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Daily rider...long distance trips with 1972 r75?

jfdesfosses

New member
Wasn't looking, but got offered a 1972 r75 completely rebuilt in pristine condition for 4500$cad...


Now i would use it as my main ride. My commute is once a month, a 1600km trip back and forth at the beginning and the end of the month...

Would the r75 of that year be a good idea? I heard amazing things about it...
 
Well, back in the day, that was all that they had and people did all kinds of things with the R75/5! The cost seems a bit low (about $3300-3500) for something that was completely rebuilt. How many miles? What was the extent of the rebuild?

That said, if it fits you and the bike is in good condition, no reason to not be able to make that kind of trip. You'll need to be prepared to fix things from time to time. Charging system, points/timing, etc. But if you're reasonably handy, no problem. The /5 with the short wheelbase can possibly present with unstable steering but only when the bike is overloaded, with saddlebags, with handlebar fairing, etc. But nothing that can't be dealt with. In good nick, the /5 is a good machine.
 
Wasn't looking, but got offered a 1972 r75 completely rebuilt in pristine condition for 4500$cad...


Now i would use it as my main ride. My commute is once a month, a 1600km trip back and forth at the beginning and the end of the month...

Would the r75 of that year be a good idea? I heard amazing things about it...

That's a good price on a "pristine" R75. Have the valves been upgraded for unleaded fuel?
 
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All good questions I will check with the seller. I'll be talking to him tonight. But seriously...gorgeous machine...

As far as back in the days that's all people had... True, but 47 years is a long time for a ride.... Thus my question on reliability for long hauls and daily commutes. I am handy and do enjoy maintenance and the odd repair though!
 
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Does it have a fairing?
To commute like that on a schedule I would have to have a full fairing, but that's just me.
Both my bikes have full fairings and I really like that.
I ride my friends naked bikes and the wind blast is a bit much, I must be a puss, I know.
 
If the re-build was done by someone knowledgeable of boxers then the bike should be reliable. If you acquire some knowledge and ability to keep the bike maintained many miles are possible. [Even if you don't do the maintenance, but have someone do the basic work the bike may go many miles.]

There was a feller named Fred Tausch that put over 600k miles on a early 70s R60/5. Fred has passed on and the bike is now part of a museum collection (Bob's BMW, I think).

Here are a couple of pictures of Fred's bike. [Fred was an interesting guy and I enjoyed talking with him.]

04lr9.jpgFredSmiles-vi.jpg
 
Last year I rode my 1972 R75/5 to Cape Cod. From there I rode west into NY state and then returned home. Total mileage was just over 1,600 miles. I did have one problem. Rivets in the rear wheel failed. Fortunately I was close to an independent BMW shop that got me back on the rode in less than 24 hours. Can your R75/5 do that commute? If well maintained, I think so. I will say that My R75/5 felt "busy" running north on I-95. She was much happier plying secondary highways at 55-65 mph. You may want to consider how often you will do the commute...the type of roads...typical weather, etc. Is this really the kind of motorcycle you want to use for your commute? I do plenty of 200, 300, 400 mile rides with no problem. I do not work on my R75/5. I take it to someone well versed in Airheads. Most of the mechanical items have been replaced or upgraded. The electrical system has been upgraded. I am considering riding the motorcycle to Lebanon for the rally next June.

Let us know if you purchase the bike and, of course, post some pictures. :)
 
I put over 30,000 miles on a '71 R50/5. Many short tours of 200-500 miles and few approaching 1000 miles. Good little touring partner. No fuss no muss. The only real drawback is, it's kind of a turtle; slow and steady. A R75/5 would be a real nice touring partner, 50 HP will get the job done. Back in the early '70s the R75/5 was considered a top of the line touring motorcycle.:thumb
 
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