Boxerworks.com

Hi!

This is my first post and I'm brand new to BMW motorcycles. I am familiar with boxer engines, having rebuilt my 36hp VW. I consider this design a true pleasure to maintain, and even a pleasure to repair whenever good German parts are in hand, and when the job can be done in a clean garage, rather than the side of the road.

I'm considering purchasing a 72 R60/5 from a first-time motorcycle owner who found the bike 3 years ago with the transmission bound (on a broken kick-starter?). He had the transmission rebuilt and the clutch replaced, by a respected local airhead mechanic.

I wrote down some notes after a 45 minute test drive and was hoping to get some perspective on them from you seasoned veterans!

The bike shakes or wobbles at idle, a quarter inch or so, and even with a rider. I wouldn't have described the idle as rough at all if it weren't for the visible shaking. The idle sounded low (600? 800?). The bike doesn't stall, accelerates smoothly and assuredly, and downshifts without backfiring. The generator light flickers at idle. The shake goes away as RPMs pick up above 1k.

The neutral light was always on when in neutral, but occasionally it lit in first as well! I can't say for sure whether the symptom occurred only when going from neutral to first, or also when going into first from another gear.

The RPM gauge bounces around about 30% above and below the actual rate. The horn didn't operate when I pressed it. All other indicators seemed operational.

The suspension seems to me to be remarkably soft, working up and down like a big slow rocking horse as I accelerated and decelerated. I was told the steering dampener was all the way out or near it, but wasn't sure how that was relavent.

The peg on the center stand was broken off but it looked pretty clean and weldable, and it seemed to hold firm with no play with the bike up or down.

The throttle operated with a good deal of friction and returned to idle reluctantly. The owner's explanation was that the the cable was good but that he'd gauged the replacement BMW brand handlebars and those grooves were causing it to bind with the throttle mechanism. He suggests he or I remove and sand them to resolve the issue.

The passenger toaster panel has a small dent and some paint is missing from several areas of the frame, all of which amounts to patina more than degradation to my inexperienced eye.

There was evidence of minor leaks, as I detected a faint but familiar smell of cooked oil, rather than from any visible drips or spots. The bike did not look like it had recently had extensive engine cleaning, and the origin of the weeping wasn't clear to me, aside from at least one being over something pretty hot.

The owner is a neighbor, encouraged me to talk to the well-known mechanic who did the work for a professional perspective, and without prompting, brought up that I might spend a longer period of time with the bike to help me understand that the bike was right for me.

Your thoughts? Thanks for reading!


http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/m ... 37251.html

All right! Another VW guy! The next rebuild here will probably be Muriel's 36hp.

Is the seller solid at $4K, or will he move down a bit?

The generator light should flicker at idle, but the idle shouldn't be shaky.

BMW spec for idle speed on the early bikes is 600 to 800, but a lot run the idle speed closer to 1000. If the shakes go away with just a touch more idle speed, that's probably fine.

The rest of it sounds like just some TLC and fettling to make it right. You might price a speedo and tach rebuild and use that in negotiations.

Welcome, and good luck!

Yeah, the tach rebuild is probably close to $400 - if the speedometer is okay. Definitely figure that into the price.

The R60/5 is not nearly as desirable (read: pricey) as the R75/5, but it does depend on where you are. Still that price seems just a bit high with the work that the bike needs. The "patina" issues don't bother me either, but mechanical issues do.

You don't mention mileage or whether the jugs and pistons are original, bored, or replacement. That is all important to price.

The idle shake (probably) may be nothing, but it could be a problem. Hard to know without doing a carb/idle-speed adjustment.

The "rocking horse" action you noticed is a combination of the bike having a much softer suspension that other bikes of the period, and possibly needing a little thicker fluid in the forks. It's also possible the damping in the shocks is shot. That's worth checking, as it's another thing to add to your price considerations. Just bounce the rear of the bike up and down and make sure it immediately stops moving, as opposed to continuing to bounce. No, the steering damper isn't related.

I'm not sure what's going on with the throttle cable, but it shouldn't be like that. If a new throttle control is required, it could be some money. If it's just the bars or the cable, then you should be able to keep that under $100. I wouldn't trust that it's the owner's suggestion unless that really fixes it.

Oil seepage is likely to be pushrod tube seals (although that's not the only possibility, just the most likely). If so, it's some work, but not much cash if you do the work yourself.

