Yearning for those times of way ago...........R/75/5

[Dr. Curve]

Today I almost bought a bike........and still may, after seeing it in person, hearing it crank and purr, and noting how it is simply vintage, original, and low mileage. 21000 Km on it, 1973, R75/5, original Krauser Bags (first year they were made square like) with lids painted to match the factory blue, both sets of bars, engine never apart except for valve settings, no wrecks, everything as new except some mars on the rear fender under the seat, original crash bars, one piece luggage rack which the original Krausers clip to, beautiful speedo and tac, as new looking, blinks, original mufflers, original horn........the list goes on.

Does this happen to any of my pelican brothers? I want it to ride on at a putt-putt pace, to take me back to the "once upon a time ago's" when everything was basic and simple.

Then I look at the drum brakes, the beautiful spokes, the tube filler nipple, and the small head light............and wonder aloud. Do I really want that for the road and drivers of today? Lots of money (4900 plus related cost) to get it. Thoughts? Am I kidding myself? Does this happen to you? How do you keep these urges in check?

[Bob Hancock]

I've been going through the same thing with a '93 black 900SS with white frame. I didn't jump on it and so now will just think about other things until the burn leaves. I just can't spend like my hero Jay Leno.

[Deans BMW]

Bro Curve, my first Beemer was a '72 Blue Toaster SWB R75/5, bought it sight unseen and my first ride ever on a Beemer was when I road that bike home from the dealer in San Antonio, Texas to Kerrville. Have been hooked since.

The urge to buy that is almost overwhelming..................

Enjoy.

[twodear]

I'm that close now that I can taste it...reliving the feeling of being 6 years old, riding behind Dad on a red 1963 Honda CA95 Benly 150. I found a fairly original CA95, needs the two piece enclosed chain guard and original exhaust.

Okay, Dad is 87 now, probably won't be riding behind him, maybe just alongside his car, but it is still close; just have to clear out the other projects that got put in front of it.

[sgoodwin]

My first was a '75 R90/6. I picked it over a primo R75/5 because even then I was a realist & knew the disc brakes & extra power were a better bet in traffic & twisty roads. Never went backwards yet. Doesn't mean I don't look I just remember how they really were. Newer machines work better in every way & I believe the cagers want you dead(at least they try often enough) so I'll take the advantages of newer bikes.

[BumbleBeemer36]

If you want vintage feel with almost the same asthetics as the /5 get a /7. Or even better a newer than '81. That's when the points went away and the brakes went to Brembo.

That was the advice of my local (vintage friendly) independent BMW repair.

[Dr. Curve]

How ironic Dean...........in the late fall of 1971 I bought a white 1970 R75/5 with just 7500 or so miles on it. My life was forever changed. I had bought my first BMW, a 63 R69S, earlier that year but it had issues and I was only "so-so" about it. The R75 was a different animal however and came through with a 2:62 rear end. It would take a while to get up there........but on the roads north of Irving, Texas where I was living on a horse and cattle farm, she would run on up to above 110 and just stay there, short wheel base and all. The brakes felt great to me at the time and I fell in love. In the Spring of 1972 I left Dallas and headed out to see how far North I could go on two wheels. At the time, about 85 miles north of Fairbanks was it, and that is just how far I got. The Alcan was no picnic back then like it is now. I had flat tire about every 100 or so miles, rocks coming at me from the huge double trailer logging trucks coming my way, mud wash areas axle deep, and mosquitos the size of dragon flys. Still............that bike just kept running, and running. I would eventually sell it in 1974, having put some 77,000 miles on it, covering most of the states and staying in the road day and night. We would meet at the "Quiet Man" off of Cedar Springs in Dallas on Thursday nites and the MOA was just starting to form. Perry Bushong was starting to put BMW 1600-cc car pistons in the R75s and we all had gone to low bars with home made "wedge shaped" windscreens which we home made after learning more of Jim Halls ground effects theory he had learned over in Odessa. I got some tapered megaphones for mine, did a clean up job on the heads, silver soldered the butterflies to their shaft so they could be filed down for max flow, lightened the flywheel using a 1/4 inch drill and installed some low bars. NOTHING could catch me, of so I felt at the time.

Since then I have never been with out one of more BMWs in my shop, house, or driveway. I have had Ducati, Triumph, Aprilla, MV Agusta, Laverda, and one 1982 Suzuki Katana. I have had all of the BMW engines they have made............fast, slow, and in-between. Still............nothing has ever given me any more pleasure than I felt during my formative days on that 1970 R R75/5. Nothing.

