Since its beginning in 1913 Germany, the Bavarian Motor Works corporation (BMW) has been synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. But while BMW is normally associated with cars, it actually began its operations making airplane engines until the time that aircraft production was banned in Germany in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles. Turning its attention to other modes of transportation in order to sustain the business, BMW was soon poised to begin production on the BMW motorcycle in 1923.

Such production stemmed from the company’s experience in aeroengineering; allowing them to get to work on what would become the famous BMW boxer engine. This boxer engine - which has been redesigned and reconstructed several times prior to reaching this place of effective operation - in combination with aluminum-alloy cylinders and a flat twin engine make up the R 32, the first BMW motorcycle and the model for future designs.