Tagged: German

BMW

Eine Sehr Praktische Fahrrad: 1975 BMW R90S for Sale

1975 BMW R90S L Side Front

By the early 1970’s BMW was saddled with a very stuffy image that was in real need of an update. BMW’s were unsexy. They were bikes for old men. If story that sounds familiar, maybe it will help to think of today’s R90S as the S1000RR of the early 1970’s.

In the immediate postwar period, manufacturers proliferated and churned out cheap transportation by the bucketload, so Europeans could get to work efficiently and affordably. But by the late 60’s things had begun to shift and, with the rise of the Japanese, who were churning out cheap, highly sophisticated motorcycles by the bucketload, BMW was facing a bit of an identity crisis, much in the way that Harley Davidson has in recent years, with their fanbase slowly aging out of motorcycles entirely.

Or just buying cars instead.

1975 BMW R90S Side Rear

The result of BMW’s re-imagining was this stylish machine. It was based on BMW’s proven platform, with the usual host of hot-rod updates to improve performance. A pair of Dell’Orto carbs and higher-compression pistons were fitted, and the 898cc pushrod, OHV engine was a bored out version of the earlier 750 and the engine featured fairly oversquare dimensions. It added up to 67hp and, put through a five-speed transmission, meant a top speed in the neighborhood of 125mph, a very fast neighborhood at the time. For a big sportbike, the BMW was relatively light at 474lbs wet.

1975 BMW R90S R Side Engine

The stylish bikini fairing allowed BMW to compliment the usual tach, speedo, and warning lights with an analogue clock and a volt meter, while twin discs provided improved stopping power over other BMW models, although that wasn’t saying much, and even these upgraded brakes were considered the R90S’s weakest characteristic.

 

1975 BMW R90S R Side Rear

As with Moto Guzzis of the period, the image of the shaft-driven BMW was more touring than sport, but the R90S was successful in competition: in the USA, the American Motorcycling Association organized a new race series for “Superbikes” and the R90S placed first and second in the very first race. But for all the sporting competence, BMW couldn’t completely shake their practical image, and it still featured low-maintenance shaft-drive, would take a set of hard luggage, had impressive range, and could comfortably cruise all day at 80. It was supremely competent, but still just a little bit uptight…

From the original eBay listing: 1975 BMW R90S for Sale

First titled 5/29/1975 in Michigan

Stainless spokes, good tires and battery, K&N air filter

Original large tool kit/roll, tire pump and owners manual

Great running -excellent engine idle

Serviced at BMW Daytona Beach 

Always garaged and covered: no damage, no crashes, no issues

Clock is not working-may be disconnected from battery

Have 2 keys and 2 key blanks, 2 oil filters

Runs like new

1975 BMW R90S Gauges

Geez, “BRAKE FAILURE”?! That’s a terrifying warning light! With 26,000 miles on the clock, this example is very clean and relatively low-mileage: these can and do rack up serious, continent-crossing distances quite regularly. Bidding is up to almost $8,500 with the Reserve Not Met. These are on the rise in terms of value, but I wonder where this one is priced, and whether or not the seller is aiming a bit too high, too soon…

-tad

1975 BMW R90S L Side

BMW

1980 BMW R100 Cafe Racer for Sale

1980 BMW R100 Cafe R Front

As often as people hack “cafe racers” together these days, it’s surprising how often such a simple idea goes wrong. In an era when the aftermarket was in its infancy, and not much was available to increase the speed of your bike, or to make it look more like the bikes your idols were racing, you often took things off your motorcycle.

To go faster, simplify and add lightness.

1980 BMW R100 Cafe L Side Rear

And while the original “Ton-Up Boys” built their bikes for speed, current café racers are, let’s face it, more concerned with image than outright performance. If you want to go fast and don’t have much cash or have a do-it-yourself mentality, you’re much better off buying a well-used GSX-R and thrashing the hell out of it on road or track.

1980 BMW R100 Cafe L Front

So bikes like this are really about owning a cool old bike that looks and sounds right, that mixes vintage feel with some modern concessions to function: clip on bars halfway between the top and bottom triple may look pretty tough, but who the hell wants to ride that?

1980 BMW R100 Cafe Dash

This bike though, gets things mostly very, very right, with very classy ivory white paint and a and I’m not sure that classic half-fairing has ever looked so right on a motorcycle. This is based on either the R100/7 or the sportier R100S, although the ad doesn’t specify. Both were powered by BMW’s sporty, reliable 980cc horizontally-opposed twin that was flexible and basically vice-free.

