R68 VINs ,need help!

[CPateras]

Hello there ,
Several years ago my father purchused and restored a R68 ,finding parts was really difficult in those days so the bike was "incomplete".
As he passed away a couple of years ago i inherited the bike.I'm now restoring it back to its "factory" state and while trying to find the VIN on the chassis to see if it matches the engines, i came up with a different number and a weird bmw logo.I also searched on the right side of the steering base but there where no numbers there.Any clues on what are these numbers? Is it from a different model ? if yes which cause i cant find any model with these starting numbers .
Thank you in advance .

[schrader7032]

Welcome to the forum! If you type the engine number into the box on the left side of the search, you can search to find the R68 spec page. At the bottom of that page is a PDF file with known engine numbers along with model and year of manufacture. I've collected these over the years wherever I could find something that made sense. From your number, it appears that the engine is a 1954 model built the latter part of 1963.

As for the other number, I can't really make out what it is from the photo. The stamp preceding the numbers looks a bit strange and some of the numbers appear to be over-stamped. That usually indicates that something is being hidden from the owner.

R68 bikes are closely monitored by BMW and if you email them at info.konzernarchiv@bmw.de and provide the information you have, along with the number that is stamped into the engine probably near the top left side of the engine, they will tell you what they know about the bike. They want to know this additional stamped number (+1, +5, -3, etc.) as proof that you are dealing with an R68. There are many fakes out there.

I thought there was another frame number on the tag on the front side of the steering head. Does yours exist? But that other strange frame number is...well, strange.

[bm68andreas]

normally the frame numbers are on the left side of your frame as you drive . Yours are on the right it means or is replace frame or it is prewar...
Anyway because your numbers are 0n '54 year must be on the right side of the steering head...
Good luck..

[CPateras]

Thank you for your fast response and the warm welcome. I'll definetly contact BMW and see what they have to say .Hope its not a fake.That number u refered on your reply is -2 in my case.

[CPateras]

Mr.Adreas very pleased to meet a fellow Greek enthusiast ,as i wrote in my first post i searched the right side of the steering head and couldn't find any numbers , i even scraped the paint like i did on the back since the paint job was more than 2 mm thick.

[bm68andreas]

I informed already your engineer about your frame and where to look and if it's '54 frame or not..
My pleasure dear Greek friend to help you with as far i know...

[Matteo]

If the frame is a '54 frame, the battery should be supported by a back plate. Before '54, the battery was only supported on the bottom.

Based on the picture, it looks like the battery is only supported on the bottom.

[VintageSalesandRestorations]

I would suggest you remove the paint from the other plunger mount on the left side of the bike - You may find the real numbers there. The engine numbers look correct to me.

Jeff

[Darryl.Richman]

Why are the roundels on either side of the engine number upside down? (I agree that the actual numbers look right.)

[R68]

The serial number on your motor is original, and that number indicates a production in 1953 (Baujahr). Many of the BMW in that era went unsold, and so were upgraded to the 1954 type (Baureihe), with full hubs, etc. Baureihe is a term analogous to "/2", i.e. "edition" or "variation", but was only used for a short time in the mid fifties for late plunger and early swing arm twin motorcycles. I suspect your frame was restamped, likely by a dealer who had the roundel with the "M": a private owner would not likely bother to use the roundel stamp. Maybe your greek comrades can tell you who dealer M was? As for the bike, it's a honey: the essence of an R68 is the motor, all else just generic plunger stuff. Your motor will be verified as true by BMW factory if you give them the gear set number. You can restamp the frame to match if you wish-whatever. Your seat has a problem, and your headlamp switch needs attention. Front fender is replica, but easy replaced. I don't know what that aluminum box like thing is behind the battery...but great BMW, you should be happy to own it!