Rider: Peter Brunner, Ashland, Oregon
Age: Pushing 74, riding since 1964
Occupation: Retired
Rides: 1953 BMW R25/3, 1971 BMW R75/5, 2005 BMW R1200GS
Peter Brunner’s BMW heaven: An R25/3, R75/5 and an R1200GS. Photo by Peter Brunner
Peter’s story: “In 2013 I was looking for a winter project and found this 1953 R25/3, which had been stored in a garage since 1993. The bike was originally brought to the U.S. by a G.I. in 1976, then sold to the previous owner in 1992, who started a serious restoration soon after. I have a stack of parts receipts from the early 1990s, including receipts for an engine and transmission rebuild by my local BMW dealer. I started on my ‘winter project’ in the fall of 2013, but soon became sidetracked selling my house, then buying a house built in 1904 that needed a substantial remodel. As part of that project I built my 900-square-foot dream garage with a rental apartment above. When I was done with that I went back to the BMW in 2015 and finished it in 2016. Along the way there were the usual dead ends and hiccups, including discovering that the transmission would only engage one gear. Hansen’s BMW in Medford, Oregon, had done the rebuild in 1994, and they fixed the transmission for free when I brought it to them — how’s that for a 20 year warranty!
Peter’s 1953 BMW R25/3 before restoration. Photo by Peter Brunner
Peter’s 1953 BMW R25/3 after restoration. Too cool. Photo by Peter Brunner
“The new high-gloss black paint and hand striping looks great, particularly on the ‘elephant ear’ front fender. Mechanically it is stock, except for a PowerDynamo 12-volt conversion, and it puts out 13 horsepower. The bike starts on the first kick (when done right) and plonks along comfortably at 55-60mph in top. A friend challenged me to a race on his riding mower, and I easily beat him. BMW claimed a top speed of 74mph with the rider crouched, but I don’t think I’ll try that. This model was the everyman’s daily transportation in the Fifties, and with over 47,000 units produced it is BMW’s highest-selling model ever. Many were used with a Steib LS200 sidecar, which is the next item I’m looking for. It’ll make grocery shopping easier.” MC