For Sale: 1966 BMW R27 in Costa Mesa, California

1966 BMW R27

Owned by the same owner for the past 15 years, purchased and service by Irv Seaver BMW Motorcycles located in Orange, California. Extremely well maintained and cared for. Very original California bike.

R27 Specs

Engine Numbers 372 001 - 387 566
Design Single cylinder with driveshaft
Engine 4-stroke, 2 OHV
Transmission Four-speed, left foot
Model years 1960-1966
Number manufactured 15,364
Bore 68 mm (2.7 in)
Stroke 68 mm (2.7 in)
Capacity 247 cc
Power 18 hp (13 kW) @ 7400 rpm
Compression ratio 8.2:1
Fuel efficiency 60.3 miles per US gallon
Maximum speed 81 mph (130 km/h) / with side car 56 mph (90 km/h)
Wheelbase 54.3 in (1,379 mm)
Curb weight 357 lb (162 kg)
GVWR 716 lb (325 kg) / with side car 1,058 lb (480 kg)
Tires front & rear 3.25 x 18
Battery 6 volt, 9 Ah.
Tank capacity 3.96 US gallon (15 liter)
Engine oil capacity 2.6 US pint (1.2 liter)
Transmission capacity 650 cc
Rear drive capacity 125 cc

History

Based largely on the R26, in 1960 the R27 added rubber mounts for the engine and boosted power to 18 horsepower (13 kW). The 250 cc OHV vertical single was the only rubber-mounted thumper engine BMW ever produced, and was their last shaft drive single-cylinder motorcycle. The engine pumped out 18 hp (13 kW), the highest ever for a shaft-drive BMW single. BMW manufactured 15,364 R27 models (engine numbers 372 001 - 387 566 ) over the production years of 1960 to 1966. Some of the 1966 R27 models were sold as 1967 models because dealers in those years often would assign dates to BMW motorcycles when they sold them, and not necessarily when they were manufactured.

BMW did things differently from other manufacturers. This is evident in the R27. Its enclosed shaft final drive is rare for a single cylinder motorcycle. But it also had a triangulated Earles front fork (named after English designer Ernest Earles); so the motorcycle had a front swingarm as well as a rear swingarm. When you squeezed the front brake lever hard not only did the front end not dive, it actually rose slightly. Thus, braking was a very steady activity, though the brakes were weak by today's standards. The engine's crankshaft was laid out fore-and-aft rather than side-to-side; also a rare feature. This way, the crank and the final shaft were in line, and drive forces did not have to be run through a set of 90-degree gears. Also, the kick starter swung out sideways instead of parallel to the frame.