New Guy in TX

Well, the kids are all moved on now so it's time for me to have fun. Looking at 69-73 BMW's because I like the gauges in the headlight nacelle. Looking forward to meeting people in the area.

Welcome to the forum! The early /5s are a nice transition from the older bikes to the newer Airheads. You might want to consider something from the latter part of the '73 models. They are what's known at the long wheel base or LWB. Beginning in the middle of the '73 series, they added about 2 inches to the driveshaft to add some stability to the suspension. Not to say that the shorter versions aren't worth it, but they typically need to be set up exactly right in order to ensure stability.

Let us know what you find!

Outside of the size difference, is there anything to look for between the R50, R60 and R75 series bikes?

The R50/5 is somewhat underpowered. It can be used for long distances, but will just be on the slower side. The R60/5 had tendency to ping due to the mild camshaft profile. It can be dealt with by adding base gaskets or using an after market ignition. The R75/5 is the top of the three. A high mileage /5 might need a valve job if the seats/valves have worn resulting in valve clearance closing up over short distances, like maybe every 1000 miles. All of these come with a kick start (I think) but it's not a robust feature in some cases...best to rely on the kicker only for emergencies.

TM, welcome to the forum from the coast of Kansas. Great to have you with us. Good luck with your search, plenty of advice and help here.

Welcome to the forum. If you are at Ft. Sam Houston, check in with the San Antonio BMW club - http://www.sabmwra.org