1980 BMW R100 Cafe L Side Engine

If you’re building a bike to meet those criteria, the BMW “airhead” models are the perfect foundation: they’re mostly very affordable, much more reliable than a British twin, parts are readily available, they handle well for a classic machine and, maybe most importantly, supply a classic look and feel of a big twin clattering away beneath you.

From the original eBay listing: 1980 BMW R100 Café Racer

Turn-key bike, ready to ride now, and was just serviced by licensed BMW dealer. Very nimble and fun to ride, and has great visual presence.
Bike starts up easily, runs well, and sounds awesome.
Prior owner did the following work:

  • Ivory White paint with black pin striping, 3-4 coats of two-part clear coat.
  • New BMW badges for tank.
  • SuperTrapp Dual Exhaust, tremendous sound, clean, no rust.
  • Original seat pan, with custom shaped and covered seat done professionally, with brushed aluminum trim kit.
  • Cafe Racer Half fairing (small crack at bottom, barely visible).
  • Windscreen by Zero Gravity.
  • Clip-on bars.
  • New rubber grips.
  • New rear tire, front has 80% + tread.
  • Valves and end play adjusted.
  • Forks cleaned, lubed, and rebuilt.
  • New Transmission fluid, brake fluid.
  • Splines lubed.
  • New oil and oil filter, along with oil pan gasket and valve cover gaskets.
  • Bike has Mikuni carb upgrade.
  • Bike is gorgeous, but this is not a concourse example.
  • Mileage is in my opinion greater than that reflected on odometer.

If you can sit through the overproduced, Ken Burns-style slideshow [or just skip it], there’s some good riding footage of the bike in there to give you a feel for the bike’s character:

If you’re building a bike that needs to be ridden every day, sound good, and look right, the BMW “airhead” models are the perfect foundation: they’re mostly very affordable, much more reliable than a British twin, parts are readily available, they handle well for a classic machine and, maybe most importantly, supply a classic look and feel of a big twin clattering away beneath you.

1980 BMW R100 Cafe R Side Petcock

Aside from the plastic bezels and dash sourced from the original bike and those slightly questionable “BMW R100” badges, I really like this bike, and I think it would make a great daily-rider. Bidding is active on this one, but at just $4,050 and with The Reserve Not Met, I think this one has a ways to go, since a bone-stock example would likely fetch that.

-tad

1980 BMW R100 Cafe L Side

 

BMW

1975 BMW R90S for Sale

1975 BMW R90S R Rear

Earlier this week, we featured a very nice R100/7 with a bit of café style that made it look like the earlier R90S, racier sibling of the more conservative “Slashy” bikes. My new term for the R60/2, R75/5, etc bikes. Just made it up: feel free to use it.

The wonderful thing about old BMW’s is that their handling and competence is all out of proportion to the on-paper specs and unlikelyness of the powertrain combo. You’d expect them to be pretty slow and clunky, but, as Pirelli likes to tell us: “power is nothing without control.”

1975 BMW R90S L Front

Japanese bikes of the period routinely blew their European opposition into the weeds in terms of outright power, yet somehow folks kept buying and riding the European marques so often featured on this page. Probably because they lived long enough to buy new ones and all those young hotheads on their Kawasaki H1’s died at the first serious corner they came to.

And considering how uncomfortable and uncompromising the Latin racers of the period were, it’s hard to imagine you could have speed, handling, and comfort in one package: introduced in 1974, the R90S placed first and second at the very first AMA Superbike race ever held.

1975 BMW R90S Dash

From the original eBay listing: 1975 BMW R90S for Sale 

Over $ 25,000 dollar today’s money spent by its NASA Engineer owner. The major improvements include Re-engineered engine, Harden boars & pistons, and the compression is 175 PSI (instead of usual 130 PSI), Dual plugs heads with BOSCH Blue H1 performance ignition coils, DYNA electronic pointless ignition system, PRIDMORE Lighten flight wheel, PRIMORE inlet manifolds on the original DELORTO Cabs, ALPHA BET black chromed free flow 2 in to 1 muffler, BMW Oil cooler & Deep Pan, Porsche designed CPM Magnesium “6” spokes wheels with rear wheel air cooler, enforced swing arm, BMW kick start and new Odyssey Gel Battery, Front fork legs have double braced San Jose fork braces, PRIMORE Springs in the forks and top off with SAN JOSE Triple clamp. San Jose enforced supported swing arm and RENO chromed ride off stand, KRAUSA Engine wrap crush bar, Metzler tires, expensive stainless braded front brake lines. Original tool kit, keys and owner manual are included.

