New 1976 R75/6 owner, LOTS of questions

[Lifebeat]

Hello all!

I'm new to this forum, and also new owner of the above mentioned piece of beauty...

I'm 39 now, and basically waited all my life to get this bike, and this year I decided I only live once...

I've got MANY questions about this motorcycle, but will not expose all of them now, as I don't want to bore you guys nor overstay my welcome...

I've ordered the Clymer and Haynes manuals, lots of reading to come regarding my mechanical questions. I also already have downloaded the BMW owners manual. So I give myself some time to go through the material before bugging you with obvious quesitons.

The bike is in "riding" condition, and the term is used loosely. I rode it 60 miles after gettting it home this saturday, but numerous issues came up. This is where I need to do my homework.

The actual real questions I have for you today, might be quite simple for you guys:

-Is the seat on my bike original? I can't imagine it is? Being a small frame guy, and my 14 year old daughter as well, riding two-up is a bit strange as she can't lean into me and hold on... Nor are there bars for her to hold on. So, what seat should this model year have? And also, where should I get it? (Darn it! I can't get the picture in my post? It says the board attachment quota has been reached? My file is only 184k...)

-I will be interested in getting luggage racks and saddlebags for this bike. I think Krauser is the original equipment right? Is this what would generally be recommended? Again, where would be a good source for this?

-Lastly, what are your best cues for websites that sell parts and tools for this bike? I've stumbled upon : northwoodsairheads.com Seems like a legit site from a down to earth no frills kind of guy right? Any other sites that I must know about?

Thanks in advance for all your help. Hope to be in touch with you guys and not abuse all your wisdom.

Luc

[dwerbil]

Welcome to Boxerworks Forum, Luc. And congrats on your 'new' R75. For parts, you can try here with Matt at Boxerworks. Mikey at Martindale Cycle Works literally has a barn full of used airhead parts for sale. Also, Max BMW has a helpful on-line parts fiche and a large assortment of parts. Am sure others will post sites too.
You can buy new saddlebags, which would cost out the nose, or try Matt or Mikey for a pair of used ones. I"ve had lots of luck with Ebay buying used this and that over the years.
Maybe someone can look into your board attachment quota. Sounds like something is a bit askew there. Post some pics when you can. If you like, email them to me and I can do a freebie host of them to post here. Check out my avatar photo link to many forum rallies we've had.

[Major Softie]

This site gets minimal administrator upkeep, and apparently we used up all our room for picture attachments. If you put the pictures on a website like Photobug or Flicker, you can then attach them by using the Img button to reference their address on the web.

Duane Ausherman, a regular here, has a website with lots of info. He was a dealer back in the stoneage when these bikes were new. Check out http://w6rec.com/duane/index.html

Snowbum (a neighbor of mine) has tons of info, but the site is a bit more difficult to navigate. Tons of good info, but it takes a bit more wading: http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/

Hawksley is very good for simple stock spec photos and info: http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/information.htm

Lots of info over on the ADVrider site, and the Airheads site (http://www.airheads.org/), also a small selection of important and useful tech articles at ibmwr.org: http://www.ibmwr.org/r-tech/airheads/index.shtml
I believe you have to actually pay to become a member to have access to all the best info on Airheads, but there's a LOT there.

This site is very good for specific questions that you don't find on those sites. Don't worry about boring us or overstaying your welcome. You can't do the latter, and, if you do the former, we'll just tell you.

Only a couple of Canucks in the group, and I don't think any from Quebec, but that just makes you more special.

Here's a photo of what your stock seat probably looked like when the bike was new (from Phil Hawksley's site):




Oh, and for parts, Blue Moon and Bob's BMW have a lot of stuff. Bob's especially. Neither are the cheapest sources though.

[ME 109]

Welcome Luc, Major Softie's given you lots of good info there.

The other sites are good, but Boxerworks is best for giving you answers to questions you didn't even ask.

[Major Softie]

We're not going to have to start talking French, are we?

[chasbmw]

This board does not have the bandwidth for attachments. You need upload your photos to a site like Photobucket and then live link them to this board.

Take a look at realoem, but in your frame number and it will tell you your bikes build date. This is useful and bikes built in the summer and autumn of 75 can have a mixture of parts.

The hepco and Becker bags are a very good copy of the krausers, not cheap but look the part, the original seat has a grab rail, good copies can be found by a company called Meyer in Germany, yet again not cheap but the best iv found.

If you are buying a whole bunch of parts, get a quote from Motobins in the uk, delivery is expensive by all accounts.

Good luck with the bike, they are good and there are plenty of parts available

[Lifebeat]

Darn it!!!! I just closed the window instead of posting!!!! I had a really nice message and all...

Thanks for all your replies guys.

So I'm the only french guy from Quebec? I won't be imposing my french... don't worry
I've just been made aware of two other work colleagues that have old airheads! We might just start a mid life crisis riding gang...


Here is the flickr link after many trials... I'm guessing this is not the original seat... Any of you have it? Is it any good? Just for principle, I would prefer having the original right?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97761109@N03/9093076510/

See you ! Luc

[Duane Ausherman]

No, not original. That seat is for the standard bars and you have the low bars, or Euro bars. That combination of seat and bars will be very uncomfortable.

First decide what style of riding you prefer. Then make the changes to go all one style. I have an article on those bars and far prefer them. The bike was designed for those bars, not the higher bars.

[Seth]

no membership fee to IBMWR.org, and they have great classified ads. Check out the "airhead" section.
http://marketplace.ibmwr.org/

[melville]

Sweetness! Another red /6!

Duane is right, with the low bars and naked bike you will want to move around on the seat. The stock seat permits that. The one you have, not so much.

Digging deep into the memory, I believe famous member and Bling Sensei gspd (RIP) was from Quebec, but I do not recall if he was Francophone.

Wasn't it a woman who caused his demise here?