'75 R90/6

[gditt]

Have a chance on a 47k mile R90/6, what should I look for. Just had rear axle bearing replaced. Didn't see any leaks, rides good. All original except turn signals. Does this model run unleaded or are valves a problem? Feedback would be great. Thanks all.

[20774]

Have a chance on a 47k mile R90/6, what should I look for. Just had rear axle bearing replaced. Didn't see any leaks, rides good. All original except turn signals. Does this model run unleaded or are valves a problem? Feedback would be great. Thanks all.

'75 is a pretty decent year...R90/6 is (should be) a good bike. Find out what you can on all maintenance. How have the valve adjustments gone...have they been steady in terms of maintaining the proper clearance without need for constant adjustm.

Unless the bike has had a top end job, the bike still needs regular gas. Valves will always be a problem, but in this case, it's likely that the problem is later rather than sooner. It all depends on how the bike was treated in the past. All things being equal, the valves probably don't need replacing for another 40-50K miles. Maybe a clutch in the next 30K miles.

If in reasonable mechanical shape, there's probably many years of good riding before it needs serious attention.

[brainep]

Good luck with the purchase of your R90/6. As an owner of 2 '76 R90/6 bikes and a R100 Classic/Monolever I can give you some general advice. Buy the bike from a reputable person who can demonstrate that they either did the maintenance or had it done properly. The first R90/6 I bought the old guy got one passed me. I've ended up replacing the clutch, re-doing both cylinders, and much more in less than a year. I believe he thought it was ok (for his standards) but it wasn't what I thought was a good/well-maintained bike. In hindsight, I should have taken a little more time, been more suspicious, and maybe walked away from the deal. Though I didn't get too burned (I bought the bike for a decent price) the headaches of doing all the unexpected work is a hassle. I wasn't planning on doing a total rebuild so soon after the purchase.

The other 2 bikes I bought after that were totally different experiences. Good guys, original owners, took very good care of their bikes, and you could really tell the difference. I paid more than twice what I paid for the initial bike ($2K versus well over $4K) but I believe it was worth it. It just depends on when you want to make the investment in your ride.

Bottomline, don't be in a rush to get a bike. Take your time and get the right one for you to save your time and money in the long run.

Also take a look at this website: http://www.verrill.com/moto/kbikebuyingguide.shtml

He has a lot of good tips on buying a used BMW bike.

Good luck...and by the way, the R90s are GREAT bikes!