Reciprocating-piston machine, in particular a single-stage, two-stage or multi-stage piston compressor (400, 400') or a single-cylinder, two-cylinder or multi-cylinder compressor, having: - at least one cylinder (410, 420) and at least one piston (K1, K2) assigned to in each case one cylinder (410, 420), wherein, during operation, the piston (K1, K2) is deflected along a radially oriented cylinder axis in a cylinder swept volume (411, 421) of the cylinder (410, 420), - a crankshaft which can be driven during operation and which has a crankshaft journal, arranged eccentrically with respect to a shaft axis of the crankshaft, and which has a drive shaft coupling, which is designed for the coupling of a drive shaft for driving the crankshaft, - at least one connecting rod (P1, P2) which is designed in each case for deflecting the at least one piston (K1, K2) and which runs along a connecting-rod axis (Pa, Pb) and which is movable by means of the crankshaft journal, wherein - the crankshaft journal and/or the drive shaft coupling is oriented along an axially oriented shaft axis which runs perpendicularly with respect to the radially oriented cylinder axis, characterized in that - the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the connecting rod is situated in a position in which at least one connecting-rod bearing (L1, L2) is braced with respect to the crankshaft journal by a predetermined force (Fk) acting on the at least one connecting-rod bearing (L1, L2) along the direction of the shaft axis, - wherein the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the at least one connecting rod is tilted with a tilt angle (α) relative to the radially oriented cylinder axis by the acting predetermined force (Fk), and - the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the connecting rod is brought into the position by virtue of a force acting along the direction of the shaft axis being imparted to the at least one connecting-rod bearing until a predetermined opposing force is attained. - at least one cylinder (410, 420) and at least one piston (K1, K2) assigned to in each case one cylinder (410, 420), wherein, during operation, the piston (K1, K2) is deflected along a radially oriented cylinder axis in a cylinder swept volume (411, 421) of the cylinder (410, 420), - a crankshaft which can be driven during operation and which has a crankshaft journal, arranged eccentrically with respect to a shaft axis of the crankshaft, and which has a drive shaft coupling, which is designed for the coupling of a drive shaft for driving the crankshaft, - at least one connecting rod (P1, P2) which is designed in each case for deflecting the at least one piston (K1, K2) and which runs along a connecting-rod axis (Pa, Pb) and which is movable by means of the crankshaft journal, wherein - the crankshaft journal and/or the drive shaft coupling is oriented along an axially oriented shaft axis which runs perpendicularly with respect to the radially oriented cylinder axis, characterized in that - the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the connecting rod is situated in a position in which at least one connecting-rod bearing (L1, L2) is braced with respect to the crankshaft journal by a predetermined force (Fk) acting on the at least one connecting-rod bearing (L1, L2) along the direction of the shaft axis, - wherein the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the at least one connecting rod is tilted with a tilt angle (α) relative to the radially oriented cylinder axis by the acting predetermined force (Fk), and - the connecting-rod axis (Pa) of the connecting rod is brought into the position by virtue of a force acting along the direction of the shaft axis being imparted to the at least one connecting-rod bearing until a predetermined opposing force is attained.