New for 1938, the R 61 touring bike used BMW’s fully-suspended tube-steel frame powered by a side-valve engine. The four-speed gearbox was foot-shifted, with a hand shifter optional. The R 61 seen here was first used by the German postal service with a utility sidecar built by Royal, an exact replica of which was commissioned from Ideal by owner Jack Wells during the bike’s restoration. Jack’s Deutsche Post R 61 is believed to be the only one of its type, and it’s been honored with several Best in Class awards.