Everyman"s Bmw

[KARLO]

Here is my 2 cents worth:
I think BMW should step back from Hi tech and offer an everyman's (no gender specificity implied) machine.
Here is how I see it:
Front wheel interchangeable w/ rear
Two valve heads
Interchangeable shocks in component pieces
A real, Large fuel tank
LARGE MIRRORS
A (steady now) carbuerator, Maybe only one
RUGGED paniers of different profiles
Exposed, screw on oil filter, fuel filter, and air filter no tools!
Service points easily available w/exposed square head fittings
A variety of bolt on body work/weather protection options
A five hundred mile seat
Adjustable ergos
Sside car, trailer compatible
Big lights, all around


I think in keeping with a retro conscience market a swiss army knife sort of bike would do well. After all, thats how they made their bones in the first place. Any interest?

[MarkF]

Some of your ideas are good. I don't know about the interchangable wheels. I think a modern airhead in a frame design would do well. Think of the new Triumph Bonneville then make a new R80. Earles forks would be a great option, too! If Ural can do it, so can BMW.

It will never happen! But, we can dream.

MarkF

[username]

why wait for BMW to do it? sounds like it's worth investigating as a bidness?

[kbasa]

It's called a Royal Enfield or a Ural.

[DarrylRi]

Karlo, you need to get one of these:

http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/mcpics/2003/surfcitytechday/P4262202med.jpg

Let's see how it stacks up:

Front wheel interchangeable w/ rear --check!

Two valve heads --check! Well, 2 valves on the side.

Interchangeable shocks in component pieces --check! And no dampers to leak, just the springs under the seat, get 'em at any hardware store.

A real, Large fuel tank --check! No need for more than 4 gallons of gas, this gets 50 mpg easy.

LARGE MIRRORS --check! As big as you like, just buy from JC Whitney and clamp onto the bars.

A (steady now) carbuerator, Maybe only one --checkarooni!! No diaphrams to tear, no slide needle to wear out. Really couldn't be any simpler.

RUGGED paniers of different profiles --check! There's a set of leather cases that are again available, and they're quick detatch, too.

Exposed, screw on oil filter, fuel filter, and air filter no tools! --check! Well, the airfilter requires no tools, you need a 10mm wrench to remove the 6 nuts holding the oil filter cover.

Service points easily available w/exposed square head fittings --check! The grease nipples are all out in the open. The valve covers take a 12mm wrench, one nut only.

A variety of bolt on body work/weather protection options --check! BMW had bolt on leg shields, and even dabbled with a full coverage body and a set of skiis and tracks for snowmobiling fun.

A five hundred mile seat --check! Made by Drilastic, a (former) division of the DuPont company.

Adjustable ergos --check! Swap the floorboards for footpegs, rotate the handlebars, change the seat springs. What more could you ask for?

Sside car, trailer compatible --check and double check! Comes with sidecar mounts in place!

Big lights, all around --check! Well, I have found it difficult to find the 170mm diameter headlight glass anywhere; 160mm seems to be much more common.

[GeoffMiller]

aaaaand.... just about nobody was willing to get their checkbook our........:p

[GeoffMiller]

out, i meant out. bash me upside the head!:eek

[YB in IN]

Originally posted by Geoff Miller
out, i meant out. bash me upside the head!:eek

You can edit your posts to get rid of typos by hitting the edit button under your post. It has saved my butt in many a drunken posting situation.

[DarrylRi]

Originally posted by Geoff Miller
aaaaand.... just about nobody was willing to get their checkbook out........:p Not true! BMW built over 36,000 of these beauties.

Of course, the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe were the biggest customers for this model.

[rocketman]

Originally posted by KBasa
It's called a Royal Enfield or a Ural.

Or a "new" vintage Bonnie, rode one of the TT's very sweet, and no Wentworth or oil leaks, next weekend I'm gonna test ride one of the Royal Enfield Bullet 500's. Think that would be a fun "out for a sunday stroll" kinda machine, even has a kicker, you know one of those things that makes a motorcycle a Motorcycle!( with a capitol "M")

(anyone want to buy a '73 R60?:bliss )

RM "living in the past and lovin' it!"

[kbasa]

I used to see an Enfield parked in SF all the time. Over the course of a couple years, it seemed to self destruct. Oil leaks, parts falling off, you name it.

