1955 BMW R-Series

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1955 BMW R25/3 This motorcycle belongs to my Father and I am assisting him with this sale. Due to recent health concerns we feel it is time to let it go. I have performed any and all maintenance on the bike since its been in his ownership. I will try to list as much information on the bike as possible below. Model History: The R25/3 is the last of the R25 models BMW made from 1953 to 1955. It features a 250cc single cylinder engine, and makes about 13hp. The /3 was the culmination of design improvements of the previous R25 models. The smaller single cylinder motorcycles were the bread an butter of the BMW line up and helped the company survive in the post war market due to the engine size restrictions placed on the company after WWII. The R25/3 is the last model before BMW began use of the front "Earls fork" design in 1956. These bikes, although plentiful in Europe back in the day, were not really exported to the US so they are much harder to find in the US than the larger twin bikes. History of this Bike: This particular bikes comes out of the collection of a well renowned BMW enthusiast and collector in California. He owned and operated a BMW motorcycle shop in Marin county in the 196's and 1970's. His knowledge of these bikes is extensive and he was very active in the BMW community for decades and is still active on many forums. This bike was the last bike in his collection. The bike was restored by the previous owner around 1980. The entire bike was rebuilt from the ground up taking care to use either the original parts or authentic period pieces not aftermarket parts. Some of the parts were left unrestored, such as the seat. The gas tank is actually NOS from 1955. The previous owner had two NOS fuel tanks in his possession at the time, which were very rare, so he wanted to use one on the bike. The paint and stripping are both original from 1955 and are beautiful. After the restoration the bike was only ridden a handful of miles to "work out the bugs". Not long after it was put in to a "hibernation" state and displayed inside the owners home as a show piece. There it sat for decades until the owner removed it in preparation of sale of the home in 2013. We acquired the motorcycle at this time. Once we got the bike back to our place, with the advice and assistance of the previous owner, I inspected the mechanicals of the bike and worked to put it back in to riding condition. New fluids were installed, lubrication points checked and serviced. Upon initial inspection, the bike literally still looked like the day it was restored. Looking up in the engine case from the oil sump looked spotless, as did the carburetor, and fuel system. The items that we decided to replace anyways were: fuel lines (using the correct period cloth covered lines), new fluids, (using the appropriate recommended brands); a new correct battery was also installed. At the recommendation of the previous owner, the original Bing fuel petcock was removed and a slightly later version was installed. I was told the originals were prone to leakage, and if I planned on riding the bike at all, this would be advised. The original does come with the bike as well. After a couple weeks of working on the bike on and off, we started it up and gave it a series of small break in run times. Once this was done, we then re-inspected the bike and then took it for a short ride. Any and all parts used on the bike were sourced from well known BMW supplier "Vetch". If you know BMW, you have heard of him. I have personally ridden the bike about 5 times, and my Father has ridden it once. There are approximately 31 miles on the bike now. It was taken to one auto/ bike show locally once last summer where it won first place against many bikes including Harleys and others. I last rode the bike 2 weeks ago for the video below. The bike is started frequently to keep it fresh. It usually starts first or second kick. Condition of the bike: The condition of the bike is very, very nice. The paint is beautiful. There are a few very small scratches here and there, but nothing noticeable unless you get very, very close. The chrome is all in nice condition, with no pitting, etc.; All the rubber on the bike is still in great shape. The seat is ORIGINAL to the bike and does have some cracks in the rubber. I was hesitant to replace it because it is the original. The tires are period correct German Metzlers. Although they were installed years ago, they still have the rubber nipples on them as they have virtually only a handful of miles on them. There are a few very, very small weather cracks on the sidewalls, but we have taken great care to keep them soft with rubber care products. I have ridden the bike at speeds around 50mph without worries. (Remember the bike was stored indoors in a climate controlled family room with no exposure to the elements.) The engine is super clean with no oil, or even dirt for that matter. The alloy rims are very nice with no big scratches or dings. The headlight is the original Bosch lens and all the lights and electrical work as they should. The speedometer was restored and set back to zero and now has 31 miles as mentioned earlier. The bike includes the key to the side tool kit compartment on the fuel tank. Notable items:a few details note on the motorcycle; There are a few very small scratches, etc. on the bike, but none are noticeable unless you are up close; There is discoloration on the exhaust pipe near the header from heat (typical); There are a few scratches / imperfections on the chrome on the handlebars between the triple clamp mounts. To be in "prestine" condition, i may advise a re-chrome. these are the original bars and chrome; The seat is original and has some cracking from stress. We chose to leave it because it is the original, although a nice reproduction are available; There is a small "ding" on the underside of the fuel tank near the seat. It is about the size of a nickel. It is underneath and hard to see. This fuel tank was NOS from 1955 and so the previous owner decided to use it anyways. I have enclosed a picture of the ding. I have an original California title on the bike signed. It is dated 1974. The bike is no longer in the DMV system so i chose to not turn in this title so I could keep it as part of the bikes original history. The bike has not been registered in CA since restoration. The bike will include this title and /or any necessary paperwork required for sale. I have many vintage bikes myself and there will be no issues. Overall this bike is a beautiful vintage motorcycle and would be a fine addition to anyone's motorcycle collection. In my opinion this bike is the last of the "art deco" styles. It has all the characteristics of the beautiful early 1930's bikes BMW made. The flow of the fenders, the slow slung stance, and elegant shape, are all just sexy. After this model is when I feel that BMW started moving towards a more "utility" design, which most modern BMW's are known for today. This bike can be shown or ridden. Although not the largest bike, it is a rare example and represents a golden age for BMW and the R25/3 is a significant model in BMW motorcycle history. Please view the videos I have posted on YouTube at the links below. I will be happy to answer any questions about the bike by email or phone. I can be emailed for my phone number. If you are local feel free to come view the bike in person or send someone on your behalf. A deposit of $500 is due at auction end via PayPal or bank transfer. Remaining balance can be paid in by cash in person upon pick up or bank transfer. I will be happy to assist with shipping arrangements for overseas buyers. The bike is located just south of Sacramento, CA. Thanks for looking. Walk around Video on YouTube at this link: https://youtu.be/7aW_Qgid1yg Onboard Ride video at this link: https://youtu.be/_qAkBf3rFok On Jan-18-16 at 18:43:39 PST, seller added the following information: I have had many requests to see the bike running. Although my second YouTube video above does show me riding the bike, I had another video of me starting it. I have attached the link to that video here. Thanks for looking,Video Part 3: start up and idle https://youtu.be/cPPVszPjeOIOn Jan-18-16 at 19:18:24 PST, seller added the following information: Additional video of another "shorter" ride. this one is only 46 seconds versus the other one is long and kind of boring ;) https://youtu.be/MIaAsyot8eIOn Jan-23-16 at 16:54:55 PST, seller added the following information: I have been getting many emails and calls asking about the previous owner, and if this is the "famous" R25 that Duane owned. For those of you i have not spoken with by phone or email, yes, this motorcycle is the R25/3 that was owned and restored by Duane Ausherman. For those of you who do know who that is, he has been a very well renowned figure in the BMW motorcycle community for decades. His knowledge and expertise is highly regarded by many. He has owned and worked on more BMW bikes thsn i will ever know. He was certified fo BMW in Germany decades ago. He is active in forums and blogs online and has many of his own website info posted. For those of you that Have met Duane, you know my description of him is probably not doing him justice. I feel very fortunate myself to have met and known him, and to have owned and been the caretaker for one of his motorcycles. I hope that this beautiful bike goes to a very good home.