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The accidental
Boxer
Though it may be German, it's also
allegedly Zen. Whatever...yet again we've stumbled
into BMW airhead ownership with a 1975 BMW R75/6
(Guy 'Guido' Allen, October 2024)
Now is as good a time as any to declare
that, prior to buying this thing, muggins was not cruising
the classifieds (online or otherwise) agonising over which
BMW R75/6 boxer twin might be the best deal. It was never
on my radar, or any shopping list. In fact I was only
vaguely aware of the model's existence and had absolutely
no urge to buy one.
Then Groff rang...
He was calling to make yours truly a
co-conspirator in viewing a country-based clutch of NSU
motorcycles that were coming up for sale – out of
sheer curiosity and helping out the owner.
"By the way, there's a 1975 R75 you
should look at," he offered.
Righto. Up to now I had owned two airheads: a 1979 Ecco R65 and 1989 R100GS
Paris-Dakar, both of which had moved on to nicer
sheds. Lovely things, but no need for another.
Apparently I was wrong. When I saw it, complete with
1950s styling wrapping early 1970s technology, it looked
great. BMW must have targeted a very different niche at a
time when candy-coloured Japanese performance hounds were
all the rage.
Then again, it did respond with
the R90S.
Ray the seller was the second owner, who had bought it in
1977 with 8700km on the odometer. It was probably a big
investment at the time for a young couple with kids to
feed. When new, it cost Au$2875 (US$1930, GB£1480)
compared to a contemporary Honda CB750 at Au$1895
(US$1275, GB£975).
He parked it in the early 2000s and sold it in 2024, by
which time it was showing nearly 80,000km.
His son Rohan (above), a bike mechanic with his own
workshop called Moto Worx, shook hands on a price
and set about waking it up after a 20-year sleep.
It was an exercise that took some time
and resources, and wasn't rushed. I got a couple of
progress reports along the way and then, finally, a
call to pick it up. It came with one proviso: while
the exhaust system – particularly the balance pipe
between the headers – had been repaired, there were
parts of it that were by now paper-thin. Fair enough.
I've obtained a new stainless steel
system that copies the shape of the original, which
has yet to be fitted.
The R75 is representative of a
particular time of motorcycle and BMW ownership –
let's call it the practical period, though I'm not
sure how you bracket the years.
Among other clues, owner-fitted
delicate chrome luggage frames are a give-away. At
rear is a big and flat unit that will take a
decent-sized tent. Meanwhile the side frames are for
Pressley panniers – a popular brand of fibreglass
luggage from the period.
A set came with this bike, complete
with aftermarket mods such as aluminium brackets
pop-riveted into the panniers as a back-up measure and
locked in place with corresponding mini sliding door
bolts on the bike from the local hardware store. When
you open the panniers, you can smell the 1970s.
Meanwhile the deeply-padded seat is
generously proportioned for two people, with a decent
pillion grabrail and good legroom.
If you want to adjust the ride height
to cope with a passenger, the rear shocks have
substantial levers fitted by the factory that make it
a two-minute job which doesn't require tools. That, by
the way, is the only suspension adjustment.
Underneath is a good-size storage bin
with a relatively extensive tool kit, including a tyre
pump.
That lovely package is completed by
the original owner manual, in the back of which are
lots of notes from Ray outlining when he serviced the
bike and how much the parts cost.
And the engine? We're still dealing with
points ignition, which I quite like as it's easy if a
little time-consuming to service. The 745cc boxer runs
two-valve heads with pushrods and is in a mild state of
tune, claiming 50 horses (37kW) at 6200rpm. Max torque
(60Nm) chimes in earlier at 5000rpm.
The remainder of the driveline is a
five-speed transmission with shaft.
Normally an R75 would be running a single
front disc brake, though the previous owner opted to fit a
second. That was a popular mod.
