BMW 1963 R60/2 purchase

[jchellgren]

I am looking to buy the above bike. The bike was stored the last 15 years. It looks good (not show/repainted) for its age. Are parts available? Any special problems with this model? What does the /2 indicate?

[DarrylRi]

Parts are available. BMW themselves are remanufacturing many parts for bikes back to 1948.

In general, the two big issues for the twins from 1950-1969 are the magneto coil and the oil slingers.

The twins from1951 through 1969 all came with magneto ignition. This is good because it means that the ignition is entirely separate from the charging system. If your generator or battery fails, the bike will still run and get you home. The trouble is that the magneto depends on the very specialized coil. The original coils were very well made and long lived, but now, more than 40 years later, they are giving up, and it doesn't seem like it matters how much they have been used, it's more about time. There are new coils available, and the best results seem to be getting reported about coils from Vech at Bench Mark works (www.benchmarkworks.com).

The slingers are integral pieces in the engine oiling system. BMW used some variation on this oiling scheme from their very first foray into motorcycle engines in 1920 up through 1969. (With the introduction of the /5 models in 1970, they went to a high pressure oiling system with a full flow filter and plain bearings on the crank.) The problem with the slingers is that besides transporting oil to the connecting rod big end roller bearings, they also act as a centrfugal oil filter, and eventually they fill up. To clean or replace them requires removing the crankshaft from the engine, so it is not a trivial service. You can read more about the slingers here on my web page: http://darryl.crafty-fox.com/motorcycles/slingers.htm. Because of the relatively simple design of these engines, a moderately capable shadetree mechanic can do this work (with some specialized tools, which are available); or you can send your engine to one of a few shops that specialize in these bikes for the service.

The /2 tag was BMW's way opf saying that the model had been upgraded from its initial release. Techincally, "/2" had only been applied to the R50 and R60 models from 1961-69, the R51 of 1950 and the R67 of 1952-1954 for twins, and the R25 of 1951-1955. Colloquially, however, all of the models from 1955-1969 are sometimes referred to as /2s (and in the same vein, all of the bikes from 1948-1955 are referred to as /3s, because of the R51/3 and R67/3 models from a part of that era).

Hope this helps, and good luck with your purchase!

[HankPfister]

Aww...My first motor bike was a 1963 R60/2! :) Fond memories. Wish I could find her. She had the large touring tank, and the comfort seat. And a dent in the gas tank on the right side that fits my knee bone. And she was black.

[20774]

And she was black.

Aren't they all? You can have any color /2 you want...as long as it is black! :stick

[35634]

:stick:laughAren't they all? You can have any color /2 you want...as long as it is black! :stick

[BMWDEAN]

Aren't they all? You can have any color /2 you want...as long as it is black! :stick

http://bmwdean.com/weiss4.jpg

http://bmwdean.com/gray-1.jpg

http://bmwdean.com/r69s-450.jpg

http://bmwdean.com/turf-green.jpg

http://bmwdean.com/blue-69-US-model.jpg

[jchellgren]

I purchased the 1963 R60/2. It is nice mate for my 2009 K1200LT
The bike is currently in Kentucky but I will likely move it to my home in Florida this summer. I am considering having it restored. Any suggested retro shops to undertake the upgrade?

[20774]

Congrats. I find quite a technology gap between my /2 and /7...I can only image what you'll be feeling with your K-bike!!

How much work can you do yourself? Dismantling and sending big pieces off can save you some money and give you a chance to "bond" with the bike.

In your part of the country, the best guy to work on the /2 era bikes is Craig Vechorik at Benchmark Works in Sturgis, MS. http://www.benchmarkworks.com He's full service and parts. He also has a rally every April. Might be worth coming over and checking it out.

Hucky's BMW in Florida is also a good source for parts. There's a pretty decent group of Airheads and enthusiasts in Florida. You might consider posting in the Regional forum to see if you can find like-minded people and get some local suggestions.

[jchellgren]

26264
I don't have time to undertake the retro myself. I need an "expert" to estimate what is needed and a budget. Bike runs good.

[longridgebuilder]

Congratulations ! Looks like a very nice bike. Get her pin striped and ride her like you stole it !

[gertiektn]

check records of slinger service... and if you are satisfied that the servicing is all up to date....
cosmetically, the tail bone and headlight pod repainted... as suggested proper pinstripe.. and new correct mufflers, silver paint on air cleaner...almost good with handle bars adjusted up and brake lever "cold flowed" to a better angle.

good luck.. I love these bikes.:thumb

Jim, Ketchikan, Alaska.

[BMWDEAN]

How many miles on it?

Looks like the brake and throttle cables are long enough you could replace the low bars with the correct U.S. higher bars with the crosspiece. Vech has those.

Darryl's advice above is fabulous.

To really look like a BMW, it desperately needs white pinstripes.

[Kirbster919]

I kind of like the stealth look. It sounds like you might care about originality, but if not, leave it and enjoy it. It is a great looking bike.