1953 R68 for sale on ebay

jeff dean · Post by **jeff dean** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:01 pm

Here is your chance to buy a 1953 R68!

I wonder what it will fetch.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/100-mph- ... 230d98fcc3

808Airhead · Post by **808Airhead** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:06 pm

Man,that is a beautiful bike! If that thing had black rims I would be bidding on it!

(Just kidding Jeff!)

jeff dean · Post by **jeff dean** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:35 pm

Man,that is a beautiful bike! If that thing had black rims I would be bidding on it!

(Just kidding Jeff!)

I am not bidding. Already have a 1954 R68.

I just wonder how high the bidding will go.

miller6997 · Post by **miller6997** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:27 pm

What's your guess?

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:19 pm

I received the following email:

Hi Darryl...Would you like to load these two photos on the VBMWMO website, maybe with Jeff Dean's recent post re the e bay R68 up for auction now? Needless-to-say, I would not want to be identified as the owner, but alot of folks seem to like this type of BMW, and these are the four "versions" of the R68. You rarely get to see the early 1952 or the ISDT versions. I think the images are too "hi res" for me to load, but maybe you can lower the "pixels" and load if you think it appropriate.

The photos are intriguing and so with that introduction...:

schrader7032 · Post by **schrader7032** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:59 pm

These are certainly nice bikes. I've been exchanging emails with someone who indicates that BMW keeps a tight lip on info associated with the R68. Normally, one can send BMW their /2 VIN and they will return info they find in the files without too much effort. But for the R68, they ask you to "send photos of the motor number, frame number, typenschild along with the stirnradtoleranz number"...(not sure what this last item is; maybe it's stirn rad toleranz which is the wheelbase??). Once they determine that it is a legitimate bike, then they'll release the info. The person indicated there are too many fake R68s and that is why they do that.

He also indicates that someone is maintaining an R68 registry, but it is not on-line anywhere.

jeff dean · Post by **jeff dean** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:28 pm

The "Stirnradtoleranz" (helical tolerance) is the tolerance value for the timing gear. Because the R68 was a high performance bike, the gears were specially grouped according to manufacturing tolerances.

I had to send in my Stirnradtoleranz number along with the engine/frame number before the archives would tell me when mine was built (July 21, 1954)

808Airhead · Post by **808Airhead** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:32 pm

If I didn't JUST buy this,I might be a bidder!

Darryl.Richman · Post by **Darryl.Richman** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:10 am

Jeff is right, it's the timing gear tolerance, or how far from perfect the camshaft is from the crankshaft, and therefore, the adjustment in size needed in the timing gears. But it's not just for the R68; all of the /3 and /2 motors have this, and their cases are stamped on top with a number between 20 and -20, to indicate how far off the case is, center to center (in hundredths of a mm).

It so happens that, for whatever reason, BMW kept track of this number in their records on the R68. BMW Group Classic does try to prevent fraud, so in the case of the R68, they require you to supply the correct number or they won't tell you anything. It's not unheard of people trying to make an "R68" out of an R69 motor and a plunger frame.

(They do this in other areas, where they can. For example, BMW motorcycles didn't have matching frame and engine numbers until 1941. For bikes issued before then, you can ask them about an engine and a frame, and they will tell you if they came from the factory together, or, if they didn't, when each part was built. But what they won't tell you is the matching number to either one.)

jeff dean · Post by **jeff dean** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:45 pm

1953 R68

THEE (sic) most beautiful R 68 you will lay eyes on for a loooong time ! Honestly, Too much to list here. contact me for more info if you are seriously interested. Last Chance for that once in a lifetime keeper. You will not be disappointed ! Check the current listed auctions for comps !

Ted

Price: $35,000 OBO

Location: New Hampshire

Contact: Ted Hatem

Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners