Looking at a 1959 R50 tomorrow morning

[isdt BMW]

From 1951 to 1969 the motors are basically the same, the R-69 became the 69-S with the rear floating bearing, differences are in the parts break downs, get the books. Many of us have quit using the floating bearing with no problems. many of the late US fork bikes have no sidecar mounts as the telefork was not for sidecar use. The rebuild book by Chris Bjetman (spelling?) is the best. Find it thru the vintage BMW sites. Total motor teardown is the only way to clean slingers. you did buy the bike already didn;t you? That is a bargain price. I agree, the front fender is mounted wrong.

[Ron Seida]

Like others have mentioned, buy it... now, before someone else does! I have the identical bike sitting on my lift right now in the process of restoration.

This R60 is the predecessor of the R60/2, which started production in 1960. There are a few notable differences between the bikes, like the aformantioned frame gusset. Check the centrestand mounts, as the earlier types were known to break. The battery tray is different, and so is the rubber strap. Good luck finding a replacement! The motor has a few differences also. I believe the con rods are of different design. The cam shaft gears are cut in the opposite direction and the metal gear is retained with a cir clip... something not found on the /2 motor. DO NOT attempt to pull off the gear and the camshaft bearing at the same time as the circlip is hidden in between them and you will damage the crankshaft... just ask me how i know ..
The /2 is considered by some to be a superior bike, but yours is more rare, and in my opinion, more desirable! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions regarding your bike. This is a picture of my last restoration, a '66 R60/2.

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by weeman

Budget about 2500. more or less for the engine rebuild and since the trans is less complicated than the later airheads your budget should be 600-700 for a rebuild depending where you take it.

Ya know, I was just thinking of asking about how much an engine rebuild (slinger service) and trans rebuild would be on a /2. $2500 is lower than what I was expecting.

[disston]

I've always wanted one of these myself. I thought the slinger cleaning could be done in the driveway in a couple of hours. BTW it is one slinger per bike?

[weeman]

Originally Posted by crazydrummerdude

Ya know, I was just thinking of asking about how much an engine rebuild (slinger service) and trans rebuild would be on a /2. $2500 is lower than what I was expecting.

The rebuild (slinger service) price doesn't include a fried crank that'd be 1k more if damaged. I thought of doing it myself for the first time but I don't possess the special tools and their a bit more complicated than later airheads. Besides, I'll know it was done right with guarantee it was and will free me up to work and pay for it.

[Ron Seida]

All the tools you need to disassemble the engine are right here:
http://www.cycleworks.net/index.php?...&products_id=4
$222 plus shipping really isn't that bad, and it wouldn't be hard to get most of your money back if you chose to sell them later. The Clymer manual mirrors the original book by BMW and tells you everything you need to know. http://www.amazon.com/Bmw-600Cc-Twin...rcycle+manuals
All you need are these tools, the book, a propane torch to heat the block and a mechanical aptitude and your on your way. Ive done a few of these engines, they're really much simpler than you think, you just have to know a few tricks.

[backdrifter]

So come on, Twin Headlight Ernie, tell us what happened already!

[isdt BMW]

There are 2 slingers, crank must be out of the motor case to clean them. In my 40+ years of working on them, I have never seen clean slingers. do them once and with modern oils, you can enjoy years of trouble free riding. The Clyber manual is OK but the Bjetman rebuild bkkk is better and has mich more info. the pre /2 bikes are fine, it doesn't matter what year you get. Did you get the bike?

[Ron Seida]

Originally Posted by isdt BMW

There are 2 slingers, crank must be out of the motor case to clean them. In my 40+ years of working on them, I have never seen clean slingers. do them once and with modern oils, you can enjoy years of trouble free riding. The Clyber manual is OK but the Bjetman rebuild bkkk is better and has mich more info. the pre /2 bikes are fine, it doesn't matter what year you get. Did you get the bike?

Im curious about this book from Bjetman, but the Great Google cant find it. Could you please provide us a link. Thanks.

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by Ron Seida

Im curious about this book from Bjetman, but the Great Google cant find it. Could you please provide us a link. Thanks.

