Help needed with bike identification

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:00 pm

Michael -

I used the following URL to decipher the VINs:

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

2932096 is a 1970 R60/5
7037463 belongs to a 1980 BMW car (316i probably)

There must be something wrong with the 703xxxx number...I suspect that a number was misread. 6037463 is a '81 R100.

It's almost impossible to track the engine number, as far as I know. In recent years, the frame and engine number matched. Way back in the pre-war era, that was not necessarily true. Read about later ID numbers here:

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/IDnumbrs.htm

Depending on where the "engine number" was found, it may be nothing more than a sequence number with no way of telling what type of bike it went with.

Kurt in S.A.

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:20 am

My friend went over to take a look at that bike: Engine Nr. is 5241 and is stamped at the oil dip-stick area, in the alu casting. The VIN's URL you gave recognize this number as a fault, but
5241 is no mistake and he is sure about it, wrote it on a note.
The bike is indeed an R60/5.
Pls. help with this engine identification.
Thanks again.

PS; As I know nothing about these models, I will be glad to hear from you guys how are they, are they considered as successful bikes, what where their chronically diseases if any, and what to pay attention to. Oh, and a good source for parts will be great. Thank you again!

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:03 am

Michael -

This is very strange...I've never heard of a bike post '69 with only a 4-digit VIN. Pictures would really help to see both the number as well as more of the bike. Something's not adding up...maybe this bike is some kind of hodge-podge. Or maybe the engine is some kind of replacement. BMW had blank cases that were unstamped. If and when someone ordered a replacement, then they would stamp it with a number. Maybe that's what's going on here...

Duane Ausherman's website shows examples of VINs:

http://w6rec.com/duane/bmw/VIN/index.htm

This picture is what a VIN should look like near the dipstick hole on a /5:

As I've mentioned, it should typically be 7 digits and have BMW roundels around it. There are other areas that the VIN should show up. On a /5, all of the numbers - frame, engine - should match. Duane's site also shows these other areas.

Another thing that could be considered is emailing BMW archives and providing as much information as possible. I've received information from them on my /7 and /2. Maybe they can shed some light on the 4-digit VIN. Contact Andreas Harz at:

andreas dot harz at partner dot bmw dot de

I'd be interested to see some pictures or hear what BMW has to say...

Kurt in S.A.

Micha · Post by **Micha** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:09 pm

Kurt, thank you very much.
I think the bike will arrive my area next week or so; I will go myself with a camera and see what going on. I will inform you.

VBMWMO · Post by **VBMWMO** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 2:53 pm

A friend told me that he knows about a BMW (about 200 km away from his place) dated from the 70's with engine number *5241 and 2 frame numbers (on the head steering stem): *2932096 & *7037463.
He has no pictures of the bike and these numbers where given to him by the owner, so I'm not so sure regarding those *; maybe there is a zero written there.
I will appreciate very much an identification of this machine; is it possible? Model and year of production as pictures are not available at the moment.
Thanks a lot in advance, Michael.