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What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

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Hoffner
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What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by Hoffner »

Bike is:
1951 BMW R51/3
Frame # 525439
Solo gears 35/9

What is the factory correct speedometer?
1951 BMW May 10 2008 027.jpg
The one that was with the bike when I bought it is a VDO 160 KMH

IMG_7979.jpg
Markings on housing: W 1.0 9,51

I'd like to fix this one if it might be original to the bike; or find one that matches what the bike was born with. Thanks, friends!
Michael
1951 R51/3
1976 R90S

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therealkennyboy
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Re: What is the Factory CorrecAt Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by therealkennyboy »

For Miles: 1.52

For Kilometers: 0.95

The above for a R51/2, /3 solo 35:9

The 1.0 would be for a 25:6 drive.
Ken Walker
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1960 R60 (currently), 1974 R75/6 (past), 1981 R100CS (currently), 1984 R100RS (past), 1989 K100RS (past)

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Hoffner
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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by Hoffner »

Thanks, Ken - beyond the gear ratios, any advice on how to find out which speedo model that would have been installed on this particular bike?

I've seen several different face styles on various R51/3 bikes - all VDO or Veigel - I think even one with a scripted Veigel logo from a guy in the UK with #98 bike in the 1951 production run.

This VDO popped up on Ebay, claiming to be from a 1951 https://www.ebay.com/itm/384021123304 but I am suspicious because other R51/3 parts they are selling right now are things I know are not 1951.

Anyway, thanks for your comment.

mh
Michael
1951 R51/3
1976 R90S

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schrader7032
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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by schrader7032 »

Richard Sheckler posted many years ago on the older Yahoo /2 list that several manufacturers made speedometers for BMW over the years to include: VDO, Veigel, ISGUS, SWF and others. There really was no cutoff date for manufacture. VDO made them as early as 1951 and Veigel was still making them for BMW into the late 1960s. Check out the article on page 7 of this VMCA News:

https://vintagebmw.org/vmca/v2n3/index. ... 1654193409

if you have access. Hmmm...linking doesn't seem to work.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by therealkennyboy »

You can contact BMW to determine when your bike left the factory (based on the s/n), and where it was shipped to. It used to be a free service, but I doubt it is anymore.

If it came to the American distributor (Butler & Smith), it would have come with a 1.52 speedo. If it was sent to a European distributor, it would have come with the 0.95 one. That'll at least tell you how it left the factory. As for which specific speedo manufacturer, I doubt you'll be able to be certain. If you can find a proper ratio speedo with a manufacture date in 1951, you'll be as close as you possibly can be, I would think. Just finding the proper ratio with the proper date will be very challenging!

Not sure what that speedo on eBay would go with. A 0.77 ratio would be equivalent to 1.232 for a speedo in miles. I don't see either of those in the list, but something like a 26:8 or 30:9 rear end? Neither of which I've heard of either.

Maybe for an Isetta or 600? What bike(s) were his other parts from?
Ken Walker
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1960 R60 (currently), 1974 R75/6 (past), 1981 R100CS (currently), 1984 R100RS (past), 1989 K100RS (past)

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Hoffner
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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by Hoffner »

Ken, good idea about contacting BMW Heritage.

The Ebay dealer has a slew of "1951" R51/3. Some of them are really whacky and not even BMW parts - possibly they disassembled a "bitsa" based on a '51. For example, they have a headlight shell listed as 1951, but it's clearly a later model based on the neutral and generator lights. I also noticed they had some R35 Parts.

Anyway, thanks for the insight. I suppose there's not much point in spending any more energy trying to fix this R51/2 unit, and I'll probably buy one of those "Veigel" repops to use while I complete my research and look for something original.
Michael
1951 R51/3
1976 R90S

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Hoffner
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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by Hoffner »

Hi Kurt!

I noticed a link before - maybe this one - when I scoured the forum before. Too bad the info is no longer there - things have a way of getting lost on the interwebs.

There's a book that includes various changes that happened during 4 years of the R51/3... something on the order of 8 rear fender variants and 4 for the front [going on memory here]. Someone involved with the research, who was in town visiting my mechanic came to house to photograph my 1951-only air cleaner. http://barringtonmotorworkspublications ... ery/22/127

Anyway, maybe they covered the speedos and I should bite the bullet and buy the book. It's $115 + $15 shipping, which is probably a small price to pay for all the research they did. Thanks for your comment.
Michael
1951 R51/3
1976 R90S

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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by schrader7032 »

I doubt that BMW Archives Group will know that kind of specific on a bike's production. Usually they only tell you the date, the color, and what kind of seat it had. I suppose you could infer something if the bike was being shipped to the US. I have a limited collection of build date and shipment info for the R51 series. By and large, all of these bikes were shipped to German dealers. But my info is pretty sparse. Seems like the Butler & Smith shipping began in more earnest with the production of the /2 series beginning in 1955/1956.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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Hoffner
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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by Hoffner »

I just got a nice reply from the guy at Barrington who is one of the authors of the book I linked to you. He said that my bike probably had a Veigel speedo, and his book lists the manufacturer/model #/markings and face styles, indexed to the year/model/gearing of the bike. I'm ordering the book now.

Cheers.
Michael
1951 R51/3
1976 R90S

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Re: What is the Factory Correct Speedometer for 1951 R51/3?

Post by therealkennyboy »

Ken Walker
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1960 R60 (currently), 1974 R75/6 (past), 1981 R100CS (currently), 1984 R100RS (past), 1989 K100RS (past)

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