20 January 2020

BMW was beginning to take off in the 1960s (the “New Class”) but the motorcycle was on a downward spiral (just 3651 new motorcycles were registered in Germany in 1963!). What a good job that two-wheeler visionaries nevertheless had some clout at BMW. Technical Director Helmut Werner Bönsch fought his corner for a new development, and the result was the BMW /5 Series – with modern design, advanced engineering and a Boxer engine. The models BMW R 50/5, BMW R 60/5 and BMW R 75/5 awakened a new spirit, they came to epitomise freedom on two wheels, and success came in spades. This was the launchpad for a new era in motorcycle construction at BMW. When production of the new model started up, the entire manufacture of motorcycles was transferred to the plant in Berlin in 1969.

Not everybody likes to visit exhibitions in a tour group – you have to keep up with the tour and the guide might be just that bit too slick. Trust me, it’s going to be different here. Anybody who has gone on a tour through our stupendous collection of vehicles with one of the expert tour guides from BMW Group Classic can vouch for this. You’ll end up with lots of gripping stories and a wealth of new facts at the end of the tour. And now, visitors can also go on Friday afternoons as well as the traditional Saturday slot (English tour at 14.00, tour in German at 15:30). There are 20 places available on each of the tours and they can be booked on the hotline (+49 (0) 89 / 1 25 01 60 01) or by going to infowelt@bmw-welt.com. Incidentally: We love tricky questions!