The seller has helpfully included a video: BMW R90S walk-around, start up, and ride away.

1975 BMW R90S R Engine

Always happy to embrace unusual solutions, BMW mounted the R90S’ front brake master cylinder below the fuel tank and connected it to the lever via a short cable, preventing damage in the event of a crash.

It’s no garage queen, but this seems like a pretty nice example of a very collectable Bavarian bike, the choice of an intellectual rebel with a cause. I’d ditch those ridiculous “CYCLONE” stickers as soon as I could, but otherwise, this looks to be the perfect classic useable classic, combining “sport” and “touring” in equal measures.

-tad

1975 BMW R90S L Tank

 

BMW

Reader Suggestion: 1978 BMW R100/7 Custom Cafe

1978 BMW R100 7 L Side Rear

No longer quite the undiscovered gem they were, BMW’s “airhead” boxers still provide real value to the classic enthusiast. Although the rarer, sportier models like the R90S command real dollars, the more pedestrian bikes were made in sufficient numbers that, unless you’re concerned with collectability, still offer amazing bang for the buck.

Their durability probably doesn’t hurt, either: BMW’s longitudinal flat-twin is really the coelacanth of classic motorcycles, since it was knocked off by the Russians [Ural] and then that knock-off was knocked-off by the Chinese [Chang Jiang] and are still being produced to this day.

If a 1940’s engine can still provide reliable, if somewhat sedate motive power for a modern-ish motorcycle, imagine what the additional thirty years of development found in a bike from the 70’s will add! This 1978 BMW R100/7 may look pretty stock, but has been professionally repainted and restored to better-than-new condition, with upgraded components where appropriate.

1978 BMW R100 7 R Side

From the original listing: 1978 BMW R100/7 Custom Cafe for Sale

“Frame-off” powder coated, black respray, clear coated with hand painted pin striped bodywork, rebuilt motor and trans, lightened flywheel, light weight wrist pins, newer clutch, new t.o. bearing, rebuilt carbs, new Hoske mufflers, new rubber parts, new Metzeler Lazertec tires, BMW wire wheels, Dyna elec. ign.,RS solo seat, R90s handle bar, completed 2008, 1200 miles since build, new brake service Fall 2013, build by BMW restoration specialist in the Twin Cities (more info upon request)

These are very practical, reliable bikes, aside from braking that reportedly requires Johnny Carson-like levels of precognition to use effectively: even period reviews were less than stellar… Although I’d imagine updated pads or a swap to more modern components might help there and not degrade the looks much. On the upside: the rest of the package is hard to criticize: power, handling, and comfort are all there in spades.

$8,750 seems a bit steep for an R100/7, but with only 1200 miles on it since a thorough update, you’re getting what looks to be a very nicely turned-out machine. If you’re okay paying a bit more for something of quality, this could be your ride.

-tad

 

Uncategorized

1978 Hercules W-2000 Wankel With 3 Miles for Sale!

1978 Hercules W2000 L side

The Hercules W-2000 is a curious footnote in the history of motorcycling, one of only a handful of machines powered by Felix Wankel’s liquid smooth rotary engine. Thanks to Mazda, the rotary has come to be associated with performance applications, but a major advantage of the design is that it has so few moving parts, making it reliable and very economical engine to manufacture. In theory, at least.

1978 Hercules W2000 Dash

And while the W-2000 does have an unusual, eerily-smooth character and a 6-speed gearbox, it’s pretty clear that this machine was never intended as a sport bike. Really, it was more of a sophisticated commuter, one that certainly appealed to people with an eye for unusual technology.

I’d bet people that collect these also like Citroens and air-cooled Volkswagens, stuff that’s cool without necessarily being particularly fast.

1978 Hercules W2000 L Engine

Unfortunately, that whole “reliable and economical to manufacture” thing didn’t work out too well, and then The Government decided to tax it as a much larger-displacement machine, making the whole exercise basically pointless. The W-2000 is largely forgotten now, but does have a following.

1978 Hercules W2000 Headlight

From the original eBay listing: 1978 Hercules W-2000 for Sale

Condition:

This is as nice as you will find. This bike is a true survivor. It is a 3 mile original. Look at the photos and decide for yourself. One not this nice sold down under recently for 15K US. It was not an oil injected bike. This is an EXCEPTIONAL example of an oil injected bike.

THIS BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN REGISTERED AND IS STILL ON THE MSO

This bike has been properly stored as part of a large collection and will need only the most cursory service to make it road worthy. These bikes are very rare in the US and worldwide as total production was 199. They are almost never seen in public and some in private collections are modified. The Wikipedia photograph W-2000 is a nice bike, but it is a custom. It is not even close to factory original. This is as close as you can get to stepping into a time machine and stepping back to 1978.

