1961 BMW R50S Avus Black

This Running PROJECT BIKE is a RARE Gem!

The R50S is the rarest production BMW from 1955 to 1969. This is one of just 1,634 R50S's made by BMW in 1961— the only year in which the model was produced — and is number 150 in the production run.

There is much to know about this exceptional PROJECT BIKE , and you can scroll down to read a complete and very detailed description. But, if you want just a SUMMARY of the important features before you run to grab your phone, we will begin here with that. 

• This PROJECT BIKE includes the Schorsch Maier dual seat, 18-liter/4.5-gallon gas tank, European low handlebars, Hella headlight and tail lamp guards, factory tire pump and side stand, correct BMW exhaust, an original owner’s manual, a complete original BMW tool kit with pouch, Chilton’s hardcover manual, knob, and flat original ignition keys plus the fork/tool compartment key.

• This motorcycle was owned by just ONE family since it was purchased new in October, 1961 at legendary Ghost Motorcycles in Port Washington, New York.

• Stored inside for +/-35 years after logging about 50,000 miles, the R50S was recently started after a carb rebuild, changing the spark plugs, and trimming the plug wires at the plug caps.

• This unrestored survivor should be capable of remaining that way following practical maintenance that might include the following: new tires; a full tune-up; wheel, head and swingarm bearing services; replacing assorted rubber parts, cables, gaskets & seals; sealing the tank (it’s very clean but has a small pinhole); honing the cylinders and installing new rings. But most of the hardware, trim, the full exhaust system, and suspension are in good original condition and can probably be used as is for a long time. If you're like Bob and many of our clients, you enjoy owning, sharing and riding vintage and classic BMWs with their patina of age and other evidence of their interesting lives (thus far) on display. On the other hand, should the next owner/caretaker choose to undertake a full restoration, this PROJECT BIKE makes an ideal candidate.

• Offered at a realistic current market value/price of $21,995. Please NOTE: interesting trades of bikes or artifacts that Bob does not already have on display in the Vintage BMW Museum will be considered!

IMPORTANT: As with all PROJECT BIKES we want buyers to know as much as possible about the bike before making a purchase. We’ve nothing to hide and our only goal is that each new owner feels they paid fairly and got good VALUE. We encourage you to call, schedule a time to meet with one of our sales advisors, and inspect the machine in person to fully understand all the positives as well as the potential downsides involved in the refurbishing process. Please take a moment to learn more about Bob’s PROJECT BIKE program HERE.

And now…
the complete version of BOB’S 1961 BMW R50S: HISTORY, STORY, AND FACTS FOR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS

This R50S is one of just 1,634 produced by BMW in 1961, the only year of production. A few were sold, titled, and registered in 1962 as was common in that era and can be occasionally found identified as a 1962 model.

This is also an early machine – number 150 of only 1,634 built to be exact - in a production run that started at 564001 and ended with 565634.

All 3 VIN markings - 564151 – factory stamped on the main frame, the motor case and a on the curved metal ID plate screwed onto the steering head match; all stampings are crystal clear.

In their short existence the R50S was known for exceeding the top speed of the R69 – the larger bore sports machine of the same era. BMW engineers were concerned that unless they added more horsepower to the soon to be released and upgraded R69S they would have to add more horsepower to be competitive and find buyers. Instead, they cease production of what has become the most desired and rarest machine built by BMW between 1955 and 1969.

This example is offered as a Project Bike with the standard Schorsch Maier -Denfeld produced bench dual seat (an upgrade over the rubber Denfeld solo seat), the standard 18 liter or 4.5-gallon gas tank, low European handlebars, the chrome plated horn dimmer switch, Hella headlight and tail lamp guards and the optional (from importer Butler & Smith) chrome air filter housing, the factory tire pump (not working), the correct factory side stand, the original owner’s manual and tool kit described further on.

Purchased new in October, 1961, at legendary Ghost Motorcycles in Port Washington, New York, for use in Connecticut where the original purchaser lived, then much later used in Maryland after relocating. It was held by that one family until Bob acquired it in February of 2022.

According to the owner’s son, who occasionally rode the bike, the machine was always well cared for, regularly serviced and kept indoors when not being ridden. Started up roughly once every six months after 1985, when the machine last saw any real miles. There were no service records transferred to Bob (despite his asking) as they were apparently lost in the final move of the bike. He did share details on two repairs worth noting: "The transmission was rebuilt in the 1970s." and, "The heads were rebuilt in the early 1980s." Other than that, no other mechanical work records are available.

Within a week or so of the motorcycles arrival in 2022, Bob and one of the BMW Master Techs at Bob’s got the bike started after changing the sparkplugs, trimming the plug wire ends and performing a light cleaning on the carb jets and float bowls and kicking it over some two dozen times using a remote fuel bottle to keep the tank in the fully dry state it arrived in. It started up and begrudgingly idled but the carbs and possibly other items in the electrical system like points and condenser may require a complete rebuild or refresh before it could run well enough to be taken out for a good test; although the tires leave much to be desired from a safety perspective so riding it more than a few times is not recommended.

At that time, we could hear a little noise from the engine – most likely some ring wear or inability to seat properly after 32-37 years of mostly sitting in a basement. There was possibly a little crank or connecting rod noise mixed in which is not unusual for a machine of this age with 50,000 miles and being an R50S. It was also not run long enough on this work lift setting to allow the motor to fully warm up, based on past experience these sounds can change – usually positively - a lot after a machine is fully warmed up and ridden ten or more miles.

