The 247 cc BMW R27, introduced in 1960, was the last shaft-driven, single-cylinder motorcycle manufactured by BMW.

After World War II, the Potsdam Agreement of the USSR, USA, and the UK, prohibited BMW Aktiengesellschaft (AG) from building motorcycles. Later, this ban was lifted and in 1948 BMW produced its first postwar motorcycle, the 250 cc R24, which was based largely on the prewar R23. It was the only postwar BMW motorcycle produced without a rear suspension. BMW introduced the R25 model, with plunger rear suspension, in 1950. The last of the plunger models, the R25/3, was introduced in 1953.

In 1956 BMW introduced a completely revamped thumper, the R26 (engine numbers 340 001 – 370 236), with improvements paralleling those introduced at the same time in the boxer twins. The R26 came with an enclosed drive shaft, rear swingarm, and front Earles forks. A new headlight nacelle came with a sliding black plastic over the ignition key, and the “bell-bottom” front fender was dropped along with the mechanics' hand shifter. The engine of the R26 was bolted directly to the frame, and produced 15 hp (11 kW).