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Why does a R75/6 feel better to me than the R90?

bluecycle3

New member
I have been riding a loaner bike from my mechanic, a 74 R75/6, my bike is 76 R90/6. The problem is i cant get enough of riding the R75, it just makes me grin, smoother, rides softer, seems to run through the gears nicer and i like the old controls on the turn signals and such. I hate to ask this but am i crazy, or am i missing something?


Thanks Greg
 
I have been riding a loaner bike from my mechanic, a 74 R75/6, my bike is 76 R90/6. The problem is i cant get enough of riding the R75, it just makes me grin, smoother, rides softer, seems to run through the gears nicer and i like the old controls on the turn signals and such. I hate to ask this but am i crazy, or am i missing something?


Thanks Greg

Sounds like you're missing an R75/6 in your garage! :ha
 
I have been riding a loaner bike from my mechanic, a 74 R75/6, my bike is 76 R90/6. The problem is i cant get enough of riding the R75, it just makes me grin, smoother, rides softer, seems to run through the gears nicer and i like the old controls on the turn signals and such. I hate to ask this but am i crazy, or am i missing something?


Thanks Greg

Many old "airheads" (myself included) think that the R75/6 was really the high water point of BMW classic design. When the slash 5's were born (1970) the engine was designed specifically as a 750cc powerplant and was balanced and engineered for that size. The slash 6 was a definite improvement over the slash 5 but BMW also started competing more heavily with the big Japanese multi's and got into a displacement race. The powerplant could handle up to a litre in size but, over 750cc, engine balancing became a problem since all the designers did was increase the bore size of the engine leaving the lower end unchanged. I have both an R75/6 and an R100RT. The RT goes faster and feels more comfortable on long tours but, oh my my, the little slash 6 is sooo smooth and quiet.:thumb
 
why

kbasa, thats the big problem right now, i cant explain to the wife why i need 2 bikes that look the same. thanks greg
 
my first BMW

was a 1975 R75/6.
It was smooth, simple, fun to ride and why the heck did I ever sell it?

My two biggest mistakes were selling my black R75/6 and my Gold and white 94 Electraglide Ultra Classic.
 
all the designers did was increase the bore size of the engine leaving the lower end unchanged.

Now that the thread is down to pointless observations, how about this one:

If it's a boxer, the "lower end" isn't actually lower; it's in the middle. :scratch And if it's in the middle, it can hardly be an "end", can it? :dunno
 
less moving mass = smoother motor.
mechanic owned bike = (likely) tuned to perfection

so true.
I just added an R60/6 to my stable that I purchased from Beemerhill. Brian had put the top end from another bike into that engine and he balanced parts as he assembled it. Then it was 'tuned' so nicely. When you were talking about your R75 I could compare the same experience between the R60 and R100.

bluecycle3 said:
thats the big problem right now, i cant explain to the wife why i need 2 bikes that look the same.

because the R90/6 doesn't go with this outfit?
 
That is good to hear as I've just added a 1977 R75/7 to my stable. I noticed how smooth it is on my first couple of rides despite needing a carb adjust.

I'll probably make a pest of myself around here with questions as I go through it mechanically.
 
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