1971 R75/5 Restoration Question

[boxershorts]

Hi,
New to the forum and BMW's in general. Bought a 1971 R75/5 in very good condition but I want to get it back as close to a period bike as possible. The one main non stock item as I can see is the toaster tank (black with chrome) which from my research came out in 72. The bike has white (Feather White?) fenders so I assumed it originally had a 6.3 gal white tank. Would it be better from a purist viewpoint to locate a 6.3 gal tank and have it restored with Feather White or could I just keep the toaster tank and re-paint it Feather White? Which would be the more desireable choice also keeping in mind this will be for resale at some time?
I've attached a photo of the bike.
Thanks, John

[schrader7032]

I don't think the 6.3g tank came out until much later. And it could be that the your bike is a late '71 which might have meant that the toaster tank was "stock". Realize too, that when a customer came into to buy, the dealer would often make changes to suite the customer. So, maybe the original owner saw this '71 on the floor but also saw the '72s that were new. If one customer didn't want the toaster panels and another did, the dealer would swap.

Not sure how much info that BMW Group Classic could provide, but sending an email to them with the info you have (esp. the VIN), they could check the records and see what they have in their records.

[boxershorts]

Thanks Kurt,

My manufacture date is 12/70. I agree with the possibility that tanks were swapped when purchase but why the black when the fenders are white? According to this site information, http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/tank/index.htm , The 6.3 was the stock tank until 72 when the toaster came out. I suppose my bike could have sat until late 71 or been a leftover , then the new toasters would be available. I will try the BMW group classic, thanks.

[schrader7032]

You're right on the 6.3gal tank:

http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/specpages/R75-5.htm

I didn't realize that...I always equate the 6.3gal tank to the one that came in the mid '70s on the /6 and the one that's on my /7. But it looks like there was a large tank of a different shape available early on.

[R.D.Green]

John - - BMW's sales took a substantial leap forward when the /5's came out in model year 1970. Anything is possible, but if your bike has a manufacture date of 12/70, I think it unlikely that it sat around the dealer until the toasters came out which was probably in late '71 for the '72 model year. If the paint on the fenders is original, then my guess is that your bike was delivered with a white 6.3 gallon "hump" tank which first appeared in late '69 for the '70 model year and remained in production throughout the run of the /6 series. The hump tank was criticized back in the day for being "slab-sided", ungainly looking, etc. as compared with the /2 tanks. Personally, I like them. For more information, take a look at the 5 United website which is devoted to the /5 series. They have a whole section on tanks and their variations - - gas caps, police versions, etc., etc. The green police tank pictured there is the very one that is on my R75/6.

[boxershorts]

R.D.,

Thank you for that useful information. You pretty much confirmed the conclusion I had come to. What would your opinion be on the last part of my post....."Would it be better from a purist viewpoint to locate a 6.3 gal tank and have it restored with Feather White or could I just keep the toaster tank and re-paint it Feather White? Which would be the more desireable choice also keeping in mind this will be for resale at some time"?
My feeling is to get the 6.3 tank (which I have already) so as to keep the original look.

Thanks, John

[R.D.Green]

John - - Your bike looks pretty straight to me although there are a couple of things that are not correct like the handlebar grips, luggage racks, and mufflers. I'm not even sure BMW offered racks for the short wheelbase model (which you have). Can't remember. The mufflers look like the later style which showed up on the /6 series. Your bike should have the old /5 "cigar" style mufflers. I say all this to say that you've already got a couple of non-stock things going on, so unless you plan to do a total resto and show the bike at the Amelia Island Concours, I would say to do what makes you happy with the tank. Values of the /5 are holding or accelerating to some degree but they still haven't exactly rocketed off so I personally don't think the type of tank you go with is really going to affect the value of the bike very much. Of course - - who knows what the future holds? If we take your sentence from your first post literally ("I want to get it back as close to a period bike as possible"), then you should go back to the hump tank in the correct color. If you're comfortable with backing off from that sentence just a little bit, then go with the toaster tank in white. Being a bit of a rivet counter myself, I'd go with the hump tank and try to correct any other bits as I went along. But, that's me, not you.

Richard

[boxershorts]

Richard......You are on the same page as me, I am going to keep the larger tank, something about using the toaster from 72 just bugs me and I like the look of the larger tank, but I am not going to worry too much about everything being exact to the date because as you pointed out and I am aware of, that the grips are aftermarket, the mufflers were put on about 2001 but are from a BMW dealer (I have the receipts) and the luggage racks I am going to remove. Probably the most dissapointing thing is that I emailed BMW Group Classic with the VIN and they replied that the color for that VIN was black 086. But I feel that as long as I can get the bike to a correct color for that date of 1971 and everything is running well, I will be happy.
Thanks, John

[drpboston]

Hi John,

I'm also looking into purchasing a /5 and have come across many varieties and mix-and-matches. Hard to tell what is stock and what isn't, but the guys here are excellent at picking things out from pics.

Are you going to part with that toaster tank for hold onto it? And too bad you don't have any battery covers to part with

Nice project bike, hopefully I'll join the ranks soon as well.

[boxershorts]

Hi DrP,

I sold the tank this week on ebay. $262. Actually, the 71 did not have side covers.

Thanks, John