1974 BMW R-Series

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Vintage & certainly classic, all original BMW "R90/6" MOTORCYCLE built in Germany back when (August of 1974) and shipped to the USA for retail sale, this was the3117th R90/6 imported into the US that year according to records!) it ended up in California and was apparently only lightly ridden for ten years of so. I purchased the bike on a "NON-OPERABLE" Title from the Sunshine State showing 21K miles on her in 2010. Then I had it shipped to directly to my home here in Long Key, Florida. Having ridden an R69/S in High School, and a bigger R90/S when in college, I was and still am, quite familiar with the older BMW twins of this style & type of course, and I was thinking I'd tinker with it a bit and probably have it up & running in a few days at most... but it just did NOT work out that way. I ended up looking at it and indeed looking hard & specifically at the seemingly minor "problems" with various things on the bike ... such as the original alloy rims & spokes, front & back tires, front & back brakes, original battery & starter, at the stem-extension type turn signals & the front & back running lights, tank exterior paint as well as both fenders & both battery covers, the gas tank interior & the latching gas cap, original handle bars & mirrors, plus the wiring harness in general, and the missing tool bucket & fitted cover, the original tools & pouch, missing air pump, and the swing-up, latching seat to boot. Everywhere I looked I needed to pay attention and get to work on it it seemed. Sooo ...not being a do-it-one-thing-at-a-time & ride anyway cycle guy, I stripped it down to the frame & motor at a fellow BMW enthusiast's shop and we started slowly but surely working our way back up to a vintage & acceptable "look" and reliable operation (which came to pass about 17 months and some $4.5 K later!) until I had a nice looking, all original, nothing but OEM parts, gorgeous R90/6 once again. And THAT is what you are looking at here in the photos I have included with this listing today, ... and the bike sitting outside of my garage as I write this in fact.(See Photos) In truth, I rarely ride more than 120 miles on any given day (usually much less), and I've rarely have taken her out more than twice a week since I got her looking & running good once again a short while back. So a year & a half later, newly painted & correctly assembled / working (and a good bit lighter in my Bank Account!) I was finally able to get the Title squared away & in my name here in Florida, and to put this classic, black BMW R90/6 back on the road out front (Hwy 1) which runs straight SW to Key West ... and of course I immediately did so. I have been riding here a few times a week since: up to up to Key Largo or Miami to the VA, or down south towards Marathon, Big Pine, and Key West occasionally when I felt the need for speed & fresh air in the face. She starts right up every time, runs strong & never misses a beat! And she even turns a few heads still, especially so among Beamer enthusiasts, and the younger crowd too, most of whom have never seen an opposed twin / air head BMW Motorcycle of this style & type, although they instantly recognize the BMW emblem it seems.(See Photos) Bike shows several years light use of course, and age is catching up to the parts here & there. Nothing unsightly or unsafe of course: the color switches on bars are slightly faded, frame paint is getting aged look, speedometer cluster is no longer keeping mileage smoothly, though Odometer appears correct (27k now), and the speedo needle bounces a bit though basically accurate. Chromed pipes have two (2) small, nickle-sized dings on sides, spokes are lightly corroded from salt air here though quite solid & they always seem to clean up well ... Paint is excellent, but you'll need to do the pin-striping on the fenders of course. And the engine just purrs. Valves have been correctly set & adjusted every six months or so, the trans is strong with no problems, The electrical system is OEM except for the modern style, new battery, This vintage R90/6 runs quite strong still, is quiet as BMWs usually are, and will still do every bit of what shows on the speedometer it seems ... I have had it up over 120 MPH many times with no hesitation on the part of the motor or drive train, though I am getting faint of heart at such high speeds now-a-day. It will just run away from most anything on the road once she is rolling. Does NOT use much oil, and I run here on Rec 90 (high octane without damned ethanol!) and do add some octane booster now and again to get some zip out of the old girl! These old BMW R-series motors had high compression and always liked to sip high test gas it seems. I can run here to Miami & back ... or here to Key West as well, on about a fistful of dollars. She seems to get 50 / 60 miles per gallon on the road at 60 to 70 MPH. Both carbs were completely re-built professionally, and it shows in idle, instant response, smoothness on the road, and instant starting most every time. But I am 67 now and in failing health it appears, so I ride her less & less. Mainly because I just do not feel up to it much anymore, though I still love to twist the grips and feel the breeze on my face.. And yes, I have finally given in to my family and the Doctors I have to see each week , all of whom are quietly but insistently suggesting that it's time to just "let it go" now & hold onto the memories. And I realize of late that it is indeed about time to let her go to some other BMW enthusiast who'll appreciate the "look" & feel of these older BMW R90/6 machines like I always have... and maybe even dig into the full, ground up restoration that I often thought about undertaking myself. But after riding these fine BMWs for 45 years now (all across this country and as far north as New England on the East & Vancouver B.C. on the West) I can see I have probably just waited too, too long for me to undertake that project! So here she is at Auction to the highest bidder, with NO Damned RESERVE either ... winner takes all. I have the spare standard factory & folding style keys for this bike, as well as the vintage & apparently original BMW Owners Manual that came with it. Engine exterior is kept CLEAN & lightly polished, as are the chromed pipes & misc. parts, and the alloy rims & aluminum is satin polished regularly too. Look for yourself... it's all in the pictures. Enjoy the bidding on this vintage & gorgeous 1974 R90/6 as much as I have riding her for the last few years. GOOD LUCK! PLEASE NOTE: I reserve the right to sell outright if anyone follows up here in the Keys as several have already looked at her ... Thanks!