The R 39 was the first single-cylinder machine produced by the Bavarian manufacturer. Development of the new 250cc motorcycle began in 1924, and the R39 was presented to the public in December that year.
It did not differ significantly from the twin-cylinder R-37 apart from the engine and this resulted in problems with production costs. The retail price was 1,870 Reichsmarks making it rather expensive and as a result by the end of production in 1927 only 855 copies had been produced.
In 1925 Josef Stelzer aboard an R 39 won the victory in the 250cc class in the German national championship.
Specification:
Single cylinder 247cc OHV, BMW Spezial 20mm carburetor. Power 6.5 bhp at 4,500 rpm, max speed 100 km/h.
The next single did not appear until several years later, in 1931, when they introduced the 200cc R 2
Source: Bretti Brothers
