Comments on: Retrospective: BMW /5 Series – 1970-1973

By: Moshe K. Levy

Moshe K. Levy — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:26:08 +0000

In reply to Chuck West. Chuck I still have that shot in high res! It's from 2004-2005 or so. I'll send you a signed copy! ;-)

By: Moshe K. Levy

Moshe K. Levy — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 19:22:07 +0000

Hi Guys

It’s interesting to see all of your Airhead stories! We’ve had a few in our family besides the /5s. We started with a 1973 LWB R75/5 for me and my then girlfriend (now wife) pictured had the 1971 SWB R60/5. Then I got a 1974 R90/6, and then I replaced that with a beautiful 1977 R100S cafe! You can see these bikes here https://mklsportster.com/the-motorcycles/

We eventually gravitated towards more modern BMWs when we started to ride longer distances together. I had RTs and Terri had R1150R and R850R set up to tour. Terri quit riding after we got married and she got pregnant. She hasn’t been on a motorcycle since! But I’ll pass your kind comments on to her. I’m sure she will appreciate it!

By: Allie

Allie — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:36:19 +0000

My first BMW was a 79′ R65LS with duel plugs in the toasted orange color whose official color name I don’t know.

To help understand where the BMW design teams’ heads’ were at at the time the /5 was developed I find it helpful to compare what was being produced and raced by the other brands at the time. I’d love to hear more about how and why BMW made it’s choices like including the seemingly out dated four speed. My next BMW would be a K75rt and even it seemed to be short changed by its designers with a five speed.

By: Allie

Allie — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 08:06:24 +0000

In reply to Chuck West. Ha ha, they're both beautiful. The author is a lucky guy and also a good photographer. I found the shot to be worthy of the calendar/ coffee table book genre as well.

By: Chuck West

Chuck West — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 19:22:55 +0000

All of this talk of slash 2s and slash 5s is all well and good, but I’d like to comment on how dang cute the author’s wife one her first bike is. If there was a poster of that shot, I’d pin it up on my garage wall.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:56:44 +0000

One of the few bikes out of many, many owned that I wish I’d kept was a 1970 R50/5 that I once owned. In hind sight I realize that It was the prefect bike. Miss it

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 14:46:23 +0000

I’ve owned a /5 since 1996. It’s a wonderful design and still a very useful bike. For most of my trips, it’s a better adventure bike than my R1150GS.
And they are pretty indestructible. The author compares them to an anvil. But I think a hammer is more accurate. You’ll never wear out a hammer as long as you replace the head and the handle when it needs it.

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 08:21:48 +0000

I have a 1993 R100R. One of the last iterations of this engine and classic model of BMW motorcycle.

Back in 2014 I went on a ride with a group. We rode in Los Angeles from Pacific Coast Highway to Griffith Park Observatory in Hollywood. I think my bike was the oldest of the group. They stopped a few times on the way but I did not know why. I asked someone and they told me that many of the sport bikes were overheating and we had to stop a few times to let them cool down.

My old R100R made it just fine.
And riding two-up!
Have a look if you are interested.
https://youtu.be/hn0SZPICmiE
ShadowBoxer video 0011 {PCH to Griffith Observatory}

With proper maintenance these were built to last.
And they do.

Happy New Year and may it be a productive and happy one.
Cheers.

By: Robert (Bob) Burham

Robert (Bob) Burham — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 20:29:44 +0000

I was the proud owner of a 1972 R75/5. Wife and I averaged 12,000 miles a year on weekends and vacations with no problems. Being based in Denver we covered Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona–Canada to the North, Nebraska to the East, Texas to the South and California to the West. My Beemer was equipped with a Vetter fairing, BMW hard side bags and a rack that carried two stuffed bags with camping gear. The greatest time of my life– and the saddest time when I had to sell it do to work requirements.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 17:35:38 +0000

My first BMW was a 73 short frame. Carried me over 100,000 miles. Rear main oil seals where problematic.