Pricey, but a damn nice book.

http://www.barringtonmotorworks.com/

http://www.barringtonmotorworks.com/...?sid=14&gid=97

[Beemerguru]

Originally Posted by Twin headlight Ernie

Well, here's a picture. It has 94K and has not run in 10 years. It is currenlty stored in a nice garage. It has a dent in the tank and the tail light is missing. The current owner belives the previous owner tried to convert it to a 12 volt system and it has a huge ugly regulator bolted to the right side of the frame. I also noticed that is must have been setup with a sidecar at one time because the sidecar lugs are still on the frame. He wants $2400.00 for it.
So, how big of a money pit am I looking at? Opinions? What is it worth in running condition? Restored condition?

Thanks.
2HE

Nice example with the desireable single seat and passenger pad. Even has a working stock side stand which is rare. All frames back then came with side car lugs. You would change the pivot point on the Earles forks depending on solo or sidecar.

Sitting 10 years and those miles...engine comes out to get to the slingers. See Brent Hansen for the tranny rebuild. Join the Vintage BMW Club with the rest of us crazy beemerphiles.

If you know airheads...pull the front cover and you can tell if it still have the stock 6v or the 12 v upgrade from the cop bikes. Means you won't have the magnito...these things don't really need a battery to run.just for lights at idle.

[weeman]

Originally Posted by Ron Seida

Im curious about this book from Bjetman, but the Great Google cant find it. Could you please provide us a link. Thanks.

I have the book if you would like to borrow it. Yes, it's a bit pricey at $103. but it's very concise.

[Carl]

For the 1955-69 Twins:

Generally all factory equipped Earles fork machines had sidecar lugs. For the late '68 & '69 machines they generally always were sold with frames that had the sidecar lugs not installed at the factory. Yet...like any mass production source of a product there can be factory one-offs. I've owned one '69 R69S Earles fork machine that was built at the factory w/out sidecar lugs and I've owned one '68 R60US that was built at the factory that had a frame w/ sidecar lugs. Both of those bikes were here in the States being passed around in Ohio ~15 plus years back.

As per the charging systems, there are three factory designs:

• 6V, 2-brush generator
• 12V, 4-brush generator
• 12V, 2-brush alternator

All three of the above charging systems retain the factory magneto design. W/out a battery the lights will function at charging RPM rate on the generator designs. W/out a battery the lights will not fucntion when the engine is running on the alternator design. The generator designs are used early through late in the Twins production range. The alternator is a late design as it is basically a /5 charging system. A 12V factory charging system does not mean the magneto is deleted. There are also various one-off, not from the factory, design chargings systems that are available for these machines.

Now for the rebuilding of gearboxes on the 55-69 twins...I consider the 'proper and correct' rebuilding of these gearboxes far more challenging for the novice that the '74 and up BMW Twins' design. In just the past year I've had two 55-69 Twins gearboxes sent to me that riders did not get 'right' (as in botched) when doing the rebuild. Yes, a rebuilder can do one for their first time and get it 'right'. Yet not being aware of their uniqueness and thinking it is a simpleton task can lead to a an expensive lesson.

That bike appears to be a very decent buy by today's market values. They are fun machines that have proven themselves to be an excellent design exercise by the engineers that made it happen.

Carl

[disston]

Originally Posted by weeman

I have the book if you would like to borrow it. Yes, it's a bit pricey at $103. but it's very concise.

The price went up. I saw $105 plus $12 shipping when I went through the three or four pages I had to go though to find the price but for some reason they can never tell you what the price is unless they get you to say , "Yes I want one", so then I don't enter my CC info but that's what you have to do to see the price.

I've never seen this book but I don't think the price is too much for a good technical manual. I've seen many "Picture" books cost half this and no technical info.

[Twin headlight Ernie]

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to say thanks for the kind information and helpful hints. Also thanks much for the pressure to make the purchase. I pick it up on Wednesday!
I am currently working on my 1992 R100GS and am doing a frame up restoration on a 1978 R100/7. This will be number three Beemer for the stable.
I don't have room in the shop for this one and it may be a while before I get a chance to to work on it. I am going to clear some space for it in the mud room in my house. (Us single guys can get away with having a bike in the house) I'll invite one of my riding buddies over this weekend to help me get it up the stairs and through the door. If anyone has a tail light or a lead on where to pick one up for this bike please let me know.
Take care and safe riding.
2HE