In 1938, a completely new range was launched with the types BMW R 51, R 61, R 66 and R 71.The most striking innovation was the plunger rear-wheel suspension which had proved so successful in the Six Day Race held in the previous year. The torquey engine and the comfortable chassis made the BMW R 71 the ideal endurance motorcycle for the new motorways that were being constructed at the time. The BMW R 71 marked a turning point in the history of BMW motorcycles. It was the last BMW powered by a side-valve engine and the last model which could be ordered with the option of hand-operated gear shift.