Fast forward to March of 2025 when Bob decided he was not going to get around to this Project Bike himself and he did not need a second R50S in his collection. It is now the first of perhaps 4-6 machines that will be offered for sale during 2025 to make space, and dollars for other machines Bob is currently chasing.

For what it’s worth, the next owner will not fund a vacation for Bob and his wife Suzanne but further enhancements to an extensive collection presented in a true Museum setting, one that is shared several dozen times each year with BMW enthusiasts from around the corner, around this country, this continent and around the globe.

This Project Bike was recently taken out of the museum, handed over to a BMW tech. The carbs were removed and a complete rebuilt was performed. Two gallons of fresh fuel were placed in the tank and the starting procedure was attempted. After numerous attempts it fired up. It was only running on one side until it had warmed up, taking several minutes of gentle nudging. It was turned off and started two more times with just a few kicks each. At this point, the motor had warmed up enough to generate better compression on the right side (possibly weak rings?) and was found to be running reasonably equally and warm on both sides. We did not run it longer than about 2 minutes so as not to risk overheating.

A small fuel leak was noted on the forward, mid-range side of the gas tank from what seem to be a few very tiny pin holes which should be easy to fix. These were not observed when first acquired as the tank was dry and we used a remote fuel bottle. The petcock is not fully operational and has some kind of sealant where it screws onto the tank, so we drained it and restarted the R50S using a remote fuel bottle. The bike was now running on both sides smoothly having been allowed to warm up even further with a fan nearby.

Our determination/opinion is that if this 1961 R50S Project Bike receives a thorough refurbishing by an enthusiast or a repair shop with the skills such as Bob’s and others with this interest have, including a cylinder honing and fresh rings and even lapping in the valves for good measure it might still fall into the category of an enjoyable and decent daily rider before one might consider a full driveline rebuild further down the road.

This is our educated guess, and we remind all lookers and prospective buyers that this is sold as a Project Bike with all those fully disclosed conditions and a special Bill of sales/disclaimer document available on our website for review.

Like most Project Bikes of this era, it needs new tires and a full tune, bearing services on the wheels, both swingarms and the steering head plus lots of rubber, cables and assorted gaskets and seals. But most hardware, trim, the full exhaust system, and even the suspension is in good original condition and can be used as it sits for a very long time if like Bob and many of our clients you enjoy owning, sharing and riding vintage and classic BMWs with the patina of age and their individual lives on display.

Bob visualizes this Project Bike as being back on the road as a survivor (his favorite category) as the original cosmetics are in very serviceable condition. Yes, there is evidence of an IRON CROSS emblem once being attached to the front fender by adhesive (shadow outline) and the top of the gas tank is unlikely to fully polish out to look like the sides or fenders, but at the proverbial ten to twenty feet it looks very good. There is evidence that long ago paintwork was performed on the lower half of the rear fender which the seller had no recollection of.

The seat is an older, period correct, stock BMW standard bench seat that is in excellent condition on top where you see it and sit as well as underneath where it really counts but is probably not the one it left the factory with. The header pipes and very rare, correct finned-aluminum exhaust nuts and larger diameter mufflers are in very serviceable condition, especially for their estimated age (might be original but more likely a second set) and miles.

The R50S came with special valve covers, produced only for these 1,634 machines. They are very rare and hard to come by. These original-to-the-bike examples are in excellent condition and like the rest of this Project Bike do not exhibit any signs of tip overs or crash damage.

Like most machines of this age – sixty-four years and counting for this Project Bike shows well especially for one that has not been refurbished or restored, there is some light rust on the wheel spokes and nipples, a little of the hardware and very slightly on the painted stock wheel hubcaps. The handlebar risers have very light rust and some under-the-chrome deterioration on the steering damper knob is visible. The original headlight bucket is in near perfect condition and the original and correct speedometer shows very well. But cosmetically, it is very serviceable just as it sits on this rare and handsome machine.

This bike came into Bob’s possession with a few important items that most machines of this vintage no longer have available when they change hands. Included in the transaction on this Project Bike are an original tool kit and pouch and while far from perfect (there was light rust on most tools which we have cleaned up) it is correct and complete. The bike still has a factory 227-page owner’s manual in very serviceable, but not perfect condition. It also includes an uncommon, if not downright rare, hard cover edition of Chilton’s Repair and Tune up Manual covering the 1955 through 1972 machines that is in good condition.

Nearly always missing on vintage bikes is a full set of keys. But this one comes complete with the black knob ignition key, the flat metal spare key, and the much harder-to-find original factory supplied key that fits and works the fork lock and the tool storage compartment on the left side of the gas tank! However, it does not have a factory rag or tire repair kit.

Due to the rarity and exceptional low production numbers plus the high degree of originality of this Project Bike, the asking price reflects that along with the condition it is currently in. In the past 64 months just five R50S examples have come available with four selling.

The final sales prices, including the buyer’s premiums (all were auctioned) that did sell between December of 2019 and March of 2022 averaged $33,665 with a low of $25,7258 and a high of $40,950. We could find no other R50S listed or completed private sales to include in this information. We suspect that all those examples would command a higher price some 3 to 5 years later and note that none have been offered since March of 2022 - three years ago!

Of course, each bike had different degrees of condition ranging from nicely restored but not perfect and including several incorrect period parts to a superb, concours level restoration with a few very nice, period correct options.

Bob believes that this bike, in the stated Project Bike condition, it is offered in, and what it may need to become a daily rider in safe and roadworthy condition while taking into consideration some owners may wish to go further with their efforts is offered at $21,995.

And while Bob is looking for cash to grow the collection and enhance the Museum experience for future visitors along with some yet to be planned special events, interesting machines not in the collection or rare artifacts to display and share would always be considered in trade.