La motocicletta BMW R-75, o meglio, la BMW R-75 con sidecar (Schweres Kraftrad 750 cc. mit Seitenwagen), fu senza dubbio la motocicletta tedesca più famosa della seconda guerra mondiale, con più di 16000 esemplari prodotti. Fu largamente usata su tutti i fronti durante la guerra, dal nord Africa fino alla Russia, e dimostrò di essere estremamente affidabile ed adattabile ai terreni più ostili. Aveva un motore da 26 hp. a 4 rapporti più retromarcia con trazione sulla ruota posteriore della moto e quella del sidecar. La R-75 aveva freni idraulici nelle due ruote motrici e meccanici in quella anteriore ed era dotata di forcella anteriore telescopica. Il veicolo era principalmente usato come veicolo da ricognizione, ruolo che fu coperto più avanti dalla VW Kubelwagen. Molte R-75 avevano un supporto atto ad ospitare una mitragliatrice MG-34 e sulle moto in dotazione agli Africa Korps era solito coprire la parte posteriore delle mitragliatrici con un telo onde evitare che si infiltrasse della sabbia. Per caricare le munizioni la moto aveva bauletti addizionali da montare sul sidecar. Altri due modelli di motocicletta furono utilizzati durante la guerra, la R-12 e la Zundapp KS750, entrambe usate sia come normali motociclette o unite ad un sidecar. Il periodo di 

maggior successo di questi veicoli fu quello della guerra-lampo (Blitzkrieg), nel quale l’esercito tedesco utilizzò più motociclette (con o senza sidecar) di qualsiasi altro esercito di quel tempo. Sebbene fossero usate principalmente per ricognizioni, furono incredibilmente utili anche per catturare posizioni chiave non protette, come ponti, guadi o incroci stradali, e spesso potevano essere utilizzate per inserire un piccolo numero di uomini dietro le linee nemiche per interrompere movimenti e comunicazioni.

  The BMW R-75 heavy motorcycle, or, more accurately, the BMW R-75 with sidecar, Schweres Kraftrad 750 cc mit Seitenwagen, was undoubtedly the most popular German motorcycle of World War Two, with over 16,000 of them being built. It was used extensively on all fronts during the war, from North Africa to Russia, and proved to be extremely reliable and adaptable to the most hostile terrain. It had a 26 hp engine which drove the rear and sidecar wheel via a four-speed (and reverse) gearbox. The R-75 had hydraulic brakes on the drive wheels and mechanical brakes on the front, and was fitted with telescopic front forks. The vehicle was extensively used as a reconnaissance vehicle, a role which was later taken over by the Kubeiwagen. There were a large number of them fitted with a bar mount on the sidecar to take an MG34 machine-gun. In service with the Afrika Korps it was common practice to cover the breech of the gun with a canvas cover to prevent it from being fouled by the sand. The vehicle had not only side panniers for ammunition supplies and other equipment, but also valises mounted on the sidecar to house additional MG34 machine-gun ammunition. The Germans also used the BMW R-12 heavy motorcycle which was built between 1935 and 1941. It had a 746 cc air-cooled 2-cylinder engine and was used either as a solo vehicle or, in some cases, with a sidecar. The other major German heavy motorcycle of the period was the Zundapp KS750, which was also widely used and could be fitted with a sidecar. It had a 751 cc overhead valve air-cooled engine. The engine drove the rear wheel of the motorcycle as well as the sidecar in the same way as the BMW R-75. The heyday of the German heavy motorcycle was during the Blitzkrieg period of the war, when the German Army employed more motorcycles and motorcycle combinations than any other army of its time. Whilst they were primarily used for reconnaissance, they were incredibly useful in capturing unprotected key positions, such as bridges, fords and road crossings, and could often be used to insert small numbers of men behind enemy lines to disrupt movement and communications.