BMW motorcycles, like those of its rival Zündapp, were widely used by the Wehrmacht throughout the war on all fronts.
Both manufacturers began developing motorcycles with improved off-road capabilities for military use in parallel in the early 1940s. It soon became apparent that the design proposed by Zündapp had somewhat better characteristics than its BMW counterpart. However, in response to the army's ever-growing demand, motorcycle production was standardized, resulting in the BMW R75 and Zündapp KS 750, which shared up to 70% of their components.
The motorcycle was equipped with a spacious sidecar fitted with an MG34 machine gun. Its 746 cc two-cylinder boxer engine produced 26 horsepower. Two-wheel drive, including a driven sidecar wheel, low-range gears, a lockable differential, and wide tires gave the motorcycle excellent off-road capability while also providing good performance. The 670 kg vehicle could reach a top speed of up to 92 km/h.
Production of the BMW R75 continued until 1944, when the BMW factory in Eisenach was severely damaged by bombing. By that time, approximately 16,500 motorcycles had been produced. A further 98 motorcycles were assembled in 1946 as part of war reparations for the Soviet Union.
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