Due to the limitations of the Versailles Treaty of 1919, the German army could not develop many means of reconnaissance or communication, and for this reason, among others, in the 1920s, they put emphasis on the development of heavy motorcycles with good or very good road and off-road performance. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, the process did not stop, but it actually accelerated. He led to the introduction in the 1930s and during World War II of such successful designs as the BMW R-12, BMW R75, or Zündapp KS 750. It is worth adding that motorcycles in the German army very often had a sidecar, intended for a soldier with a machine gun. Motorcycles in the German army proved themselves particularly well in the initial period of World War II, especially in the course of fighting in Poland (1939), France (1940), and also in North Africa (1941–1943). They were used primarily for reconnaissance operations, sometimes in the rear of the enemy army, and for liaison tasks.
The BMW R 75 is a German motorcycle from the Second World War. The drive was provided by a single 2-cylinder boxer engine with a capacity of 26 HP, allowing the vehicle to accelerate to 80–90 km/h. The first copies of this motorcycle were presented in 1939, and serial production continued in 1941–1946. Approximately 16,900 examples of this vehicle were built during its course.
The BMW R 75 was designed from the outset as the new entry-level multipurpose motorcycle for the German armed forces. Its design was based on other BMW motors: the R 12 and R 71 models. First of all, in relation to the R 12, a more powerful engine was used, the entire structure was significantly strengthened, and the off-road capability was increased, also in desert and winter conditions. In the course of production, the design of the BMW R75 was constantly improved; first of all, the gearbox and the front suspension were improved. It is worth adding that many components of the BMW R75 were unified with the Zundapp KS 750 motorcycle during serial production. The BMW R 75 motorcycle served on virtually all fronts of World War II, also in North Africa and on the Eastern Front. It is recognized as one of the most famous and successful German military motorcycles of 1939–1945.