DEAN of BMW Motorcycles

DEAN of BMW Motorcycles

I saw a “slash-2” Granada red BMW motorcycle for the first time in 1968, when Harder’s Sales and Service, Janesville, Wisconsin (no longer a BMW dealer), had a new R60US in that color for sale. In the 1960s, BMW motorcycles could be special ordered in any color the BMW cars were painted. Granada red was one such color. I could not afford that BMW in 1968, but I remembered it and wanted to obtain one of my own eventially.

In January 2006, I met Tim Stafford at the MidAmerican motorcycle auction in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was auctioning of the most beautifully restored BMWs I had ever seen. Tim, who works out of San Diego, does exquisite restorations of BMW motorcycles and Vespa motor scooters. I since have heard his restorations represent the “gold standard” of BMW motorcycle restorations.

I discussed my desire with Tim, and he indicated he could do a restoration for me. We concluded a deal with a handshake. By that autumn, the R60/2 was ready, and you see photographs of it on this page.
Above: I love the view of a BMW boxer-powered motorcycle, like this R60/2, from above. The cylinders protrude sideways from the engine, like stubby wings. No other motorcycles have such an affecting view.

In the montage below, you see the restoration of the red R60/2 under way in Tim’s work shop.
I wanted to make my “new” R60/2 functional, so that meant installing appropriate period saddlebags or panniers. I used Craven panniers in the 1960s, so I set about finding a pair of the handsome “Golden Arrow” panniers on eBay.

I obtained two bags, which were in the standard Craven color of black, and had them painted Granada red. The result is shown below.
Below: Here is “Scarlett” posing in front of Frank Lloyd Wright’s First Unitarian Society Meeting House in Madison, Wisconsin — a National Historic Landmark.

Above: BMW announced the arrival of the 2010 R1200RT in November 2009. Torque and RPMs are increased; horsepower is unchanged. Cylinders now have double overhead cams. There are modest changes in styling.

The R1200RT, shown here by Madison’s Lake Monona with the Wisconsin State Capitol behind, was one of the most anticipated new motorcycle designs of 2004. The R1200RT, a 2007 model is shown above, is the next iteration of BMW’s renowned “RT” series of sport-touring motorcycles, dating back to the 1978 R100RT (photo below, left), which was replaced in 1987 by a slightly revised R100RT (photo below, right). The “RT” designation stands for Reisetourer, German for “travel tourer.”

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