As for the controls, you're facing typically narrow BMW
handlebars for the period, which can take a little getting
used to. There is also an adjustable friction steering
damper mounted on the head stem. And, just to confuse
things, the indicator switch is an up/down button on the
right handlebar.
What's it like to ride? Bill McKinnon
over at Classic Two
Wheels is a bit of a fan of these things and
assured me it can be a very Zen experience. After a few
spins on it, I get what he means.
This was the mid-sized model in the range
– the 600 was the entry-level option, you bought an R90/6
if you wanted the big engine, or the R90S if something
sporty was you and money was no object.
Meanwhile the 750 was your all-rounder,
with enough power to manage the old 'ton' (100mph or
160km/h), but it was really about getting there at a brisk
pace without signs of stress.
The suspension is a plush and sometimes
floaty experience. Steering is medium to slow and entirely
predictable. As a package, it handles mid-corner bumps
well and holds its line without complaint. You wouldn't
call it sharp, but it's trustworthy.
Braking is a little gradual and wooden by
modern criteria, even with the twin front discs. It's
pretty good by 1975 standards and you need to give it a
little extra room in modern traffic.
As for the engine, this example is set up
just right. It starts instantly and quickly settles into
an idle. You need minimal revs to get away briskly and the
tuning is all about mid-range. The gearshift likes a slow
change – no point in rushing it – and the clutch is light
with good feel.
As a package it ambles along very happily
on the highway, with the boxer engine chattering away to
itself at about 4000rpm at 100km/h (60mph), which is when
the Zen factor kicks in. The R75/6 is one of those
machines you take out when you want a nice and happy run
with the temptation to never let it end, and it's capable
of respectable point-to-point times.
One reason I bought this bike was a prior
long-term and very good experience with a couple of later
airheads, which backed up the belief the air-cooled boxers
are very easy to live with. In short, a reliable classic.
Now there are two words you don't often see side-by-side!
The R75 is in good survivor condition
and, aside from the soon-to-be-fitted new exhaust system,
will remain that way. There are a few details we'll clean
up over time, but it makes no financial or collector sense
to give it the restoration treatment. While stylish, it's
not particularly rare or high on the scale of must-have
classics.
And the bike's future? Given it turns 50 next year, maybe we should buy it a cake. Or take it for a ride long enough to turn into a journey...
***
This is our third airhead boxer...
And the second a 1989 R100GS Paris-Dakar
See this Facebook link
for a video of an exceptional R75/6 cutaway
***
***
Zen who?
***
Good
Reliable
Comfortable
Stylish
Not
so good
Questionable
as a resto target
Dynamics
from another era
ENGINE:
TYPE:
Air-cooled, two-valves-per-cylinder, boxer twin
CAPACITY:
745cc
BORE
& STROKE: 82 x 60.6mm
COMPRESSION
RATIO:
9:1
FUEL
SYSTEM: 2 x 32mm Bing CV carburetors
TRANSMISSION:
TYPE:
Five-speed, constant-mesh,
FINAL
DRIVE: Shaft
CHASSIS
& RUNNING GEAR:
FRAME
TYPE: Steel twin-loop
FRONT
SUSPENSION: Telescopic fork, nil adjustment
REAR
SUSPENSION: Twin coil-over shocks, preload adjustment
FRONT
BRAKE: 208mm disc with single-piston caliper (in
standard trim)
REAR
BRAKE: 200mm mechanical drum
DIMENSIONS
&
CAPACITIES:
WET
WEIGHT: 210kg
SEAT
HEIGHT: 762mm
WHEELBASE:
1465mm
FUEL
CAPACITY: 18lt
TYRES:
FRONT:
3.25 x 19
REAR:
4.00 x 18
PERFORMANCE:
POWER:
50hp (37kW) @ 6200rpm
TORQUE:
60Nm @ 5000rpm
OTHER
STUFF:
PRICE
WHEN NEW: Au$2872 (US$1930, GB£1480) plus on-road costs
-------------------------------------------------
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