It was all I could do not to buy that bike today and I may still do it. I have had 6 R75/5 bikes over these decades.........but to find one original with that low a mileage is just too tempting. The bike only has 13048 miles on it and the engine has never been apart except for to check the valves. The points have only been changed once according to the owner.

Hopelessly Romantic or another old fool............which must I be?

[Droptarotter]

Go for it Curve!

I still have my '82 R100S that I ordered and recieved in April 1982.

200,000km's on it and I still enjoy riding it, I just have to remember and ride it for what it is.

I have every bill and repair note........the insurance sticker that was on it when it went with me to Australia........and lots of good memories.

It's just part of me..........



Cheers

[DanceswPavement]

Do eet! you hopeless romantic you

[hellfishtat]

Having just upgraded from a '77 CB750F (I know it's a different make, but my love of inline 4's is strong) to my '99 R11s I feel that I am qualified to speak on this.

Do it! Do it now, don't miss the chance. Especially if you have a garage or work shop.

I love having a older bike (and car to be honest). People always come up and say "I use to have one of those" or "I really wanted one of those way back..." It's a great way to meet people and it makes you feel good.

That being said, I upgraded to the R11s because I wanted to RIDE. And by ride I mean get on the damn thing and go. Only having to worrying about gas, oil and where I'm going to go.

Just clik on my "Garage" and you'll see I have a problem.

[celticus]

I’ve still got friends who ride R75/5s pretty darned fast. Two kids on two Ducati Hypermotards were dismayed last year down around Suches Ga when they could not shake the guy on the old BMW. He is smooth and tries to never lose his hard earned forward momentum on that bike. A short wheel base.

Mark

[Dr. Curve]

What people often forget Mark, about the early /5 units. The shorter wheelbase bikes don't need to lean over as far to get around a corner at the same given speed as their long wheel base brothers. I was at one time fairly quick on a SWB /5. Smoothness is everything plus weighting the inside peg, especially on a shaft drive airhead, plus knowing when to give it power in the apex so that the bike does not squat down. Lots of technique that is different from a chain drive. More power to that old guy who ever he is.

[bikerfish1100]

$4900 is pricey, imo. have seen ones come & go for less than half that within the last year or 2.
your $, your call.

[bikerfish1100]

Originally Posted by BumbleBeemer36

If you want vintage feel with almost the same asthetics as the /5 get a /7. Or even better a newer than '81. That's when the points went away and the brakes went to Brembo.

That was the advice of my local (vintage friendly) independent BMW repair.

someone tell me why i find this post to be extremely funny and ironic.

[throttlemeister]

Curve, get it. You only live once, and it is only money.

[BumbleBeemer36]

Originally Posted by bikerfish1100

someone tell me why i find this post to be extremely funny and ironic.

I don't get it - what part?

I admit at the time I posted it, I hadn't paid attention to who was asking about /5's.

This was a recent topic in my house as my wife was wanting a /5 as her second bike and I asked around if this was a no-no plan.

I owned a '78 R80/7 for 10 years and finally sold it when I realized given any circumstance I would rather ride my '82.

Speaking of my wife and old beemers, I let her ride mine last weekend:

[Rapid Dog]

...93 black 900SS with white frame...

...you too huh? If I sell my R12GS I'll be lusting for the old for the new (again). Either the SS/CR or a another R100RS.
I've drawn the line at drum brakes though...

Not to highjack but, never ridden a monoshock RS, but looking real close.

[shreddr]

Doc, I have posted here a few times on the same topic, going simpler and doing a cafe R100 like this:



I am sure I would love to have one of these, but I just know it will underperform the R12S in every way, and so I think why bother. maybe when I get over the need for speed I can go for a more sedate machine.

[Dr. Curve]

VERY NICE Shred! Thanks for the post. Those look like twin shoe Fontana front brakes, double lead edge brakes on the rear as well............. and one must be very careful running that way because of the likelihood of gravel getting between the shoe and the drum. I bet he has screens that snap in place. Beautiful 4.5 degree taper megaphones and a nicely raised R69S engine most likely with a Bowman flywheel and possibly magneto ignition and straightened intake ports from the heads. Four speed, 700cc. Very Rare to see someone go that far on one of the older bikes.

[Dr. Curve]

I tried to send a photo Shred of what I use around the shop for airhead time but it may not go thru. Thoughts