A total of 1,452 models were manufactured from 1952 to 1954,[4] making it one of BMW's rarest production motorcycles.

[3] In October 1951, at the German International Motorcycle Show in Frankfurt, BMW displayed a new high performance model.

[2] A separate pillion pad resembled a passenger saddle, but was provided for the rider to slide backward in order to crouch low for higher speeds.

The short vertical handle on the side of the transmission is often referred to as a mechanic's shifter.

A 1954 R68 restored by Tim Stafford of San Diego took second place among German motorcycles at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.