that period also to BMW until 1968 to Helmut Fath and 1971 Horst Owesle on URS.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b BMW Profile: Motorcycles from Munich 1923–1969 . 2nd edition 1998, BMW order no. 01090035252., ISBN 978-3-932169-09-0 , p. 50
- ↑ a b c Siegfried Rauch: Famous racing motorcycles - 150 old and new racing machines for Grand Prix use. 2nd Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 1980, ISBN 3-87943-590-1 , p. 34
- ↑ a b c d e f Karl Reese: Motorcycles from Berlin. Johann Kleine Vennekate Verlag, Lemgo, 1st edition 2002, ISBN 3-935517-05-X , p. 38
- ^ A b Ludwig Erhard at the presentation of the BMW RS 54. In: BMW history. BMW AG, 1953, accessed January 17, 2016 .
- ↑ motorradonline.de BMW RS 54 (accessed October 4, 2013)
- ↑ MOTORRAD Catalog 1973, p. 233
- ↑ 1954 BMW Rennsport RS54 Sidecar. Bonhams, accessed October 30, 2013 : "This RS54 and sidecar bear engine # 549007 and chassis # 254007"
