BMW R60/5 - soon you will transport me.

[iambiglou]

So - I purchased a BMW 1972 R60/5 toaster tank motorcycle that I saw on the side of the road. I've never ridden a motorcycle but something about this bike spoke to me...

Yesterday I got it registered and this weekend I take the motorcycle safety classes - so hopefully next week I'll be motoring to work.

I know a few of you are BMW motorcycle savvy (Beemer, Deli) - any words of wisdom you can share? I've already found a few online communities and I'm soaking it up..... can't wait to ride this thing!!!

here are some pics.
http://picasaweb.google.com/iambiglou/BMWR60

 

[beemer]

The bike looks like it's previous owners took good care. In the headlight shell is an empty hole on the right side if you were sitting on the bike, left side has a green jewel so if I remember correctly was the neutral light. Right side was charge light with a red jewel that would illuminate if the bike's electrical system wasn't charging. I'd see what's up with that, and make sure there isn't a bare wire that may make trouble for you perhaps if it touched a ground. Regardless, it's a place for water to get in where you don't want any water.....you may want to go online or over to Arlington Motorsports and get a cover that fits the bike properly.....a good investment and far better than the blue tarp the wind can blow off.

As to being a new rider........never assume that ANYONE in a car sees you.
Also never assume that the car driver will do what you think he's going to do.
With any motorcycle, it's the front brake that stops you, and this one is a drum style so leave enough room in front of you to stop or "bust a move" if need be.

I just can't stress enough to BE CAREFUL! I know I'm not the only one that wants to hang with ya at the next AK party, not so much visit in the hospital!

Best,

Paul :thmbsp:

 

[Steve-H]

A real beauty ! Just be VERY sure to get the tranny input splines lubricated AT ONCE ! That is really the only kiss of death to these excellent machines....

 

[Justen]

As to being a new rider........never assume that ANYONE in a car sees you.
Also never assume that the car driver will do what you think he's going to do.
With any motorcycle, it's the front brake that stops you, and this one is a drum style so leave enough room in front of you to stop or "bust a move" if need be.

Paul :thmbsp:

I'll add this caveat- Assume that not only does that car driver not see you, but when he does see you he is actively trying to kill you. Don't give him the chance.

Sweet looking bike. BMW's always call to me... as do any weird transverse twin bikes...Guzzi's, CX's...

 

[skippy_ps]

That bike is a beauty.

What the others said re: never assume that the person in the car sees you. Too true.

Murray

 

[Fisherdude]

I've had seven, the last a HD Sportster.

1. As others have mentioned, NEVER turn left in front of an oncoming car without assuming he doesn't see you. Don't have enough room? Don't go.

2. Your neck better be on ball bearings every second you're moving. See that car up ahead on the right just coming up to the stop sign? His brain is programmed to look for cars, not motorcycles.

3. Get a TOTL full helmet and never leave the driveway without it on. I don't care how hot it is today, I don't care how much it ****s up your hair. It's better than a full body cast and a wheelchair. Wear it for your widow and your orphaned children.

4. Start out easy, take your time, practice turning and shifting and stopping.

5. BE CAREFUL WITH THE FRONT BRAKE!!!

6. Don't take the test until your riding buddies tell you you're ready.

7. You're going to have so much fun I'm jealous already!:thmbsp:

Edit: ps, after re-reading your post, unless you work around the corner, riding it to work a week after you get it is too soon. As a brand new rider you need more time in the seat before you try real traffic. Please.

 

[iambiglou]

Thanks for the replies -

I think you're right about the commuting bit - I will take the motorcycle safety course this weekend and then next week I'll just ride it to the shop and have it tuned up and looked over.... shops down the road so hopefully I'll be able to handle that.

I have a good friend who's got a BSA and he's been trying to get me to buy a bike for a while...

I always told him I had no real desire to do that - then I saw this bike and it all changed... I'll do some easy riding with him on the weekends until I feel confident (not dangerously confident though)...

He told me that both he and his brother wiped out the first time out on their bikes - in each case they were so eager to get out and ride that they decided to just do it before taking proper lessons... He also swears by full face helmets and I'll be following his lead there as well.

I'll definitely take my time with the bike - I'll get to know the bikes character and mechanical quirks before trusting my life to it early in the morning on New England roads.