Simplicity is a notable goal, but many times it leads to more maintenance and ultimately less reliability. I've got four bikes in the garage, all with FI and electronic ignition. Aside from periodic TB synchronization, I haven't had to touch them.

Looking at the list, I'm not sure why interchangable wheels would be good and why 2 valve heads, which don't breathe as well as 4s would be preferable.

I see threads like this from time to time; someone wishes for simpler motorcycles. In my experience, the older, purportedly simpler bikes require more maintenance and fiddling than newer bikes. My Kbike took less maintenance than my airheads did and my oilheads take less maintenance than my Kbike did. So far, my hexhead is about equal with my oilheads.

[Visian]

Originally posted by KBasa
My Kbike took less maintenance than my airheads did and my oilheads take less maintenance than my Kbike did. So far, my hexhead is about equal with my oilheads.

But, TCO (total cost of ownership) is far higher with the complex bike. Just wait until you need your whizzy brakes serviced.

And... when complex bikes break, they cost way more to fix.

If you move between a lot of bikes, maybe this doesn't matter as much, but don't forget... when you sell a 2-year old complex bike, the depreciation is huge.

Ian
(secretly eyeing the R12GS, wondering if they're going to sell a more dirt-oriented version without the whizzy brakes but with ABS)

[rocketman]

I used to see an Enfield parked in SF all the time. Over the course of a couple years, it seemed to self destruct. Oil leaks, parts falling off, you name it.

true, but like the Urals, they have seen some substanial improvements in the past 2 years since the new owner of the factory, and a lot depends on how it's maintained.


Simplicity is a notable goal, but many times it leads to more maintenance and ultimately less reliability. I've got four bikes in the garage, all with FI and electronic ignition. Aside from periodic TB synchronization, I haven't had to touch them.

partly true, not sure if older machines all qualify as less reliable, sometimes simple does equate to reliability, and when things do go amiss road side fixes are generally simpler, and anyone who owns older machines generally enjoys tinkering, more can be done with fewer tools. And when I do need parts, I can generally get them for a lot less, maintenance costs are really pretty low compaired to what I've heard people say they have spent to maintain new machines.


I see threads like this from time to time; someone wishes for simpler motorcycles. In my experience, the older, purportedly simpler bikes require more maintenance and fiddling than newer bikes.

again, it's part of the enjoyment of riding older machines. More work, maybe, put fewer parts makes for easier tracing of what's wrong. I'll be curious to see what percentage of current bikes are still on the road in 25-30 years.

All boils down to what you are comfortable with and want out of the ride.

RM

[BradfordBenn]

How about if BMW NA just gets someone who can answer the phone intelligently.

[MarkF]

Originally posted by rocketman
(anyone want to buy a '73 R60?:bliss )

RM "living in the past and lovin' it!"

Maybe!!!! Post a pic or two.

MarkF

[rocketman]

Originally posted by MarkF
Maybe!!!! Post a pic or two.

MarkF

Ha Ha! Actually at this point I'm only semi-serious about selling her, though I expect if things work out I'll be letting her go to make room for something else in the "vintage" category. Much as I love her, the way she is set up now, low bars, S-fairing, 2-into-1 etc. a few hundred miles on her and my arms and shoulders start to give, comes with age and an injury of a few years ago. Plus she doesn't much care for going below 60, and the vintage group I ride with generally just likes to putt along at 45-55 through the back roads, at that speed the low bars are a killer for me. While I could but her back to stock, I've already got a stock setup BMW, so I'm looking for replacement, maybe a /2 if I could find one cheep enough but it would prob. involve more restore work than I want to do, or something like the new Enfield assuming it fits the bill and really has improved as much as they say. Bottom line is it’s got be "vintage", i.e. simple design, as well as light, fun, and happy just putting along for easy-going weekend rides with my group on road not really sesigned for anything faster than 50-55. The R100 will remain my daily/touring ride.
But here’s a pic. of her from four years ago.
Doesn’t do her justice as she now has a new (Sargent) seat and new Mac exhaust, still 2-into-1, but nice shinny black enamel.
http://roadrunes.com/images/beast1.jpg

I’ll let you know when the time comes to make the final decision on selling her if your still interested.

RM