BMW R 61

The BMW R 61 was a BMW motorcycle built from 1938 to 1941 with a two-cylinder boxer four-stroke engine and shaft drive, the touring model with side valves and the sister of the sporting R 66. BMW presented it on 18 February 1938 at the Berlin motor show with the R 51, R 66 and R 71 as a new series of large motorcycles with rear suspension, four engine variants carried in one chassis from 500 to 750 cc. It was almost identical to the R 6 of 1937 that it replaced, but gained the newly developed straight-line rear suspension. The engine, the M 261/1, had upright valves, the four-speed gearbox was foot shifted, and the whole drive train was enclosed against dirt and moisture.