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The Legendary Motorcycles of Germany
- Thread starter oldcamper
- Start date
time2ride
New member
My oldest son (26) but his first bike this year. He really wanted a Ducati monster, but luckily listened to me and got a reasonable first bike, a 500X. Not a lot of power but easy to handle and he now is happy he bought it. He figures he will keep it for a couple of years and then get a larger bike when he is more comfortable and more experienced. When he is ready for a new bike I am going to buy the 500X off him for putting around town.
Brian
RPGR90s
Member
Legendary
Every time I lament the good old days, I remember going through a museum in Colorado that showcased an earlier life. When you get to the old dentist office (with the stone age drilling equipment), I'm glad I live in modern times.
Best of both world's is a R90s Airhead and a modern fuel injected twin.
RickR90s
I've noticed that about every 6 months a thread fires up about how great all things BMW used to be in the "old" days. The thread inevitably has contributions from riders who think BMW should build smaller / lighter bikes while ignoring the mid-sized GS series or the R Nine T. The lament continues about maintenance costs and reliability while also ignoring the fact that many riders like myself have never had a part fail, excepting in my case a coil and a couple of headlight bulbs, in 10 years of riding. Then the comparisons to Japanese bikes start (in this case, the thoroughly horrible NC700) while again ignoring the fact that BMW is coming off a number of years of record sales so I'm guessing Germany must be doing something right. The day BMW starts building bikes using old technology is the day they start competing with Harley for a shrinking demographic of riders.
So, if you want an airhead-like bike then buy an airhead. There are many fine examples out there for reasonable prices.
I have one suggestion for all the naysayers - this is life as we now know it, there is no going back, so get used to it and quit yer whining.
Every time I lament the good old days, I remember going through a museum in Colorado that showcased an earlier life. When you get to the old dentist office (with the stone age drilling equipment), I'm glad I live in modern times.
Best of both world's is a R90s Airhead and a modern fuel injected twin.
RickR90s
Visian
look out!!!
I have one suggestion for all the naysayers - this is life as we now know it, there is no going back, so get used to it and quit yer whining.
I believe I am getting used to it.... after about 10-12 different BMWs over 45 years, I believe I've bought my last one. BMW knows all about customers like me.
I have about zero use for over-weight, highly-complex and exceptionally-expensive-to-own motorcycles. BMW is just going the wrong way for me.
That said, I will probably keep the ones I have.
I believe I am getting used to it.... after about 10-12 different BMWs over 45 years, I believe I've bought my last one. BMW knows all about customers like me.
I have about zero use for over-weight, highly-complex and exceptionally-expensive-to-own motorcycles. BMW is just going the wrong way for me.
I’m of a similar mindset, but with only about 38 years of BMW ownership.
I have absolutely no interest in a BMW motorcycle with a Chinese engine.
Hopefully this is just a temporary mistake on BMW’s part, like they did back in the 80’s when they announced the end of the R100 boxers, only to bring them back four years later due to customer demand.
Time will tell but I can’t wait four years for a new, smaller and lighter shaft-drive boxer.
Maybe BMW will surprise us ...
Visian
look out!!!
20/20 hindsight, I should have just reduced the suspension height on my HP2e... I still would have had 7-8" clearance and could reach the ground on a 425lb/110hp hooligan tool.
jammess
Jammess
TO GET BACK ON TOPIC....
We live in a world economy now. To quote Raghuram Rajan, "We are in a world where we don't know the fundamental value of any asset." Buick Regals made in Germany? None of it makes any sense to me, but I'm not quite ready to crawl under a rock, but sometimes I think i'm headed in that direction.
https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/04/05/surprise-general-motors-all-new-buick-regal-isnt-a.aspx
E.
RPGR90s
Member
Bmw
When I discovered BMW in the early 80's, I took pride in knowing that my bike (74 R90s) was made in Germany, engineered in Germany, tested in Germany and proven in the real world. I felt I could identify with their passion for producing a unique, high quality product.
