Serious newbie questions

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:28 pm

Nice to keep the bike in the family!!

Duane Ausherman has a manual on-line that will give you good information; plus look over his site...lots of /2 info:

http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/2man/index.htm

My take on the questions:

1) red for the charge system (on, no charging; off, charging); the green light is the neutral indicator
2) should be 1 down 3 up
3) the ignition key is a "nail"...should be located on top of the headlight shell, a hole with a sliding cover. Check Duane's site for a discussion of ignition keys.
4) also check the manual on Duane's site. But the toggle switch should be for hi/lo beams and the push button should be to flash the headlights.

Good luck getting to know the bike... With such low mileage, the bike should be in good shape, depending on how it's been stored and cared for. Likely, though, it'll need some TLC to become a reliable machine.

Kurt in S.A.

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 9:22 pm

Kurt's got it all right except that the push button is for the horn.

A single key should operate both the fork lock and toolbox door. If you don't have it, a competent locksmith should be able to make a new one for you if you bring him the bike. Niemann is the original manufacturer for the key, but Ilco and Taylor have blanks for it.

Good luck with it!

GreenAdam · Post by **GreenAdam** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 6:09 am

Thanks for the help, guys - and the great link!

I know the motorcycle purrs like a kitten - I used to have my grandfather start it for me every summer when we would visit because I loved the sound. The last time I saw him before he died, he started the bike after warning me that "I don't know how easy it will start - it's been a year" and it fired on the FIRST kick. Amazing.

Guess I should have paid attention to details like how to turn the ignition on!

The tires are moderately weather checked (and 42 years old!), but other than that everything appears very sound.

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:13 am

Kurt's got it all right except that the push button is for the horn.

Darryl -

I was going to say the horn initially but checked the paper copy of the manual I have and it said it was for flashing the headlight. The manual said the right toggle switch was for the blinkers (I know that's right) and the horn was the pushbutton on the right side. Hmmm...maybe that's why my horn doesn't work!!

Kurt in S.A.

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:57 am

Well, you're correct Kurt. But the issue is a bit confusing. If a bike had the ox-eye turn signals installed, then there's a second set of switches on the right perch. In this case, your description is correct: hi/lo/flash on the left and turn signals/horn on the right.

But if a bike didn't have the turnsignals -- and they were not a stock item -- then there was only one set of switches, on the left, and they were hi/lo/horn.

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:35 am

Darryl -

OK, then that explains my situation. I have the bar-end ox-eye turnsignals...Hella I believe.

So, by you saying they were not stock, that means they didn't come from the factory that way? I sent a message to BMW asking about the 1969 R69S and was only told about the bench seat that it came with. That must mean that the turnsignals were added later...by the dealer or a PO? And, what you're saying is, that the switch gear had to be changed as well. The switch gear on my bike are "bat wings" on either side.

Thanks...Kurt

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:49 am

My understanding is that the factory never installed those turn signals. Curiously enough, however, they did change the design of the right perch to accept the batwing style switch unit later in the 60s.

There's an earlier style switch unit for the turn signals that mimics the older chrome hi/lo/flash switch on the left side.

Allan.Atherton · Post by **Allan.Atherton** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:53 am

My understanding is that the factory never installed those turn signals....
The factory installed turn signals on the R27 that I ordered in the US and picked up at the factory in 1966.

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:31 am

You paid $12 for those turn signals? Sigh...

Allan.Atherton · Post by **Allan.Atherton** » Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:40 am

Maybe the factory only installed them because I had bought the bike and ordered them along with the other accessories. Maybe as you say the factory did not install signals on unsold bikes coming down the assembly line. In my case the factory was doing what a dealer would have done, if there had been a dealer.