As must-haves go, any serious collector of BMWs must consider the 1921 Victoria KR1 the ultimate historical BMW motorcycle. That presents a problem, as the KR1 simply does not come up for sale often, either at auction or by private treaty. This machine thus presents an incredibly rare opportunity for a discerning enthusiast of BMW history. It’s well known that BMW was an aircraft engine manufacturer during World War I, later forced to diversify because of the Treaty of Versailles, which forbade Germany from building airplanes. Exploring several options, the factory built an industrial engine, the M2B15, with a flat-twin, side-valve 493cc motor that was used by Victoria—then the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Germany—to build the KR1. Victoria was BMW’s biggest customer, although the M2B15 motor was also used by Helios motorcycles, which were in fact built within the BMW factory. But, according to restorer Hubert Fehrenbach, “Victoria was the better bike, as it had a better chassis and handled well.” This exceptional and extremely rare 1921 Victoria KR1 was found as an unfinished restoration on the Dutch border, in Cleven, around 20 years ago, and the restoration was completed to an exceptional standard by Fehrenbach. It’s an original machine restored using its original parts, with its original build plate intact. Fehrenbach notes, “I’ve had it for 20 years and finished the restoration 10 years ago. It has all the options: an original Reimann gas lamp, speedometer, etc. Many people think it’s the same engine as BMW’s first production motorcycle, the R23 of 1923, but the only parts that are the same are the cylinders; you can’t swap any other parts. The literature says they simply made the inline Victoria/ Helios motor into a boxer by moving it 90 degrees, but the R32 has the gearbox on the engine, so the crankcases, flywheel, clutch, etc., are all different. The carburetor on this KR1 is very special and very rare, and correct for this machine. The Victoria KR1 is a must for any BMW collector.” BMW CENTENNIAL SELECTION FROM THE BLACK FOREST COLLECTION F149 1921 VICTORIA KR1
