Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

I started with engine oil in the gearbox of a 50/2 and gearchanging was difficult. So I changed to a GL4 oil and the gearchange is better, not wonderful but back to normal BMW.

Charlie.

Has anyone used a plastic/leather apron that does the same job as the lowers? I have one with two leather straps around the carb. position but both have been cut. Presumably there was a loop (rubber?) which hooked over something to retain the apron. There is also a leather tab at the back, over the ...

I'm 6' 2" and a skinny Euro size. I rode /6s and /7s for years, always with US high-rise bars and a full fairing and I used to think I was Mr Average for German designers, everything fitted just right. Now I'm older and the joints aren't so flexible, a 50/2 that is lower and lighter suits me fi...

The best sort of repair : a bit of effort, you learn something and it costs nothing. Well done. But about running until you go on to reserve, when I rebuilt my 50/2, I ran it until reserve, switched over and ... nothing. The tank was empty and I had replaced the two plastic tubes the wrong way round...

I had a 60/6 with a drum front brake and it used to lock up on me. The wisdom of the time went : shoe material, chamfer on the leading edge, angle of the operating levers, amount of slack and maybe more. I was riding all day, every day (courier) so I had plenty of time to work on it. Finally, what s...

My first ride on the 50/2 today, 50 F dry and some sun is just about tolerable over 80 miles.

Interestingly, your centre stand is much more upright than mine, maybe why I find it such a strain getting the bike on the stand.

Charlie.

Bell-bottom trousers also catch the top of CV carbs very neatly, leading to embarassment and entertainment for onlookers.

Hello, in case this is useful, spaet = late, frueh = early, ersatz = replacement.

Up for auction in March in UK : https://charterhouse-bikes.com/product/1958-bmw-r26-2

Did the R 52 get a bit breathless at 12,000 ft? I used to do an event called 'Circuit of the Pyrenees' (mountains between France and Spain) and the bikes (XL 185 Honda, 350 LC Yam and 75/7) used to struggle a bit at 7 or 8,000 ft and with probably more than 12 HP. Great to use it like that, though. ...