R66 engine and frame numbers

[DasMotorrad]

Hello Luigi,
yes,my R66 didn't have the oil tubes,it's correct.
We can,i think,divide the production of R66 in 2 "series":

-the first without oil tubes and frame reinforcement
-the second with oil tubes and frame reinforcement

[R66RODENT]

Hello Luigi & Andrea;
I have the oil-tubes with the reinforced crankcase on my R66. One thing to keep in mind if you run the bike a lot, is that when doing an oil change, you need to remove the rocker covers and drain the oil from each, because the oil pipe is located too high up in the heads to drain completely. If you drain the oil with the bike on the side stand, most of the oil from the right rocker cover will drain back into the case, but you'll definitely have to remove the left-hand cover.
On my old R66 from forty years ago, there was no oiling to the rocker boxes, other than what I pumped in there every second fill-up. I never changed this oil except when I adjusted the valve chearances. This worked fine. So I guess my old R66 was early production,and my current one is later.
My current R66 has a strut beneath the seat. My old R66 did not. Have a look at section 4 in this forum M72 Mystery.You will find two factory modification advisories about the reinforcement of the head-stock, and the strut beneath the seat, both from 1939. My head stock has not been reinforced, but the strut has been installed.
cheers,
Charlie

[Somer]

Does anyone have some pictures of an original R-66 ie. not restored? Ive got a fairly original one that I'm trying to figure a few points out about.

Thanks!

[R68]

I don't know if many of you folks follow "motoclub.de forum", but someone on that website just found a very original
1939 R61 in Netherlands, and has posted many good photos of the bike, rust/dirt/weird modifications and all! That's basically the same motorcycle as an R66 save for the motor. OTOH, Somer might just consider selling his "non-correct" R66 to me, and forgetting about all the hassel of getting it presentable in mixed company? IMO, other than for an R5 or R17, that R66 is the most desirable BMW ever made!

[DasMotorrad]

Hello Somer,
i have pictures of one R66 original found in Novegro Market (MI) some years ago,
this bike was repainted green military but the seller clean easly this paint and find the original black paint under!
this night i post it.
Otherwise you can find very good and original pictures in BMW Mobile Tradition Archive.

[R66RODENT]

Thanks for the tip-I'll investigate. I'm with you on the desirability of an R5 or an R66-but while an R17 is very rare, I think it's a fairly unpleasant motorcycle to drive. I owned one for about a year in the mid-sixties, and it was neat to look at, but a bear to ride. It seemed very original to my admittedly untrained eye, and started easily-but it had no brakes to speak of, and the early telescopic forks twisted sideways almost as much as they went up and down. That made the handling treacherous. The straight-ahead ride was harsh and uncomfortable, and the engine, was clattery and leaky. It was easy to work on-which I did a lot of. Compared to the R66 I owned at the time, it was a very primitive motorcycle. Well, you might say-the R17 was clapped out, and I was a dumb kid.Interestingly, a friend of mine bought an R17 several years ago, and his experience was the same as mine. He was so disappointed with it that he made the seller take it back and return his money. Since I'd only paid $300.00 in 1965 for the R17 (about $1,800 in today's money), I wasn't too bent out of shape about my purchase, and when the bike lunched its crank-pin, I was able to sell it to Amol Precision for what I had in it. It is rumored to reside in a loft in Brooklyn, broken crankpin and all
Charlie

[Somer]

My R-66 appears to be an early one too. It had original vin#s and the same numbers stamped above the cylinders.

[kristiansen-racing]

Hi Luigi,

I think that my engine probably met your engine a long time ago in Germany
Check my numbers !

Best Regards, Lars

[Luigi bmwR68]

Hi Lars!
Yes is fantastic!
Only 2 numbers!
WOW, they are sisters!
Ciao
Luigi