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1969 R60/US Identification

VIEJO

VIEJO

Member
I am going to be looking at a 1969 R60/US in a few days. The bike is advertised as "complete but partially disassembled". I have no problems with reassembling the bike if it is not a Frankenbike. My question is- should the frame and engine numbers match on this bike? And, if this is not a proper tell-tale, what would be? The price is right..... but only if the bike is right. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

My earliest BMW was a '76 R90/6 and I've always wanted to go back a bit further.

Cheers,

Viejo
 
It sounds like fun

The engine number should match the stamped number on the frame, those numbers should match the serial number on the ID plate attached to the front of the steering head with two small machine screws. All those serial numbers should match the title and or any other paperwork you get with the bike. The numbers stamped on the frame and engine block should have tiny BMW roundels at each end, the numbers are stamped with individual stamps one numeral at a time as are the roundels at each end.

The frame will NOT have any side car mounts welded on.
 
Earls fork

I don't thing the US models had Earls forks, instead they had telescopic ones. Or at least all the US models I have seen had telescopic forks. St.
 
Yes, the US models were with telescopic forks, the forerunner of what appeared on the /5 bikes. They were marketed to the US primarily and felt that "we" wanted something more traditional. For me, I think the Earles forks are cool!
 
!969 R60/US Identification

69zeff65 said:
The engine number should match the stamped number on the frame, those numbers should match the serial number on the ID plate attached to the front of the steering head with two small machine screws. All those serial numbers should match the title and or any other paperwork you get with the bike. The numbers stamped on the frame and engine block should have tiny BMW roundels at each end, the numbers are stamped with individual stamps one numeral at a time as are the roundels at each end.

The frame will NOT have any side car mounts welded on.
Click to expand...

Mil gracias! That's exactly what I was looking for.

Viejo
 
20774 said:
Yes, the US models were with telescopic forks, the forerunner of what appeared on the /5 bikes. They were marketed to the US primarily and felt that "we" wanted something more traditional. For me, I think the Earles forks are cool!
Click to expand...

Agreed- Earles front ends are definitely cool and would be my no-brainer first choice for a sidecar rig, but all other things being equal I believe a well set up hydraulic fork front end suits me better. I have occasion to ride on (fairly well maintained) dirt/caliche roads in the Texas Hill Country from time to time and the Earles front end is not overly fond of anything other than clean pavement. (My '03 K1200RS has been know to actually snarl at me and threaten violence if I even think about taking it off-pavement..... it's not even all that fond of dirty pavement.)

Viejo
 
STEVENRANKIN said:
I don't thing the US models had Earls forks, instead they had telescopic ones. Or at least all the US models I have seen had telescopic forks. St.
Click to expand...

....and a fairly massive leading shoe front brake. About the only drum front brake set-up bigger than that was found on 601 Zundapps which were so massive there was hardly any room for spokes between the drum casting and the rim.

Viejo
 
I wasn't aware that the US models had anything different for brakes than the other /2 era bikes. RealOEM shows the same part number for the front hub for an R60/2 produced in 1969 and an R69S built in 1969. I can't really search for US models in the fiche as they were spaced through the latter run. I think they were all the same??? :dunno
 
20774 said:
I wasn't aware that the US models had anything different for brakes than the other /2 era bikes. RealOEM shows the same part number for the front hub for an R60/2 produced in 1969 and an R69S built in 1969. I can't really search for US models in the fiche as they were spaced through the latter run. I think they were all the same??? :dunno
Click to expand...

I would imagine you are correct. At that time I was still riding a mix of Brit bikes and Panhead Harleys and, while BMW's were definitely on my radar by then, I didn't know all that much about BMW model differences, especially regarding the "US" models.


One thing I do recall from that time- if memory serves (not always a given), 1969 was the year that both BMW motorcycle and Volks Wagon Beetle prices went above $2K..... almost all the pundits declared it would be the death of them both :blah.

Viejo
 
PGlaves said:
Indeed! That brake made the single disk /6 brake seem like dragging your feet to stop.
Click to expand...

If I hadn't let go of my '76 R90/6 (baaad decision to say the least) it definitely would have gotten a /7 front end with a double disc.

I thought the single disc /6 front brake was the most amazing system I had ever ridden.... at the time. But you have to remember that my previous bike had had an 8" over front end on a 1" raked rigid frame sporting a 2:25X21 front wheel assembly with no brake at all :whistle.


Viejo
 
Good brakes are just a fad

as you trend back to the good ole days! If you ride an antique bike with drum brakes, leading link, double over head cam, dual disk, posi-grab or all that other crap stuff about old brakes all you have to remember is the brakes suck so don't get sucked into a "I need brakes now" situation. "Ride what you have not what you wish you had"

Getting back to the OP's original concern (should be moved to Vintage) I'm happy my .02 cents helped a little bit, hopefully you find a nice correct example of a US forked /2 and your able to save it and refresh it to its original condition and after that enjoy it as well as understand it's limitations.
 
69zeff65 said:
as you trend back to the good ole days! If you ride an antique bike with drum brakes, leading link, double over head cam, dual disk, posi-grab or all that other crap stuff about old brakes all you have to remember is the brakes suck so don't get sucked into a "I need brakes now" situation. "Ride what you have not what you wish you had"
Click to expand...

My point was that the double leading shoe front brakes on the vintage bikes (and /5 bikes) were fine, and better than the /6 single disk front brakes, which were BMW's original anti-lock brakes. The problem I had was the grabbiness in wet weather.
 
69zeff65 said:
as you trend back to the good ole days! If you ride an antique bike with drum brakes, leading link, double over head cam, dual disk, posi-grab or all that other crap stuff about old brakes all you have to remember is the brakes suck so don't get sucked into a "I need brakes now" situation. "Ride what you have not what you wish you had"

Getting back to the OP's original concern (should be moved to Vintage) I'm happy my .02 cents helped a little bit, hopefully you find a nice correct example of a US forked /2 and your able to save it and refresh it to its original condition and after that enjoy it as well as understand it's limitations.
Click to expand...

The BMW scouts got a sniff of this one and bid it up way beyond my comfort point (original ask was $2K).... seller wouldn't tell me what it finally went for, but he was about to giggle when I last talked with him.

Viejo
 
PGlaves said:
My point was that the double leading shoe front brakes on the vintage bikes (and /5 bikes) were fine, and better than the /6 single disk front brakes, which were BMW's original anti-lock brakes. The problem I had was the grabbiness in wet weather.
Click to expand...

Yep.... that single disc was an "all or nothing" experience in the wet; almost impossible to feather. Somehow or another, though, I managed to put about 200K on my /6, rain or shine (once I got rid of the original rock hard Metzlers which were borderline suicidal in the rain).

Viejo
 
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