Topic: Any Airheads out there ? BMW R75/6

[greenjeans]

After the Barber Vintage Fest last weekend, I'm starting to get a warm fuzzy feeling for some of those BMWs.

Specifically, early 70's R75/6

I have two that I'm going to take a look at this weekend,

1.  1976 R75/6   http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mcy/1955209247.html     $3200

2.  1971 R75/5   http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/mcy/1935449535.html     $2500

Haven't really read too much on the subject, but I gather that the 76 model might be the "sweet spot" of that generation of bike.
It also has some work done and receipts so, I'm leaning toward that bike.   Both seem like pretty fair prices to me.  It seems that
CB values have gone up dramatically over the last 3 or 4 years compared to that of the BMWs....


Anybody have any advice or knowledge, links, websites etc that they would care to share ?

Much appreciated & don't worry,  the CB will never go anywhere.

[Jordan]

Vintage BMW has a web forum lots of info, a web site by Jeff Dean (I think that's his name) and find a local airhead club. Those two bikes look pretty good and price seems reasonable to a little low actually. Study up on the airhead problems and there are a couple of books out there like BMW Buyers Guide by Zimmerman and Nelson. Good luck and happy hunting, if you can find one with Earls Forks 68 and earlier I think you will be surprised by the smooth ride. 

[kirkn]

....oops, I thought you had 'mis-posted' another Blonde joke.  




Yep, I was THISCLOSE to picking up a late 70s 800cc.  Don't remember which model, but by the time I got back to it (a few hours) it had sold.

[Speed King]

There's tons of info on the interwebs. I freakin' love my '75 R90/6

[kck3]

I would go with the 76 out of those 2.

[Speed King]

Yes, I agree with that.

Greenjeans- check out ADV Rider if you haven't already. Always a lot of BMW talk in the Old's Cool section. And nice bikes turn up in the classifieds from time to time. DEo a couple searchs & you'll be amazed. Good luck, there's bikes out there.

[greenjeans]

Thanks guys.   Got about 5-6 hrs of research in last night...More this evening.
I hate jumping into things uninformed.

[Jordan]

I had read on a beemer site that the refit was due to some 70's short wheel base bikes having severe head shake and apparently more than one crash due to it. I think I read about it on Duane Ausherman's (sp?) site.

[Terry in Australia]

I've got a soft spot (probably between my ears....) for old airhead BMW's, between my brother and I we've had 4, an R69S, R75/5 an R75/6 and an R100RS. The RS was the prettiest with that beautiful fairing, but the 750's had the sweetest engines, by far. I used to love kick starting those engines on a warm day, they'd just burst into life and sit there going tick tick tick, and would lope along effortlessly at 60 MPH at around 3200 RPM. I'm not sure which one I'd buy, the 75/6 is a bit more modern with disc brakes etc, but the BMW drum brakes were pretty good too, if used with respect. Cheers, Terry.

[HAIRHEAD]

Ya,I'm a Big Airhead-love em. My first was a 1972 R75/5 "toaster";SPOOKY brakes,WEAK charging system ,but SMOOTH AND BEAUTIFUL;Yeah i miss it.I traded it away  :(for a car-sweet car mind you;1971 Volvo 1800e.And then traded the car for....5 Hondas,1 Yamaha and a lift table I think if either airhead checks out to be solid and cared for they would be at a fair price,especially the 72 @ 2500.The first thing i would ? the owner of the 76 would be the 4 speed tranny-i do not recall BMW offering a 4 speed in 76;the 5 speed does make a BIG difference in Highway-ability.One of the many nice thing about these old airheads is that they will last with routine upkeep and you have a HUGE spread of years and models with interchangable parts and a lot of online support. cheers.