BMW R 5 Hommage: Beauty essence and simplicity – two wheels

At the famous Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, on stage on days 20, 21 and 22 May, BMW has brought the R 5 Hommage, inspired by his motorcycle racing in 1935. A concept that combines technological essence of modern motorcycling with historical design and the charm of custom

80 years ago , BMW presented to the international public the BMW R 5 , an exciting technological evolution that would have influenced the motorcycle industry through the fifties. Inspired by the factory produced racing version of the 1935 , was an extraordinary race bikes of the late thirties, with its innovative lightweight chassis.

To celebrate the 80th anniversary BMW R 5, BMW Motorrad pays tribute to this iconic model at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2016 with a special model: the BMW R 5 Hommage . A bike that interprets the essence of motorcycling in a modern way, by marrying the world of the old motorcycle design with the modern world of custom bikes.
 

“ When debuted, R 5 was not only an engineering masterpiece, but stood out for the purity of its lines and the elegance of its proportions. In my opinion, the R 5 is still today one of the most attractive motion in the history of BMW , “says Edgar Heinrich , Head of Design BMW Motorrad.

” its charm and unique beauty are all in its simplicity , “adds Ola Stenegard , Head of Vehicle Design and Creative Director Heritage BMW Motorrad. He continues: “ in the modern world is very simple to complicate their lives, but very complicated to simplify. The BMW R 5 captures the quintessence of the motorcycle. Our intent was to seize its purity and its elegant aesthetics, transporting them to the present day, to create a respectful combination of old school and high-tech, with a ‘sprinkling’ of high performance

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Vintage and Custom

 The BMW R 5 Hommage shows how the world of vintage motorcycle marry harmoniously with the world of custom bikes. The heart of this project is the engine two-cylinder 500 cc provided dall’appassionato Sebastian Gutsch. This boxer engine was damaged in a race and provided the starting point for the creation of the BMW R 5 Hommage.

As with a custom motorcycle, the BMW R 5 Hommage was Hand built , starting from a blank sheet. Ronny Noren and Benny were instructed to carry out various components, based on the plans provided by the Design Team BMW Motorrad. Moreover, the two brothers have built bikes tailored for thirty years.

The historic heart …

 The two-cylinder four-stroke boxer R 5 was designed from scratch at the time and boasted a maximum power of 24 hp at 5,500 rpm / min. The distribution was chain, dual overhead cams. Also thanks to the innovative oval tubular welded frame, the lightweight R 5 reached a top speed of 135 km / h , making it almost as fast as the R17 from 33 hp and 750 cc; why it was often chosen for competitions, as well as the motor chosen for the BMW R 5 Hommage, damaged during a race. Several components of the bike memorial, like the valve cover and the front shield of the boxer engine, were produced in aluminum, starting from the original drawings: give the historic heart of a modern touch.

… in a dress made to measure

 The two deans of custom bikes, Ronny and Benny Noren , were the perfect partners for the BMW R 5 Hommage project, to dress up the historical heart and produce the missing components of the engine and transmission. The other parties have gradually taken shape in the workshop of the brothers Noren, based on the designs of the BMW Motorrad Design Team. All components such as the frame, tank and rear fender are unique pieces made by hand, making the BMW R 5 Hommage a true custom . Above all, the new redesigned components carry into the future the original purist character of R 5.
 

Timeless elegance: the proportions

 The result is amazing: from a distance proportions reflect the timeless beauty of the essential minimalism, faithful to the original spirit of the R 5, translating this original idea to modern times. The frame and the shell resume the elegant teardrop shape of the original, more aerodynamic and modern in interpretation. The front fork is slightly inclined, for example, to give the R 5 Hommage a greater presence and greater character. As for the frame, we focused on the oval section tubular, which represented a peculiar feature of the original. The frame and the tank describe a continuous line , from the handlebar to the hub of the rear wheel, giving elegance in the side view. The metal rear fender made full hand the minimal configuration.
 
 

A modern interpretation of historical details
One of the characteristics that define the very look of the original R 5 were telescopic forks. A novelty for those times, whose stems were covered with airfoils up to the lighthouse.

The BMW R 5 Hommage evokes this stylistic and modern interpretation element, based on the custom fork. The top edge of the fork caps reminiscent of the folds of the front shield and the valve cover, taking the interpretation suggested by the typical “ribs” of R 5.

Similarly, the brake levers and clutch mix the past with state of the art technology: custom-made, matching the appearance of the historic reversed levers with adjustment options of modern controls.

Extraordinary craftsmanship customization: compressor, exhaust and suspension

 The heart of the BMW R 5 remains in minimalist proportions of the bike memorial. The engine technical specificity consists of the compressor , which on the BMW R 5 Homage increases to 26 hp engine power 500 cc original, updating it to current levels.

A system of discharge of new construction reflected through the sound the power increase steel.
 Other contemporary accents coming from the rear suspension, a modern braking system with calipers piston and elaborately designed for the housings of the front and rear wheels. The latter combines the braking system and the anchoring of the spokes in a single aesthetic element, the result of a detailed reflection of the minimalist concept embodied by the BMW R 5 Hommage.

The color: classical style BMW yet a true custom motorcycle

 The BMW R 5 Hommage is presented in a classical way with regard to the coloration. The basic theme is typical BMW, black with white stripes , of course, reinterpreted in a modern style. In addition to the matt finish of the surfaces, so-called details “smoke” on the tank and rear fender leave partially reveal the underlying steel. In addition to the white stripes, the black coating of the tank and rear fender acquire additional personality, in perfect custom style, thanks to the metallic finish with a slight effect “crystal.” The crankcase and gearbox brushed aluminum go along with polished aluminum components such as the valve cover and the front shield. The luster of the ‘ polished aluminum is a special reminder of the original BMW R 5. The overall image is completed by the saddle leather handmade with high quality craftsmanship embossing.