What's the best vintage BMW to actually ride??

[VBMWMO]

Hello there, everyone. I am new to Beemer bikes (I've put about 14,000 miles on my GS in about 6 months...) and I have fallen in love with these things. I seriously cant stay off my GS, and I have always kinda wanted an older Beem.
My girl spends A LOT of time on the back, and we rode by (what I think was) a R90 the other day and she loved it.

"Thats cute!" she said "its not nearly as ugly as the GS!"

whatever... the GS is.... what it is.

Anyways she is taking her motorcycle safety class in a few weeks and I was thinking an older Beemer would be perfect for her. Not only that - Ill definately be stealing it on weekend rides alone!!

8)

So, I came here ask the experts about these bikes; what is a good, older bike to have as a rider. Dead reliable, easy maintenence (like my oilhead perhaps...).

Someone was telling me the other day, that I want to stay away from ponts and the like and stick with newer, eletronic ignitons. Is this true?


Anyhow - thanks for any and all help!

-cheers

[Maksmith]

I am not sure an older BMW would be right for a beginner. You really have to pay attention and drive the bike.

[sonofrust]

Encourage her to get something with at least one front disc brake. I agree that an old BMW looks cool, but there are better beginner bikes. If you're asking opinions about the best old airhead to actually ride on the modern road, than that has to be the R100RS. Again, probably not the best for the beginner, but you'll certainly enjoy it!

[Cordless]

I vote for the 1977 R75/7. Tom Cutter, an airhead expert, told me years ago the '77 75/7 was the best airhead made. Took me a few years but I finally found one and bought it. I encourage you to do the same.

[sminn560sl]

If I ignore all of my nostalgic preferences I have to pass on the recommendation often given in Excellence Magazine when people asked the best year of Porsche to buy for a daily car. The answer is the newest one you can afford and like. BMW, like Porsche, implemented improvements in their bikes with every year. While a lot of folks love the /5, the /6 has more electrical capacity, more power and is generally more reliable. The newer they get, the better they get. I used to ride and /2 on a regular basis and thought I'd gone to heaven when I started riding a /6. When I bought my 87 R80, the /6 felt crude. When I rode the K1200RS I thought my R80 felt like a crude relic.

I love to ride my /2, but will choose my 87 R80 if I'm going any distance, especially with a passenger. I'd ride a newer one but the 87 is the newest BMW I have.

So, it's a personal question. Where is your personal cutoff for nostalgia v.s. technical superiority?

[anderson7585]

My problem (well one of them anyway) is that I can only ride "old bikes" and to qualify a bike MUST have Spoked wheels and Drum brakes. The /5 is the convergence of Spokes, Drums and electric start so my "modern bike" is a 1973 R75/5.

Vince

[Zeno Lee]

Joel mentions above that he's too short for the GS, but the R90/6 has a stated 32" seat height.

In my shared motorcycle garage, there are 2 /6 bikes and compared to my R50/2 the seat seems pretty high.

I can flat-foot on my /2. I have a 30" inseam.

I'm wondering if other owners of /6 bikes have problems with a short inseam like me.

I'm at the beginning stages of branching out of /2s into /6s

[Bruce Frey]

We have the same inseam and I have no problem handling my R90S. The only time I have uncomfortable moments is scooting it around the garage to access other bikes or the tool bench. If your foot slips (on an extension cord, for example) it is easy to lose your balance and drop the bike.

Bruce

[Souljer]

Hi,

A year or so ago I was wondering the same question.
Since the original poster is probably long gone, I post now for any future visitors who may be following in our footsteps and finding themselves on this excellent site.

I came to the conclusion later after buying my BMW. The more I ride it and learn about it, the more I like it and appreciate it.

My bike ended up being a 1993 BMW R100R

Many unique features on these Last Airhead models.
Mine has stock:
Early Paralever rear suspension.
- Same basic drive train as period GS bikes. (I think that includes the stronger frame, but I'm not sure.)
Dual front disk brakes.
Tubeless tires.
Wire rims.
A stronger and stiffer fork (I think it's from the then current K75)
Electronic ignition.
- among other things I'm probably forgetting or don't know yet.

Hope that helps.

[rimcanyon]

This is an old thread, but it raises the same question I am interested in getting an answer to.

I have a 28" inseam. Which models would you recommend for someone with a short inseam? In one of the posts above, c.d.iesel posted that a short height seat is available. Is this a custom option, or available from BMW? Do the vintage BMW's with the solo saddles have a lower seat height? Do longer wheelbase models have a lower seat height than short wheelbase models?