BMW M2B15
| BMW M2 B15 | |
|---|---|
 BMW M2B15 at Deutsches Museum | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | BMW |
| Also called |
Bayern-Kleinmotor,[1] Bayern Motor[2] |
| Production | 1920–1923[3] |
| Combustion chamber | |
| Configuration | flat-twin[4] |
| Displacement | 494 cc (30.1 cu in) |
| Cylinder bore | 68 mm (2.7 in)[4] |
| Piston stroke | 68 mm (2.7 in)[4] |
| Cylinder block alloy | cast iron[4] |
| Cylinder head alloy | cast iron, in unit with block[4] |
| Valvetrain | side-valve pushrod engine[4] |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | BMW carburettor[1] |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Oil system | wet sump[1] |
| Cooling system | air-cooled |
| Output | |
| Power output | 6.5 hp (4.8 kW)[2] |
| Dimensions | |
| Dry weight | 31 kg (68 lb)[1] |
The BMW M2B15 was BMW's first flat-twin engine.[3] Manufactured from 1920 to 1923, the M2B15 was intended to be a portable industrial engine,[2] but it was used by several German motorcycle manufacturers to power their motorcycles.[5]
In 1920, BMW engineer Max Friz reverse-engineered the engine of foreman Martin Stolle's 1914 Douglas motorcycle and developed a similar 500 cc side-valve flat engine from it.[4] This was referred to internally as the Type M2B15 and offered for sale officially as the "Bayern Motor".[2] The engine was tried out by various motorcycle manufacturers. Starting in 1920, Victoria of Nuremberg used the engine[2] in their KR 1 motorcycle,[3] and other manufacturers such as SMW and Bison also fitted it.[5]
Bayerische Flugzeugwerke used the M2B15 engine in their Helios motorcycle. BMW inherited the Helios when it was merged with BFW in 1922.[2][4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Translation of BMW M2 B15 owner's manual
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Norbye, Jan P. (1984). "The Origins of BMW: From Flying Machines to Driving Machines". BMW - Bavaria's Driving Machines. New York, NY, USA: Beekman House. pp. 14–17. ISBN 0-517-42464-9.
- 1 2 3 "M 2 B 15 "Small Bavarian Engine" (M15a)". BMW Classic: BMW History. Munich, Germany: BMW Group Classic. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
Construction time: 1920 - 1923
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Faloon, Ian (Feb 15, 2009). The BMW Boxer Twins Bible: All Air-Cooled Models 1970-1996 (Except R45, R65, G/S & GS). Veloce Publishing. pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-1-84584-1-683.
Coincidentally, BMW was also interested in motorcycles and in 1920 its foreman, Martin Stolle, stripped down his 1914 Douglas 500cc flat twin. Friz set about copying it, with a few modifications, and the BMW M2 B15 engine was born.
- 1 2 Walker, Mick (2005-09-01). "1: Background". How To Restore Your BMW Twin: 1955-1985. Motorbooks Workshop (2nd ed.). p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7603-2262-8. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
The M2B15 was supplied to Victoria, Bison, SMW and SBD and other smaller companies.