Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

You want advice on how to properly repair/restore your R42 speedo? Send it to an expert. Don't jerk around. Palo Alto in California or look in Hemmings for a variety of repair shops. Why would you think you could repair this yourself? Are you a watch maker? (Well, I guess I did come across one of them once). Or you can just buy a new repro for $845.
Regards,
Peter D. Nettesheim

Oh, Do you know if the bezel screws onto the body or is it a press fit?

I have just taken my r16 speedo to a local watchmaker. The inner workings are not that complicated BUT you need the special tools and parts. I need the odometer numbers. any idea where to buy parts? As far as dismantalling your speedo , my bezal is just a press fit and my guess is yours is the same.

Yes, the inside look quite simple other than the little spring around the needle. What year is your R16? I have a 1930 R11 and the speedometers look the same other than the bezel. I think the bezel on the R42 is a push on type fit also. Have you disassembled your odometer? It looks like it may be another squeeze together item and may prove a challenge to work on. Keep me informed on your progress
Dan

my r16 is circa 1932. the bigest problem with the speedo inner workings is the white metal "frame" inside that holds the gears etc. it is on the verge of disintigrating. the odometer numbers literally crumbled so we are trying to adapt others. my watchmaker sounds confident about making it live but I am a tad skeptical and he is learning on my dollar as well!

Dreher sells a frame for a speedometer, but says it's applicable to the R52/57/62/63 bikes. Still, you might take a look and see if it works for your speedo...

Follow this link to the R52 page on his site and then look down to Tachoeinsatz Messing (speedo insert, brass).

Peter Gibbs (bmwmyplace) sent me the following photos showing his R42 speedometer.

Thanks for the pictures Peter and Darryl. The bezel on my speedo is a lot taller and goes almost to the bottom of the main body. Now I'm thinking that it may be an interference fit,not screwed on. Dan

i don't know if this'll help or hurt, but my old R42 bezel was a light press fit with screws on the side.
like most bmw parts that come up here, it seems that each run of production was done slightly differently-and sometimes in the same year.
-b

I need some counciling on a R42 Speedo. How do I disassemble the unit? Does the bezel thread onto the lower body? Are there any parts available other than the face and needle? Thanks,Dan