My brother's rode Harley's and they were equally passionate, knowing that their bikes were made in the USA, by engineer's in Milwaukee.
The world economy has it's benefit's and one can't argue that quality is certainly a by-product, but I believe the long term success of any company hinges in some part on the passion, devotion and enthusiasm of it's customer base.
And that I believe is definitely waning.
RPGR90s
When I discovered BMW in the early 80's, I took pride in knowing that my bike (74 R90s) was made in Germany, engineered in Germany, tested in Germany and proven in the real world. I felt I could identify with their passion for producing a unique, high quality product.
My brother's rode Harley's and they were equally passionate, knowing that their bikes were made in the USA, by engineer's in Milwaukee.
The world economy has it's benefit's and one can't argue that quality is certainly a by-product, but I believe the long term success of any company hinges in some part on the passion, devotion and enthusiasm of it's customer base.
And that I believe is definitely waning.
RPGR90s
greenwald
New member
Subman
New member
My son's a (former) Marine going to college on the GI bill. Got his M/C endorsement and his first bike last year...a BMW G310R. He's a BMW/German fanatic in all ways (drives a 12 year old 3 series, studying German), and yet he's not bothered at all that his bike wasn't actually made in Germany. He's just happy that he's got a bike that, for him, has been great to ride and only cost a shade under $5K. He wants to graduate to, probably, an R12R someday when he can afford it, so it's serving its purpose as an affordable intro to the brand.
Last edited:
brownie0486
Well-known member
There are NO ex marines, only former marines./
Don't let your son hear you call him an ex. And tell him semper fi from another rider.
Subman
New member
There are NO ex marines, only former marines./
Don't let your son hear you call him an ex. And tell him semper fi from another rider.
LOL - I stand corrected. After my 30 years as a submariner & lots of time around the Corps you think I'd know better...
brownie0486
Well-known member
The MOA, RA, and local clubs deserve a lot of credit for generating and maintaining enthusiasm among club members. With the different BMW models and varied rider interests this has not been easy the past few years, but the clubs still have a lot to offer and are one reason I’ve stuck with BMW so long.
Also, even though they lack many modern features, classic BMW motorcycles can still be very enjoyable. An older BMW made in Germany might serve most of my local riding and club affiliation needs, with an inexpensive but reliable Japanese bike as backup for those occasional longer trips.
I’m still hoping for a new, mid-size shaft-drive boxer from Germany (or even Japan), though. Japanese Marusho built a shaft-drive boxer years ago. Anyone remember those?
RPGR90s
Member
Bmw
I concur. I've rediscovered the enjoyment of riding my '74 R90s this past summer. My R1150RT developed some weird electrical issues that I'm still dealing with so I did some late fall trips on the old bike. What it lacks in modern performance, it more than makes up for in character, lightness, ease of handling and above all, solid reliability.
On a Sept trip to Hocking Hills, it started idling pretty rough so I pulled the front cover to find the points gap closed down to .006". Reset it back to .016" and it ran like new the rest of the trip.
Lots to be said for old style carburetors, points.
RPGR90s
I concur. I've rediscovered the enjoyment of riding my '74 R90s this past summer. My R1150RT developed some weird electrical issues that I'm still dealing with so I did some late fall trips on the old bike. What it lacks in modern performance, it more than makes up for in character, lightness, ease of handling and above all, solid reliability.
On a Sept trip to Hocking Hills, it started idling pretty rough so I pulled the front cover to find the points gap closed down to .006". Reset it back to .016" and it ran like new the rest of the trip.
Lots to be said for old style carburetors, points.
RPGR90s
Wasn't the first tool given an apprentice machinist in Germany a file? If you couldn't file a thousandth flat, how could you machine anything? Prediction, airheads ain't going away. They may, in fact, even with all their warts, be the pinnacle of motorad's achievements. Or maybe the K bikes were the last before the cookie cutters. There's always something close to handmade that approaches an art.
Almost forgot, have a quiet, enjoyable Thanksgiving.
Almost forgot, have a quiet, enjoyable Thanksgiving.
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