The neutral light issue isn't one that would bother me, but everyone is different. As long as you are competent doing such work yourself, it's not worth figuring in. My Oilhead requires swingarm removal to change the switch, so I've ignored the inconsistent behavior for 45k miles waiting to change it when I have to pull the swingarm for other work. I should probably lube the splines, so maybe I'll finally change that switch.

Edit:
Okay, I just looked that the ad and saw the mileage. That mileage is worth checking compression to make sure it's good. If so, then you should be fine for at least another 20k.

I don't care if the PO likes the sound and "interesting" look of the exhaust, they definitely take $500 off the value of the bike. Even if you like them, they take that much off the general resale value. I wouldn't spend more than about $3000 for it, because it's easily $1000 work away from being a $4000 bike. Just the mufflers and the instrument rebuild take up most of that.

Oh, and the fact that he listed the bike with a photo of himself on the bike in shorts and flip-flops destroys any possible credibility he had left (which wasn't much after the mufflers).

Tranny and carb rebuild are good, but this machine is more than a couple of years old and seals are likely to either leak now or very soon. Plan on a transmission spline lube, fluid and filter change. The tires may show plenty of tread, but be very old and also need replacement.
These are things to consider for any airhead. The last one was built almost twenty years ago. Much of the work is an easy DIY job and there is probably nothing you can't fix.
Check IBMWR marketplace for others of same vintage for pricing.
Toasters are pretty bikes IMHO.
Bob

You didn't tell us what kind of use you expect from it. That could be important. The 600 could well be perfect for you.

I was once a BMW dealer and would highly suggest that you start off with the R75/5. We sold more than 10 times more 750 than the 600 cc models.

They are basically the same bike, mostly the same parts, mostly the same maintenance issues, but the 750 is by far more desirable and fun to ride.

Thanks guys. So many useful leads and reasonable warnings.

My usage roughly consists of 2 10 mile pleasure rides per week around the lakes, a 3 mile work commute once a week, a couple trips to my buddies cabin 2 hours north each year, and a 4-5 hour day trip out into the country for picnics with my wife every other week in good weather. It's flat around here. I'm 160 and my wife is small, so the size doesn't feel like a show-stopper, though the 750 would be help out for a lot of those uses. By the way, I probably get some chuckles for looking the opposite of the fellow in the picture - totally covered in thick black leather with a quality full face helmet.

Anyway, next step is to invest an hour or so on labor at a BMW mechanic to get his opinion on the bike's needs and value. I'll make a list so I don't miss some of the specific items you all have mentioned here.

Thanks again for taking the time to read the post and help me determine whether this is the right bike for me. Every comment was read and appreciated!

Does the bike go in a straight line with hands off? Did you check for fork alignment? Info on these items and far more on my website. w6rec.com

You would be surprised at how many bikes have a negative value. The cost to put them in decent shape exceeds the value at the fixing up. Don't do that.

Rule #1. Keep your money in your pocket.

hundel wrote: I'm 160 and my wife is small,

hundel, I think Duane's somewhere 'round that too.

So I made an offer and I got the bike for $3600.

I had the one hour inspection from a mechanic I trust - skilled, objective, BMW certified since the 70s and an all around good guy. He made a lot of the observations you all made. In the end, he actually gave the bike fairly solid marks in a lot of important areas. The areas that will need work are at least: top end at some point due to compression readings that are significantly off 130/100, tune-up, gradual treasure hunt to find original parts such as exhaust, signals, etc. seem like very enjoyable weekend projects over the coming year. His advice was to go for a lower price if I really felt drawn to this model.

Since I transferred the title, and added the bike to my insurance, I've put 750 miles on. The odometer flipped to 70k as I was cruising back into the Twin Cities last night. I had a chance to experience several hours on interstate freeways, several hours on winding county roads, two different passengers, 30 miles of state park roads, 5 miles of washed out dirt road to my friend's log home.

I could not be happier with the way the bike performed. I truly felt like I was on an adventure and the size, balance and handling of the bike matched the way I used it. It's true that this model might not be the best choice for everyone but I feel it's a great fit for me. Today I am a very content guy.

hundel wrote:...but I feel it's a great fit for me. Today I am a very content guy.

And that, of course, is all that matters. Congratulations.