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Early R69S without R69S badge on rear fender

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Speedmeister61
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Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2013 9:02 pm

Early R69S without R69S badge on rear fender

Post by Speedmeister61 »

Is it probable or even possible that a R69S badge could have been mistakenly left off during assembly at the factory of an early 69S.....in this case, a 1962 model?
62 R69S, 72 R75/5, 76 R90/6, 87 K75C, 91 K75S

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miller6997
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Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am

Possible? Yes.

Post by miller6997 »

Possible, but I don't think it would be very probable. I would think it would be noted and corrected before it was sold. On the other hand, my brother bought a new R69S and immediately worked a swap with the dealer for a fender segment from another /2 because he thought the badge was tacky. He is probably not the only one who did that.
Jon Miller
'67 R69S
'13 F800GT
Altadena, California

R68
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Someone else can please

Post by R68 »

Someone else can please verify, but I believe the early R69S didn't come from the factory with that badge...presumably your referring to the "R69S" on the rear fender?

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miller6997
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Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am

You may be right....

Post by miller6997 »

The bike in question is an early one: 1962
Jon Miller
'67 R69S
'13 F800GT
Altadena, California

Wayne J in MA
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Should not have one

Post by Wayne J in MA »

My Jan. 1962 R69S also does not have one. Everything I have read says that they started later, I think with the '64 model year build.

Wayne
'62 R69S, '71 R75/5 SWB, '78 R100S Motorsport
Westwood, MA USA

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Zeno Lee
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I too have a '62 R69S and it

Post by Zeno Lee »

I too have a '62 R69S and it has no emblem on the fender.

'62 R69S
'65 R50/2
'76 R90/6

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Wynand
Posts: 135
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:35 am

Roland Slabon's book says...

Post by Wynand »

I'm quoting from Roland Slabon's book How to Restore your BMW Motorcycle, page 151-152.

"Since the S models were top of the line and BMW's flagship on the Autobahn and newly laid out American Interstates, something had to be done to give owners of high-performance machines a little something extra to show for the extra dollars they had just spent. After all, when the motorcycles are parked all in one row, no amount of horsepower locked up in that engine will be visible to the passing observer."

"Therefore BMW decided somewhat belatedly to put little tags on the tails of its R69S and R50S. Early versions of the R69S had no such tags, nor did any but the very last of the 1,634 R50S models produced in 1961, its only year. Those that did had little die-cast letters, chrome-plated, stuck into the rear fender just below the hinge. They invariably became pitted or were pried off by eager little hands with a penknife or screwdriver."
R50, R60/6, R90s

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Peter
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Amazed

Post by Peter »

I'm always amazed and delighted by what I learn on this forum, I would have never known this small but interesting fact about the R69S - thanks guys
R42, R12, R51/3, R69S

808Airhead
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I have a 66' with it on. I

Post by 808Airhead »

I have a 66' with it on. I really like the badge it has that art-deco look script that fits the bike and the era IMO. I think it adds a touch of class. Plus chicks dig it. (Do they really?,I don't know,I hope so) lol
Thomas M.
R69S - R60/2 - R67/2 - R51/3 - R69

mackenzie7548
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Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:10 am

If one looks at pictures of

Post by mackenzie7548 »

If one looks at pictures of the R 69 S unveiled at the IFMA in Frankfurt 1960 (in the BMW publication 'Wir von BMW' September 1960 no. 9), there is no badge on the rear fender. The R 69 S in white has a pump painted white. Early BMW brochures from 1960 also do not show the badge. However, the BMW motorcycle brochure M255 dated October 1962 has a photo of the R 50 S with a badge on the rear fender with the caption, "New name plate for all S-machines".

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