BARGAIN BASEMENT BM!

For many of us forty somethings, owning a BMW is probably something that we’ve only recently considered. Back in our younger years they produced a wide range of motorcycles that spoke more to our dads than they did us. You’ll recall it all: go back a couple of pages and you’ll read something our own John Nutting wrote back in 1975 about what people thought of the air-cooled twins even back then. Prophetic! And yet, with every year that clicks by we slowly turn into our fathers, right? Yes, we go all nasal hair and early nights. And us becoming our own fathers might be one reason why older BMW machines are now in high demand… These bikes fall into two brackets, the flat twin aircooled R-series bikes, and the water cooled K-models. They might have the same badge on the tank but they appeal to very different owners. The strange thing is the more modern K range of bikes make for great value for money motorcycling. The older and cruder twin-pot R machines are the ones that are starting to fetch good money. I don’t just mean the poster bikes from the air-head bloodline like the R90 S, but bikes like the R80 and R100 that were used by various police forces throughout the UK back in the 80s are still out there ‘plodding’ about. They were once cheap transport for those who purchased them from specialised auctions that disposed of the cop bikes, easy to spot with their fridge-white fairings and single seats. Then there are those owned by the almost ‘professional’ BM brigade. Often retired, but still active, they will pile on the miles, stick on the kit and never EVER skimp on servicing. A bit like Trigger’s broom, they have often had numerous new bits fitted in more than 100,000 miles of life. Not all of the boxer bikes remain stock; surfing on ebay revealed a one owner from new 1979 BMW R80 that had been unused for 15 years! It wouldn’t have been my guess for a bike that’s been treated to some barrels from a R100 RS, the upshot is an increase in power, but to the purist the £2750 asking price might be a few hundred too much? That said, it’s not a massive job to swap the pair of barrels and pistons back for the originals. Propping up the range was the R45, it shared the same chunky looks of the bigger cc bikes and it also shared almost the same weight! That 475cc engine was always going to struggle to make the ride to work exciting, prices for the entry level BMW are now creeping over £2000. Fuelling the price hikes could be the recent explosion in all things café racer, a stripped-back Boxer is the starting point for many a Shoreditch Showstopper. For less cash than a wheezy R45 you can take home a genuine mile muncher. The K-series bikes are still around in large numbers, which helps to keep prices sensible. The pick of the bunch is the K100 RS, it’s one of the best models to wear the distinctive Beemer badge on its tank. The RS is the sporty one, the LT version with the factory luggage, upright riding position, and sumptuous saddle is the captain sensible one. You can find a healthy K100RS for around £1500. The three cylinder K75 makes the same sort of money; the choice the litre given bike is the one I’d ride home…