A befriended BMW four-season driver had given himself a new BMW. After a winter of brine and snow, his engine lost its appearance and all kinds of electronic problems occurred. BMW Motorrad did not get much further than advising him not to use his bike in winter or else to rinse it with plenty of cold water after every ride. He took his loss and bought a very nice BMW RT100 two-valve.
Because the older two-valve boxers? They were good
They were still designed by motorcyclists for motorcyclists and the quality of the equipment used was top notch. That is why even now it is fun, challenging and interesting to own and drive such an old BMW. Or score one as a project before it turns into a cafe racer, a bratstyle bike or a scrambler.
Because it must be very strange if you do not want to restore an old BMW very much by polishing and cleaning it for a weekend. Even weathered crankcases can then be restored to their former glory. Only then you need acid-resistant gloves, face and respiratory protection. Yet.
In addition, the two-valve boxers are about as simple as a sandwich ham / cheese
(Almost) all parts are still used or for sale, and where you cannot figure it out yourself (including the unsurpassed help from YouTube videos), you can confidently fall back on the knowledge and expertise of quite a lot of specialists, with names such as' Becks Motoren Werkplaats' give a more than clear hint to the core activities of the business.
The fact that BMW is doing its very best to keep its motor heritage running is to be praised
There are also a lot of new parts for the really classic boxers - think of the R68 and decent ones. On the downside is that the Germans have come up with the idea that such things such as sheet metal can also be made very well in low-wage countries. The real BMW enthusiasts are therefore not very pleased with the price / quality ratio of that stuff and they prefer to search the whole world and the Internet for good used stuff or - Hosanna !!! - New Old Stock.
In the BMW world there are hardliners who are angry on forums about the correct stripe thickness to the tenth of a millimeter of the bebiezing. And there are people for whom the numbering of frame, block and box is of vital importance. Such an approach is of course everyone's right.
But the resilient people assume that there is quite a bit of space in the appearance and originality of a good and a beautiful BMW. And that you can also enjoy a BMW boxer without having to invest a capital in it.
Because in the investment corner?
There are usually bookkeepers and speculators. Not enthusiasts. An example? A perfectly restored R68 was unsaleable. With a lot, really a lot, effort and a lot of communication with BMW, the bike from BMW received its pedigree declaration. And then he immediately raised € 15.000 more than the original asking price. And whether a perfect R69S is worth your € 27.500 you have to decide for yourself. The BMW in the photos had slept for twenty years. He left for € 300 and is now in excellent drivable condition again.
Also read:
- More stories about classic engines
- BMW mono suspension boxers
- BMW R90S. Orange above
- Angry BMW drivers
- BMW is not an old-fashioned brand
Unfortunately, this often ends with orphaned boxers
What I wonder is whether the description 'in good drivable condition' implies that perhaps the leggings have been labeled obsolete and may have fallen off. Because then I will be warmly recommended. I ride my R60 / 6 in all weather all year round and then these are welcome accessories. I am not a full purist but these are really suitable for my type. I dare to show myself.
Hi Paul, The caps are still on as far as I know. But I think they were official accessories at the time. Just ask Beck in Wijhe or the Knalpot. Surely there must be more
Those leggings were, among others, from Heinrich. Until a few years ago you could still buy them new from Theofried Jeckel. He often stood at the entrance of Vehikel with tapes. Herr Jeckel passed away as far as I know and his company no longer exists. There are also leggings for Urals. Maybe they can be adjusted ...
And otherwise post a message on the hobbyist's forum. Who knows…
There were also a kind of rubber caps for under the cylinders against wet feet. They were attached to the front engine bolt with a corner line. It must be possible to copy that if you wanted to. Later came the RT tubs. Automotive comfort on a motorcycle.
A boxer for 300 €, even if it is a kicked-off thing, this is a listed price from years ago. A wreck at market place, that is how € 2.000 is offered in 2021
My approach is that you should know people instead of sites. And of course you should be lucky.
A few years ago I was still peddling for a long time with my father-in-law's '82 80RT to get it sold.
That was just before the 'saw-a-two-clapper-smash-and-make-it-an-ugly-coop-of-true-bearded-bun-figures-of-lick-beards' hype.
The fear that “our” RT would also fall prey to the rebuilding rage was good.
Now buy an original ...