I had also just turned 25 (cheap insurance), and had got a well paid job at last, so it was time for a change. I wanted a reliable, four stroke touring bike, which was easy to maintain and preferably not Japanese (I still don’t like buzz bombs). To me, that really only left a BMW. So the Brits were sold off, a few hundred pounds borrowed from parents (where would we be without them), and the search was on.
An ad in MCN caught my eye and in March 1980 I became the proud owner of a four year old BMW R75/6 with only 12500 mules on the clock. it was metallic blue with a Polaris full fairing in white, stainless steel silencers, and in very good condition. My Craven rack and panniers fitted easily; I was ready to go.
My first impression was of size, largely due to the bulk of the fairing, the smoothness after British vertical twins and the rear end lifting when the clutch was let out. BMWs are tall bikes (silly really with such a lowly mounted engine), the back lifting another inch moving off can cause difficulties for the short of leg, but I soon became used to it and forgot all about it after a few days.
The fairing was great for getting the prats out of the way - cruise up behind them, flash the halogen and watch them dive out of the way, thinking you're a copper. It was also good at keeping the rain and flies off. A good fairing makes bad weather tolerable. On looking closer at the bike, the overall effect was one of quality; the depth of paint, minimal chrome, good stoving, neat tidy welding and decent alloy castings. Before it’s even moving it earns its reputation for quality.
Its faults are mainly minor except for two. The spring loaded side stand is dangerous, leaving the bike less than stable on most surfaces. Luckily, the centre stand is good. The gearbox was notchy, almost agricultural, and when the neutral warning light switch failed it meant removing the gearbox to effect a cure (I left it broken). The parts are expensive, even service items (the air filter is difficult to purchase) and you need a wall full of special tools do any work on the bike other than servicing.
Electronic ignition is a worthwhile investment. If you wear flared trousers (surely not - Ed) or waterproofs. make sure that they are free of the carbs before you stop or you may find that you can’t put your feet down as they get caught up in the carb tops. Very embarrassing - make sure you have strong crash bars! Two faults, however, weren't so minor. The braking and the handling. The rear drum was good but the single front disc simply wasn't up to the job, especially with the extra weight of the fairing or when loaded for touring. Twin discs were an optional extra from new and should have been compulsory.
The handling only ever felt right when fully loaded for a week's camping. The bike came with heavy duty fork springs and heavier fork oil to compensate for the mass of the fairing. I changed the shocks, tyres, tyre pressure and suspension settings all to no avail. It always felt vague and sloppy, never inspiring confidence. In hindsight, I know that I should have fitted a second disc, a fork brace and had a BMW dealer check the torque setting of the steering head Soares A common cause of bad handling, I believe.
The engine was, however, totally reliable, smooth and oil tight. All I ever did to the bike was regular oil changes and routine servicing. In the 10000 miles I covered in six months it never missed a beat. Top speed was in the region of 110mph, but the handling made such speed academic. Fuel consumption was between 45 (thrashed) and 60mpg (economy mode). An average of 50mpg gave a tank range of 250 miles without stopping, including a 25 mile reserve. The seat was large and comfortable, although later models had a first aid kit fitted in front of the seat just where your nuts go. Ouch,
The decision to sell the bike was made in August, after a rally in Dorset. I decided to take the scenic route home with some friends, who were two-up on big Jap shafties, a GS850 and Z1000ST, so I thought that I should be able to keep up, being solo. When we reached the A27 across the New Forest, they opened up to over 100mph - at 95 the BMW started to weave, and at the ton I bottled out and watched them disappear into the distance. I caught up on the outskirts of Southampton after they were held up by a traffic jam on the ring road.
Halfway round, a berk on a Bantam, of all things, decided he wanted a burn up. I ignored him as much as possible until he decided to overtake me on the inside - in the kerb - then cut across in front of me and turned right. I slammed on the brakes, the front of the bike dived down, the forks slapped from side to side and I gaped in surprise whilst my sphincter tried to do the same. By the time I'd stopped and slowed my pulse a bit the other bikes were long gone, and my pleasant ride home was shot to hell.
The thought of riding the BMW through the winter, on ice and snow, made me think of a replacement - a ride on a Moto Guzzi T3 the following week decided the nature of the replacement. So, off to the local BMW/Guzzi dealer to look for a used one, but they had a new V1000 G5 in stock at a reasonable price, so a deal was struck - a week later I picked up the new Guzzi and was happy to leave the BMW behind.
Overall, it was an average bike. Nice looking, good engine, reliable and practical, only let down by its brakes and handling. Would I buy another one? Not unless it was very cheap. I no longer do the kind of miles to warrant this sort of bike, preferring something more individual and with character. The Guzzi did everything that the BMW did but better, only let down by its poorer quality finish. Even the Guzzi went in ‘83 to buy a Harley Sturgis. I remember the BMW mainly as a reliable bike that did its job fairly well, but not well enough to warrant any real affection.
Brian Smith