10 days with a 1975 BMW R90/6
(Page 3 of 5)
September/October 2007
By Richard Backus
High-speed stability is excellent, and while we wouldn’t really characterize the R90 as a sportbike as Cycle World did, its handling in the twisties is surprising. By contemporary standards the R90 is nothing if not staid, but start hustling it through some corners and you’ll be surprised by its predictable handling, aided, we’re sure, by the bike’s low center of gravity, a nice side benefit of its low-slung opposed twin. Likely another part of the bike’s predictable handling are the modern ME33 Metzler tires the bike is running.
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Cycle Guide praised the R90’s front disc brake, but we found the unit on our bike to be wooden at best, requiring a great deal of effort to haul the bike down from speed. We don’t know if the calipers on our test bike needed an overhaul or if the brake pads were the wrong compound, but it didn’t feel right. And while the rear drum on our bike had good grip, we thought it was overly sensitive and easy to lock.
Summing it up
We walked away impressed from our time with the R90. During the 10 days we had it we racked up just under 350 miles in a variety of conditions, and on a variety of roads ranging from smooth, six-lane Interstate highways to crumbling back road blacktop lanes. We found its upright riding position comfortable with an easy reach to the bars, although we think our bike’s firm seat would benefit from some added padding.
The switchgear felt surprisingly cheap, but it’s lasted this long and still works fine. Fuel efficiency was good, the bike returning an average of 46mpg, and it didn’t use a drop of oil. Since it’s a shaftie we didn’t have a drive chain to worry about, and the maintenance we did shows these old airheads are easy to work on.
Adjusting the valves, for instance, requires little more than lining up the timing mark and rotating through for each valve. It takes just a few mintues to remove each valve cover, and with the cylinders hanging out in the breeze the valves are, well, a breeze to adjust. At first glance the air filter appears buried inside the engine’s tall mid-section, and first-timers are often a little queasy about having to remove the left carburetor to gain access to the air filter. They shouldn’t be, because it all comes apart and goes back together easily.
We think the R90/6 is a perfect machine for the classic bike enthusiast looking for a comfortable and reliable touring machine. Its winning combination of classic looks, legendary reliability and fine road manners make it easy to live with, and its flexible, surprisingly powerful engine makes spirited riding easy, if not down right fun. Add to that an established network of supportive and knowledgeable parts and restoration experts — and riders — and you have a classic bike ideally suited for everyday use. MC
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