BMW R 35
A telescopic fork gave BMW’s last new pressed-steel-frame motorcycle a fresh front end, while much of its working machinery continued familiar R 4 ideas.
BMW R 35 1937.jpg · Stahlkocher · CC BY-SA 3.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
BMW introduced the R 35 in 1937 after the R 3 had struggled commercially. The new 342 cc single retained much of the R 4’s architecture but adopted a telescopic front fork. BMW’s 2013 production table counts 15,386 prewar machines. Production later resumed at Eisenach from available parts, giving the design a second life that must be distinguished from this original BMW version.
Look a little closer.
The R 35 combined a modern-looking telescopic fork with an older pressed-steel frame and no rear suspension.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A new fork on familiar foundations
The telescopic fork was the most visible change from BMW’s earlier pressed-steel singles. The museum’s technical account identifies it as a simple fork without hydraulic damping. Sliding fork tubes and damping are separate ideas: the tubes guide suspension movement, while damping controls how quickly that movement happens.
Source: Jihočeské Motorcycle Museum · R 35 factory archive and technical data ↗One name across a divided industrial history
BMW’s catalogue ends this prewar production run in 1940 and separately describes the restart at Eisenach after the war. The distinction matters because later machines and EMW developments belong to another production history. A surviving R 35 badge alone does not establish that a motorcycle is a 1937 BMW.
Source: BMW Group Classic · BMW R 35 ↗Where these facts come from
- BMW Group Classic · BMW R 35
- Jihočeské Motorcycle Museum · R 35 factory archive and technical data
- BMW PressClub · 90 years of BMW Motorrad (2013), pp. 14, 33
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed 2026-10-02.