The seller of this nicely patina’d 1967 BMW R60/2 is in a common predicament for an enthusiast of the two- or four-wheeled variety: the discovery of a new project we’d rather own than our current vehicular artifact. In this case, you can see the new object of the seller’s affection in the background photos, an R69S which has already taken up its spot in the garage. As such, this R60/2 with a very interesting history is offered here on eBay with no reserve and bids to $2,575.
My uncle and I have attempted to work on restoring his R90/6 which is disassembled at the moment, a process that is tempered by both of our respective schedule obligations to more pressing matters. However, it’s impossible not to be smitten by bikes like these old BMWs which are quite simple mechanically but also very advanced for their time. These were revelations from a ride quality standpoint, eminently capable of tackling weeks’ long road trips with a surprising amount of comfort.
Speaking of road trips, that’s where this BMW’s history becomes a factor in terms of it being a bike worth restoring. While history is subjective in terms of whether it matters to bidders, the seller notes that he has paperwork or a log of some kind showing a previous owner routinely used this BMW R90 to make trips between Miami and Mexico City. Not only does that speak to its superior road manners, but also to the era in which it was sold. Miami to Mexico? Interesting times, indeed.
Vintage BMW bikes had so many intricate details that you didn’t find on other bikes at the time (a quality you could also assign to its cars) and this gauge is one of my favorite examples of this. It’s like a piece of jewelry, or a classic watch face from the likes of Tag Heuer. The seller’s R90 hasn’t been on the road in years but is said to kick over with good compression, and this classic “big tank” bike even has triple matching numbers. For the current bid price, there’s value here that’s very hard to beat.
Ride this to your local Bike Night just as it is, and you’ll quickly find out who the knowledgeable ones are in the crowd when someone points out the Earles front fork.
Though some folks would restore this to the “nines” it’s got character as it sits now. Fix whatever is needed to ride safely and ride!
Jeff-the autocorrect changed “R60” to “R90” on your keyboard twice..or is that a subconscious desire? 🤔😁
Great motorcycles. I rode several of them. Very rugged, dependable and comfortable. Keep as as, replace, repair things as needed and enjoy!
i just finished a two year restoration of a 1968 R60/2 US. As easy as it sounds to “repair only what’s needed to ride”, is a very broad statement. Parts for these are not easy to locate and most of them have to be ordered from Germany. Expensive and long wait times. From the looks of it and the owner’s description of it having sat for a long time, most everything will have to be gone through, including the dreaded oil slingers. Lot of work involved here. But when finished, probably a reliable ride albeit a slow one.
If you have a BMW dealer around parts are not hard to find, though they may take a little while to get here.
Not really. You’d be surprised at how many BMW dealerships refuse to have anything to do with “airhead” BMWs, especially the slash 2s. Max BMW in the Northeast is one outstanding dealership)s) that do truly specialize in the older air cooled BMWs