Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

Check this R90S out at https://motoborgotaro.com/motorcycles/1 ... s-for-sale

While it looks like a clean runner, my limited knowledge of the differences between 1974-75-76
models tells me this might NOT be a real '74 bike.

For example, where are the white rings around the speedo and tach. The voltmeter and clock
don't look right. Mirrors appear straight. Clutch and brake levers are chrome and not black.

Any other red flags? I'm interested in the bike but concerned it isn't authentic.

Yeah, Ian Falloon says there should be an aluminum ring around the two instruments. I notice that the front disks are drilled...they were solid on the '74 models. Getting the 7-digit VIN might help somewhat with exactly what year it is. But lots of changes that aren't original.

I missed the disc brakes. Perhaps this is a 1975 model incorrectly advertised as a 1974.

Could be. That's where the VIN would help.

I'm going to try and delete the duplicate post...hope I don't mess things up!

The ad says right up front the bike has been restored by the previous owner. Restored, can mean anything goes from concourse Beverly Hills winning to just get on it and ride. It also depends on the mechanical and electrical know how of the person doing the restoration.

If you want a perfect 74 R90S, this is not it and depending on the asking price it may not be even a pretty good deal.

Good luck finding a low mile original condition R90S these days, they do come on the market from some guy who bought them and put them in a show room or living room or private collection, but a lot of them have been ridden either hard, little or have been restored. Good luck what ever you do. St.

Yes, I assume when it says "restored", it means it was done correctly. A few improvements are always ok as long as the integrity of the bike remains true to it's model year. This one is a mystery.

It does have the 74 seat and aluminum TS housings. It does have the wrong spark plug caps and carb cable adapters in addition to things mentioned. The carb adapters are an upgrade, and may or may not be acceptable to you.

I've never seen an R90S with two hose clamps at the air filter end of the inlet tubes. And the pinstripe on the tank should line up with the stripe on the seat.

Restored has many meanings. In the car world I've seen 'Fully Restored' with a list of modifications??????
So, it can mean something between 'Cleaned up' to " Restoration cost twice the asking price'.

Mike

The front fender looks too long in the section behind the forks. Maybe from a R90 or R75. Just my opinion when I first looked at it.

Restoring any bike back to original perfect condition is a darned hard job. The 74 R90S had so many one year/year and a half singular quirks or design things it is not always possible to find replacement parts to match them exactly. That is the reason why Concourse, Beverly Hill show quality restorations cost the bucks they do. The best bike and the one worth the most as far as I know would be a very low mileage, pristine original bike. Heck, some "restorers" even redo the original factory assembly work to "make things look better". For most of the bikes on the market the range is very good to poor. Price should be partly set by the reputation of the restorer along with the results. I for example have said, I restored two R90S bikes only to sell them for less than the cost I had into them because A, they were as good as I could get and I could not always get the correct items such as the proper disc brake rotors or white face gauges. B, I have no reputation, I am an amateur and in my humble experience not even a real good one. So, yes, I could have asked a high price for the bikes and yes, I could have found buyers but I couldn't do it. I am just not that good nor were the bikes that good.

I have heard of this guy who has the bike for sale only by internet search. The pictures of the bike look like he did a really nice job but it is of course not 100% correct for a 74R90S. I don't see a price listed, LOL, maybe I am not reading the ad properly but it would be nice to know just what he is asking for it. It could be a very good deal or it may not be.

That is my buck's worth of feelings. If you choose to buy it, what ever the price you pay, enjoy it. It never made sense to me for someone to buy a vehicle and park it. St.

Yes, it remains an ongoing discussion. Thanks for all the pointers.