 

[OvenMaster]

Be careful. Just yesterday in the next town, a 17-year-old kid in a '92 Lexus drifted across the centerline and drove head-on into a 60-year-old guy on a Harley, killing him instantly. So far, the kid's only been issued a citation for not staying in his lane. Ten bucks says the kid will say he never saw the bike.
Tom

 

[EchoWars]

5. BE CAREFUL WITH THE FRONT BRAKE!!!

Why? It's the back brake that's dangerous. Lock the back brake, and you'll probably crash. Lock the front one (which you probably can't do with this old Beemer), and you can still steer (although locking brakes is not a recommended procedure in any event...just illustrating a point).

So I'd reverse that recommendation...easy with the back brake, make the front one do the work...that's what it's for.

Yes...assume everyone else on the road is tryng to kill you, and you'l be in the right frame of mind. ...and stay the hell away from big trucks on the freeways...those cheap-ass retread tires that most truckers buy will kill you of you're behind one when it lets go.

 

[cabinover]

EW, you hit your head or something? You won't steer **** with the front tire stopped.

As for the retreads yeah they are a little less expensive. When properly inflated I've never seen one blow out though and that's roughly a million miles of driving trucks. The retreads have come a long ways in safety since their inception.

Nice ride Luis, just be careful.

 

[EricC]

My uncle just restored an early 70's BMW bike. I forget the model but he said it was a rather strait forward job and didn't piss ($) his wife off too much. Much easier then working on the e34s I love.

 

[Fisherdude]

EW, you hit your head or something? You won't steer **** with the front tire stopped....Nice ride Luis, just be careful.

Glenn, you're looking at this from the perspective of an experienced rider, not a beginner. Of course the front brake has the majority of the stopping power.

You must properly modulate the balance between the front brake and the rear during a panic stop. If you do a death grab on the front, you're going to be picking blacktop out of your teeth. Not to mention what will happen if you grab the front too hard in a turn, especially on a wet road.

 

[cabinover]

Anyway you look at it just learn how to stop quickly and safely. I'm sure the beginners course that you are taking will help a lot. Just remember you can swerve quicker than you can stop, just have to remember to look at what you'll be swerving into.

"2. Your neck better be on ball bearings every second you're moving. See that car up ahead on the right just coming up to the stop sign? His brain is programmed to look for cars, not motorcycles."

This may alone be the most beneficial advice for any rider, especially new ones though. I've seen it many times myself and have been caught offguard a few. It will bring you back to reality when they look at you (really through you, even with that bright headlight) and then pull out just before you get to them.

They aren't out to kill you but you wouldn't know it from their actions.

 

[thedelihaus]

Before my car accident (not motorcycle), I rode bikes for 16 years. Only time I did something wrong was giving the bike some throttle over the rubber mat between the T tracks in a snowy/rainy day, but recovered it in a second. Whew!

The biggest problem I faced was other drivers- people on cellphones were the top danger, followed by people rushing to work on 95, while drinking coffee, putting on makeup, reading the newspapaer, ect...

A taxi driver tried to run me off the road once, saying motorcycles don't belong on the road (!?!), and so did a fellow in a Civic- for no reason I could figure. It was a bizarre and harrowing, wierd experience.

My favorite road, Lou, was the Jamaica way, all the way into Norwood/Dedham. I strongly recommend that route, but better to do it after a bit of experience on your belt, and while I preferred it at night, I say you should do it during the day- take a day off from work, head out around 11 am or so, and beat the traffic later on.

Also, the ride to Nantasket Beach is an excellent ride- Rte 228.

Another- Plum Island.I go up Rte 1, and come back along the shore, Rte 1A (A for alternate- usually quieter and more residentual).

Get a nice bike cover- that tarp won't do.

Plug up that hole, like Beemer said, or better yet, fix that ruby light.

And the tranny input splines- yesh, wise to have them inspected/lubricated.

Lastly, a full face helmet is recommended highly.

 

[TOO LOUD???]

As for the retreads yeah they are a little less expensive. When properly inflated I've never seen one blow out though and that's roughly a million miles of driving trucks. The retreads have come a long ways in safety since their inception.

In KC the highways are littered with big truck tire treads, they peel off on a daily basis.

Take the safety course and most of all BE CAREFUL the roads are full of idiots on their cell phones. I ride a Buell but I HATE traffic so I tend to stick to the back roads.
Have Fun and be safe.

