New 1974 R60/6 needs idle adjust to ride home.

[58fleetside]

I just purchased a '74 R60/6, my first BMW. I need to ride it 30 miles to my home. The idle is so low it will not continue running without throttle. Is there a quick adjustment I can make? It would be nice to not have it die at every stop I come to on way home.

Thanks, Stephen

[AntonLargiader]

No prob, the idle adjust screws are on the 'inside' side of the carbs, towards the engine, towards the front. Look for the fairly long threaded thing with a tip that pushes on the throttle stop (open and close the throttle a few times to see where this happens). Just turn each one slightly clockwise and you should be OK for the ride home.

Then, read up on carb adjustment and go through the whole setup to be sure you're not compensating for one problem by creating another.

[James.A]

Like Anton said, that idle bump-up should be used as only an expedient fix to get you home. I find that an un-willingness to idle translates into a need for a valve adjustment on my 750's. Also, be advised that your 600 should have type 53 Bing mechanical carbs. Numbers 1/26/123-124. The idle adjustment on that carb is a screw with a conical tip that screws directly into the side of the throat to adjust the stopping position of the throttle slide. In for higher idle.

[AntonLargiader]

D'oh!! Missed the R60 part. Slides, right, different adjuster. Even simpler, really.

[PHMarvin]

Hi, Stephen,
Read again what Jim told you. Failure to maintain idle (dieing at stop lights, etc.) is a classic sign of valves having closed up. Valve clearance should be .004" (.10mm) intake and .008" (.20mm) exhaust (engine cold). IF the clearance is ok, THEN adjust the carbs (engine warm - after a 10 to 20 mile ride). It may just be the carb adjustment. I had a friend with an R60/5 (same engine and carb set-up). That bike would idle at 500rpm or lower, once it got warm. He used to kid me about how smooth his bike was compared to my R90/6 and, later, R100RT and RS. Once he made his point, though, he (or I) would adjust the idle to about 1k rpm. It was a fine bike, but once riding home (El Paso) from Tucson into a headwind, I was cruising at around 65 (55mph speed limit in those days) in high gear and, to maintain speed, he had to run in third. The R60/5/6 was not known to have any excess power. Adequate (usually), but not excess.
Good Luck!

[58fleetside]

Thanks for the help on the idle. Got it set easily once the engine was warm. The old owner was a bit shocked at how easy it was. I did need to stop and adjust the clutch cable as it was slipping with the engagement way out on the lever.

Now I have other questions and will start a new thread.

Thanks again, Stephen