R60/2 Wikipedia page

tricyclerob · Post by **tricyclerob** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:14 am

Dean, I just started working my way back, reading all the old posts.
I just read the "wikipedia" page you wrote, and I must say, VERY nice job!!! rj

EuroIron · Post by **EuroIron** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:38 am

yeah nice work........

is this true though?

"Though BMW invented and first used oil-damped telescopic front forks in the 1930s"

I was thinking Scott did that deed first in 1927 or 8

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:42 am

No, Jeff has it right. BMW was the first to use hydraulically dampened telescopic forks on a production bike. There were a few telescopic forks that predate the R12 (I believe Nimbus did it a couple years earlier), but none were hydraulically damped, so they were pretty bouncy.

EuroIron · Post by **EuroIron** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:58 pm

I will have to dig out the Scott stuff

Scott did telescopics, most people look and think they are girders. and for some reason I was thinking they did hydraulic damping in those girder looking, but actually telescopic forks

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:12 pm

Regardless of the outcome of your research, it would be interesting to see a picture or diagram of how they did it. There are, historically, so many novel front end designs, it seems like that area is among the most difficult of all engineering exercises on a motorcycle.

It's not even clear today what design parameters make for the best front end suspension. BMW has two novel arrangements on the market now (telelever and duolever) which both minimize front end dive under braking, and thus, the change in trail, forward weight transfer and ride height, just as the Earles forks did. Yet the general press complains about the "wooden" feel of these bikes, as if the dive factor is a positive attribute.

EuroIron · Post by **EuroIron** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:10 pm

I think in the purest sense of the word telescopic....... this one qualifies

however, I can't swear that had hydraulic damping but I am reasonably sure I read that Scott did a hydraulic tele in the 20's, perhaps it didn't go into production

I am almost 100% sure they did the first tele

now here is a later one, but still pre-30, and no reasonable man would deny it is telescopic but this one isn't hydraulic

have to get the books out, old Alfred was a clever cookie

there is a better view of the first really significant tele in that it was quite strong, but you can see it had friction damping

anyhow, either way I agree, there are some crazy ways of keeping the front wheel hooked to the rest of a bike

there are a couple of bikes done this way, not sure any of these types are actually ridable

crazy looking though and a lot of nice work

however, I don't care for the earls fork on a solo bike, great for a hack mule but give me something lighter and quicker responding for a solo

I don't think I've ridden one whichever is BMW's latest odd frontend but have ridden some of them with the telelever? (in the early 90's?)

thought it felt alright and couldn't make it do anything scary or bizzare

EuroIron · Post by **EuroIron** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:16 pm

did I ever tell you about the time I made comment to a gent, that had a Scott similar to this one, but it had that "pretty" lavender paint job

that his bike looked like a lady's porta potty

he didn't think that was very funny

VBMWMO · Post by **VBMWMO** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:51 pm

I have started an R60/2 page on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_R60/2

Suggestions and corrections would be welcome.

jeff.dean@att.net