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R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

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Micha
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R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by Micha »

Hi all,
Further to my on-the-budget restoration project, I'm starting to think about the mufflers of the exhausts. The exhaust pipes are in good condition and I will re-use them, but previous owner has put on some strange silencers, apparently self fabricated that I will not use, so I'm after fishtail replica's. Don't care if they are black.

I am considering copies of Chinese Chang-Jiang or Russian URAL/Dneiper mufflers; any info what will fit and where to buy?

Regarding the exhaust crossover pipe that is missing on my bike: is it a must to have it? Why is it there for?

Thanks and a nice weekend!
Michael
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

jimstravlin
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by jimstravlin »

I would look into Salis in the Netherlands. Jan is full of information and his products, especially the mufflers and headers fit perfectly and the price is right. I have purchased the exhaust systems for the last three /3 bikes from him.

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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by jwonder »

Micha,

Place a wanted-ad in the parts-wanted forum here to see if anyone has any they don't want. It's worth a try.
James Wonder
Vice President, Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners
2022 BMW Friend Of the Marque
Long Island, New York

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Micha
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by Micha »

Thanks guys.
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

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Micha
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by Micha »

New question here...

I am looking on some exhaust systems on the web.
Some are straight as shown here https://vintagebmwparts.com/vintage-bmw ... pipe-pkge/.
Some are bent like these: https://www.meyer-bikes.de/index.php?pa ... 8114090032.

How can I know which ones will fit my bike? Will both pattern go on it?
How come there are bent ones and also straight ones?
I am not after the original one, but only after the matching ones and admit that the straight ones are my favorite...

Thanks.
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

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Micha
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by Micha »

Editing:
My bike is 529466 (matching, frame and engine).
According to Salils, I need the bent pipes if I refer to my frame number, but according to Mark Huggett, I need the straight pipes as I have a 1952 model:
salis.png
mark.png
This is only adding to my confusion.
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by schrader7032 »

I suspect your bike was built in the late summer of 1952 which could make it a 1951 model if you consider the year changeover happened for bikes built in September. It might also be considered a 1952 model if it was near enough to the changeover timeframe.

Beyond that, Roland's book says that beginning September 1954, German transportation authorities required the elimination of the fish tail type mufflers and from then on using the salami style muffler. This had to do with noise reduction. Also, at the point of changeover, the new mufflers required an s-bend in order to fit properly.

Reading between the lines, it would seem that your bike probably had a version of the fish tail muffler with the bend in the pipes. I think the reference is to either a baloney cut or to the fish tail style. Roland notes that by mid 1951, the lower portion of the baloney cut was trimmed back to resemble the upper one (fish tail) to improve safety as the sharp end of the baloney cut was called the "ankle biter".
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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Micha
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by Micha »

Thanks a lot Kurt.
BMW archive sent me this:

The BMW R 51/3 VIN 529466 was manufactured on August 28th, 1952
and delivered on August 29th, 1952 to the BMW dealer
Autohaus Pieper in Datteln.
The original colour was Black.


So I think that you are right here.
Anyway, was all this a change on the exhaust system only? Or where there also changes made on the bike/frame?
Can the straight pipes be mounted on bikes that should have bends-pipes and vice versa?
That's the only thing actually that interests me, as to be honest - I prefer the straight ones...
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by schrader7032 »

I haven't been around the early 1950s bikes. But something makes me think that the mounting locations of the mufflers required the s-bend in the pipes. Look at this page and find posted photos of the R51/2 and R51/3.

http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/bmwphotos.htm

You'll have to trust that the photos are in the right category. But you can see fish tail and salami mufflers with straight pipes as well as s-bend pipes. So, there seems to be a variety of configurations.

Again, when you get the muffler you want, then you can hold it in position and see what you need.
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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The Plunger
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Re: R51/3 - Muffler and Exhaust question

Post by The Plunger »

Micha,
S-bend pipes and swallowtail mufflers with hanger tab and cutouts for the new 190mm center stand were installed from 526211. If you use the straight pipe and if you have a 190mm stand, it may interfere.
Brian
Brian
59-69

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