 

[EchoWars]

EW, you hit your head or something? You won't steer **** with the front tire stopped.

What I meant to imply is that you CAN lock the front tire, and recover safely (simply by easing up on the applied pressure), whereas locking the rear is very likely to get you into trouble. Directional control is piss-poor with ANY tire locked, but with the rear locked any input to the handlebars will cause the rear tire to try and introduce itself to the front, and unlocking the rear tire after it has locked will most likely cause a high-side crash. But directional inputs with the front locked will do no such thing, and although directional control will suk, you don't lose it all (most inexperianced riders who lock the front will allow the front tire to 'fold' and yeah, they'll probably crash. An experianced rider will simply ease off the brake and regain full control).

Don't get me wrong...locking either one is a bad thing and it will take an experianced rider to gain control without eating pavement. My point is that the front brake is where 3/4 of the braking takes place, and to ignore this fact is to seriously reduce your effective ability to avoid a crash in an emergency situation.

From the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

The vast majority of motorcycles use an independent system for the front and rear wheels, with a lever on the right handlebar controlling the front brake and foot pedal controlling the rear brake. A small number of motorcycles link the controls and an even smaller number have a handlebar lever to control the rear brake. We know of no current research that indicates which if any of these is more effective.

Braking seems to be one of the most difficult skills for a motorcyclist to master. It is also one of the most critical. It is difficult because most motorcycles have two separate brake-control systems, one for the front wheel and one for the rear wheel. As the front brake is applied, weight transfers to the front tire, which causes available traction to vary as weight shifts, requiring the rider to adjust pressure on each brake control in a maximum-performance stop. As found in the Hurt Report, in a situation the motorcyclist typically overbrakes the rear and underbrakes the front, even though weight transfer means the front brake must do the majority of the braking. Overbraking can either cause loss of steering control or total loss of control. If the rear wheel is locked, the rider typically loses directional control. If the front wheel locks, the rider is likely to crash due to loss of stability.

Rider training courses, available for the last two decades, have sought to develop improved motorcyclist braking skills. Greater emphasis has been focused on proper braking technique and the importance of the front brake. There seems to be a greater recognition of the importance of front brake use than there was 20 years ago when the Hurt Report was conducted. Failure to brake effectively and loss of control during panic-braking continue to play a role in motorcycle crashes.

Link

If you're new to bikes, take an MSF riding course. Fun, cheap, and you may learn something to save your life.

RE: Big-rigs. I don't mean to condemn all truckers, but those who are driving a company rig are at the mercy of someone else who makes the decision as to whether to buy a cheap-ass retread or a new tire, and many independant drivers are looking to cut costs...just like any other business The highways are littered with massive chunks of these tires, and for a motorcyclist to ride for any length of time near a large rig is foolish. It's not like you can ask him if he has cheap tires or not... Just stay away, and follow the standard assumption that anything on four or more wheels is out to kill you.

 

[cabinover]

I got ya on the directional control. I wasn't thinking about it in that light I guess but more along the line of front tire stopped=crash.

What you just noted makes sense to me now, thanks!

 

[EchoWars]

Well, I didn't exactly express myself too clearly in the first post.

What's more, the /5 series of Beemer's are known to have crappy brakes anyway. I love the old BMW's, but I'd want a /6 model with front discs. Still, that R60 is sweet looking.:thmbsp:

 

[Fisherdude]

...What's more, the /5 series of Beemer's are known to have crappy brakes anyway. I love the old BMW's, but I'd want a /6 model with front discs. Still, that R60 is sweet looking.:thmbsp:

What, you don't have faith in 6" front drums??

 

[iambiglou]

Hey -

Just got home from day 1 of the class - really fun day all around.

My bike's in the shop now getting a "spring tuneup" which is an overall check - the place sells and repairs BMW bikes and has a god rep (Greater Boston Motorsports in Arlington). the guy that took the bike in was happy to see the old beemer and seemed to know the bike well - there was actually a poster with a very similar /5 on the wall - I think it's in great hands.

I'll definitely need to take it slower with the bike than I originally thought - I felt comfortable riding in the parking lot - but on the way home I imagined myself in traffic and cringed at the thought.

I think it'll be easy weekend crusing for a few weeks at least before I start commuting on it.