Classic motorcycles attain desirability for any number of reasons, but every once in a while we come across one that checks every conceivable box—in this case—the BMW RS M255 Kompressor. At its core, we’re talking about a Grand Prix-winning motorcycle of staggering mechanical specification—designed with lightweight magnesium hubs and engine cases, and a vane-type supercharger delivering 15 psi. It’s also a witness to one of the most tumultuous periods in history, having been developed and raced in the late 1930s, and surviving the subsequent chaos of the Second World War. Rare from day one, BMW estimates no more than 10 were produced, and just seven are believed to exist today.
BMW has always enjoyed a reputation for technological innovation, and considering the firm started experimenting with forced induction on motorcycles as early as the 1920s, it’s safe to say they’ve earned it.…