Motorcycle specifications BMW500 R5 Hommage 2016 Expression!!!

80 years ago, BMW introduced the R5 to the international public - an exciting new technological development that would influence motorcycle construction until the '50s. Inspired by the factory's racing bikes, it was one of the seminal motorcycles of the late 1930s. To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the BMW R5, BMW Motorrad honored this icon at the 2016 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este with a special model: the BMW R5 Hommage.

The BMW R5 Hommage translates the essence of the motorcycle into the modern era, combining the world of design and the historic motorcycle with the modern world of customization. This creation shows just how harmonious the world of historic motorcycles and the personalized scene can be. At the heart of the machine is an original 500 cc two-cylinder engine, supplied by motorcycle enthusiast Sebastian Gutsch. This boxer engine was damaged in a race, and this was the starting point for the creation of the BMW R5 Hommage.

As befits a customized machine, this commemorative motorcycle was painstakingly hand-built from scratch. Ronny and Benny Noren were called in to produce the parts to the BMW Motorrad Design Team's specifications: the two brothers have been building custom motorcycles for over 30 years.

The R5' s innovative 4-stroke flat-twin engine produced 24 hp at 5,500 rpm. Timing was ensured by two camshafts driven by a timing chain. The R5 reached a top speed of 135 km/h, almost as fast as the R17 with its 33 hp from a 750 cc - one of the reasons why it was so often used for racing, as was the engine selected for the BMW R5 Hommage. For this reinterpretation, many components were machined from aluminum parts based on sketches: they give a hint of modern style to this historic icon.

One of the challenges was to produce the missing parts for the engine and gearbox. The remaining parts gradually took shape in the Noren brothers' workshop, based on sketches by the BMW Motorrad design team. All parts, such as the chassis and fuel tank, are unique, meticulously handcrafted components - making this a truly bespoke motorcycle. And most important of all: the newly shaped parts are clearly identified with the original purist character of the R5.

The result is impressive: even from a distance, the proportions express the timeless beauty of a reproduction focused on the essentials - entirely faithful to the spirit of the R5 - and transpose this idea into the modern era. The teardrop-shaped frame and fuel tank echo the elegance of the original, in a simplified, more modern interpretation. The steering is slightly more raked, to give the R5 Hommage greater presence and a more expressive driving position. As for the frame, the emphasis has been placed on the oval-shaped tubes, a striking feature of the original model. Together, the frame and tank trace a continuous line from the steering column to the rear wheel hub, giving the side view a touch of elegance.

A particularly striking appearance feature of the original R5 was the telescopic fork - new at the time - whose characteristic tube covers were aerodynamically shaped at headlight level. The BMW R5 Homage invokes this element and interprets it in a modern style based on the bespoke fork. Handlebar-anchored clutch and brake levers blend the past with state-of-the-art technology: these bespoke components combine the look of historic inverted levers with today's adjustment options.

The heart of the BMW R5 lies in its minimalist proportions. The technical highlight of the engine is the supercharger specially developed for the R5 Hommage, which significantly increases the power of the original 500 cc engine to 26 hp, bringing it up to date. A completely new stainless steel exhaust ensures that this increase in power is appropriately reflected in terms of sound.

Further modern accents are provided by the new rear suspension, 6-piston braking system, meticulously designed front end and rear wheel hub. The latter combines the braking and mounting system into a single unit - a detailed reflection of the minimalist concept embodied by the BMW R 5 Hommage.

In terms of color, the BMW R5 Hommage is presented in a very classic style. The basic theme is typically BMW - black with white stripes, revisited in a contemporary style, of course. The soft sheen of polished aluminum is reminiscent of the original BMW R5s. The overall image is completed by a hand-stitched leather seat with high-quality embossing.

Image and info credits: BMW