Pre /2 musings……

[808Airhead]

Was about to go for another “break-in” ride on my freshly rebuilt 58’ R69 , but too much rain…SO…started polishing the aluminum bits and admired the polished chrome shock bolts on this early Earls Fork bike, as well as aluminum wheels and the fact that they were a little more elegant than the later bikes with the cheaper cadmium plated bolts and steel wheels which I am sure was cost cutting measure. Definitely a different standard than the later,/2 models. Another detail is the earlier “Bosch” horn found on the 50’s Earls fork, before “Klaxon” became the preferred fitment.

[niall4473]

It was definitely cost-cutting, after the financial crash when BMW were as good as bankrupt, sales and economising became paramount, the /2s are nowhere near as nicely built as the earlier bikes and the R69S, in particular, is nowhere near as good in design and build quality as the R69, IMHO, the R68 and R69 are the best made production motorcycles ever, the R69, in particular, is much nicer to ride than it's replacement, yet everybody wants the R69S.