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R90 project bike...am I insane?

captainmarko

captainmarko

Member
Looking at an R90. It appears to be pretty trashed. Ad says it has "sat for 20 years". 7,000 miles.

It's calling to me.

How available are parts for something this old? I ride a '15 RT and was just looking for a project.

Advice?


*edited upon reflection*
 
Last edited:
That's going to be quite the project depending on where it has "sat". And few miles will mean a lot of rubber bits will need replacing. I'm guessing it's just a /6 and not an R90S. The '76 R90/6 is a really nice bike to have.

It's the age old question. Buy a basket case and put a lot of money in it...you're invested in and knowledgeable about the machine. Or spend more money up front and have a nice rideable bike from the start. If you have the space, time, skills it might be a good project to have. Getting something pretty cheap is enticing...again, if you are willing to tackle all the issues.

Parts are not an issue, either OEM or other supporters on the east and west coast. All kinds of help here as well as the Airhead Beemer Club...there's probably a group of members near you. Start by joining the ABC and attending some tech days...lots of help will be there as well!

If you pull the trigger, drop in some pictures.
 
Depends

Everything depends on how much the bike is being sold for. How much you are willing to spend to restore it.
Can you do the work yourself or will you have someone restore it? Having someone do the work can be very expensive.
To what degree to you want to restore it too? If basic engine and function are the only thing, it will cost less to do than a full cosmetic and functional restore.

There are very nice R90/6 bikes on the market for reasonable prices.

7000 miles may seem great but, a bike that has sat trashed for twenty years will need a lot of work. For example, most of the engine seals could be bad or ready to fail. They would need replacing.
If there was any moisture in the cylinders, they may be rusted and pitted.

If it is a R90S, it may be worth restoring. This of course depends on the condition and price.

I myself spent a lot of money to rebuild a bike I had wrecked back to new condition. The cost was far more than the bike will ever sell for however, I had sentimental ties to it and to me it was worth the money. If I had not had sentimental ties, I would never have spent the money, I would have bought ssomething else. St.
 
See below. In all pictures the letter designation after R90 is obscured. Could be an "S", could be a "6". I can't tell. Anyone?

Asking $1,500.

00S0S_irJutB6AxMl_1200x900.jpg
 
It's an R90/6. The engine badge is different for the R90S plus it has the basic CV carbs, not the Dell Ortos that the R90S would have.

Type the 7 digit VIN into this to get a bit more info, namely when it was built:

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

Based on the tank, it probably is not a '76 model as they were beginning to come out with the stylish tank that later appeared on the /7s.

Getting the price lower would be a good thing. While there would be a lot of work, if the tank/fenders were in good shape and there wasn't a whole lot of rust, would be positives. It seems that a fairing might have been on the bike in the past?? Marks on the down tubes suggest fairing mounts.
 
20774 said:
It's an R90/6. The engine badge is different for the R90S plus it has the basic CV carbs, not the Dell Ortos that the R90S would have.

Type the 7 digit VIN into this to get a bit more info, namely when it was built:

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

Based on the tank, it probably is not a '76 model as they were beginning to come out with the stylish tank that later appeared on the /7s.

Getting the price lower would be a good thing. While there would be a lot of work, if the tank/fenders were in good shape and there wasn't a whole lot of rust, would be positives. It seems that a fairing might have been on the bike in the past?? Marks on the down tubes suggest fairing mounts.
Click to expand...


I had a blue '76 R90/6 with the larger "touring" tank like that one, so it could well be a '76. The flush-cap /7 tanks came on the R90S bikes late in the '76 production run. Rode my 90/6 home to PA from Alaska when I ETSed out of active Army duty at Ft. Wainwright in '86; great bike. Bought it from the late George Rahn, the iconoclastic BMW dealer in Fairbanks--a good guy. Sold it for a bit more than I paid for it when I got home to the R90S I'd left in PA.

If that one has been out in the desert somewhere near your Las Vegas home base, it may be fine internally with no rust. Most/all rubber bits will be roached. It'll be a project, but if you have the money and the motivation, it can fly again.
 
You're likely right on the model year...I forgot that the R90S drew a lot of attention and there were two tanks available. Using the VIN will determine what model year it is.
 
IMHO the $1500 firm price is too much.
While it could be a worth while project- that baby is going to need everything, including the missing bits.

Just my opinion, not worth much if anything, my opinion that is!
 
This might be a great time for Brook Reams to weigh in.
He could tell you how much money its gonna cost and how many hours you could expect to have to put in it.
 
R90

I've seen this bike on craigslist. Not exactly a prime subject for your first project. Missing a few parts as well. If you're going to chop it up into a modifies cafe racer or imitation "adventure" bike then It could work but again, not for the faint at heart or someone with limited knowledge/experience. Any bike that sits for a long period of time becomes a science project.
 
Duly noted, all.

And after some research, I will be passing on this one.

Thanks for all the input. Good to know that there's this much support out there!
 
nickrides said:
IMHO the $1500 firm price is too much.
While it could be a worth while project- that baby is going to need everything, including the missing bits.

Just my opinion, not worth much if anything, my opinion that is!
Click to expand...

I agree. After sitting for 20 years it's going to need everything. It's a $500 roller.
 
If you're just looking for a project, and you've got another good bike to ride, that R90 is a project. The fact it was put up 20 years ago means, nobody actually knows anything about it. The list of, could be this or that, is huge. The sum of its parts may be worth something, but what's busted or seized? Ebaying parts is no small effort. The 500 bucks sounds about right, considering. If you get a runner R90, pay more, maybe 3K, means you still get a project to diddle with, it's an airhead, and you don't have to put the labor and the 3K into it. Two scents. FWIW.

As the membership ages all airheads are being ridden less and less, will be going to market. IMHO, the more cluttered the market, the less interest in motorcycling in general, for whatever reason, means a buyer's marketplace.

I got my 90S out two weeks back and it was delightful. They are nice bikes. Can't get my millennial to look at it? Go figure.
 
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