To help clarify, Hercules produced 2 versions of the W-2000. A pre mix bike (Total Production about 1800) and an oil injected bike, total production 199. The motorcycle has no oil sump in the engine (and no, it’s not a two stroke) the only oil for the mains and seals (rings) comes through the fuel system. On a pre mix bike, you must mix oil at 1:25. A premix bike does it for you.

Finding a Hercules W-2000 is rare. Finding a premix bike is rarer still.  Finding a premix still on the MSO is unheard of…

The good news:

It’s all good… just look at the photos. You will be hard pressed to find a better one anywhere in the world… period.

THIS BIKE HAS NEVER BEEN REGISTERED AND IS STILL ON THE MSO

OIL INJECTED

The bad news:

NONE

Well that’s good to know: there’s no bad news. Other than the price, that is.The starting bid is at $15,000 with no takers and four days left on the auction. With miles this low, the bike is probably worth it, but it takes a very specific kind of buyer willing to fork over that kind of dough for an oddity like this, with no racing history, that was generally perceived as a noble failure.

1978 Hercules W2000 R Rear

Hopefully, someone, somewhere is taking a break from the garage where he’s rebuilding the  four-cam Maserati V6 for his ongoing Citroen SM restoration, stumbles across this time-capsule bike and decides it would go perfectly next to his Art Deco furniture collection.

-tad

1978 Hercules W2000 Tank

BMW

1975 BMW R90S for Sale

1975 BMW R90S L Front 2

BMW bikes traditionally combine quality engineering, innovation, and real-world performance. While not as sexy as machines from Italy or Great Britain and not as refined as bikes from Japan, they offer a sort of quirky, mature Germanic style that generally ages well and has always had a cult following.

1975 BMW R90S Dash 2

BMW’s flat-twin R-series bikes have been around for what seems like forever, so they’ve made quite a few examples. The machines evolved slowly, adding disc brakes and improved performance, so if you’re okay with one of the less desirable models, you can pick one up for relatively cheap.  And if you’re not into synching your carbs while idling at a stoplight, or trying to translate Italian websites while looking for random parts, BMW’s offer quirky design, quality construction, and very usable performance.

But while the relative abundance of the various BMW flat twins is keeping prices relatively low, one model is rapidly gaining in value: the R90S.

1975 BMW R90S R Engine 2

Introduced in 1974, the R90S was released in 1974 and was designed as a range-topping model. It featured iconic BMW features, including a bigger version of the highly developed “air-head” flat-twin engine, durable, shaft drive, and a sporty fairing. All of this combined to create a bike for well-heeled, real-world riders. Although it was no slouch on track either: it placed first and second at the very first AMA Superbike races held in the US.

1975 BMW R90S Gauges 2

From the original eBay listing: 1975 BMW R90S for Sale

The bike is a Southern California bike purchased at Johnny’s motorcycle Co. (established in 1956 and a BMW dealer) in Bakersfield, CA. on July 26, 1975 and has had one owner, Bob M. Crooke who bought in new on July 26, 1975. An interesting note: Johnny Kokinos, (owner of the Bakersfield dealership) reputedly built one of the first successful BMW R90S AMA race bikes campaigned on the national circuit.

This R90S was stored the last 10 years or so with little activity after the owner died, but it was still run regularly and kept in a heated, garage by his surviving daughter. The bike has a current CA title and original blue California issued license plate (in nice condition, with all the year stickers stacked up on it). The bike currently is on “non operational” status with the CA DMV.

This bike has (cloisonne’) tank and cowl badges; complete factory tool roll, air pump (with cap), Riders manual, factory three key set and rare original BMW hand towel. The actual total accumulated mileage on this bike is 12,295 (US miles) as of this date.

The tank & seat cowl have original installed (cloisonné) enameled, BMW adhesive type badges. The fairing has the two controversial holes on the underside (typical of the 1974 and many 1975 models that were fitted with early tooled components).

The motorcycle has survived with all the original components and paint in excellent condition. There is no active corrosion on the bike. This bike never had any modifications or changes to the electrical system. It was never wrecked or tipped over to the best of my knowledge.  After the following service work listed below, was completed, this bike now looks like a three or four old R90S that has been ridden, well looked after with owner pride and serviced as recommended by BMW.

1975 BMW R90S Underseat 2

This particular example has low miles for a bike this capable of covering distance and looks to be in excellent shape. From the description, everything is working correctly and the bike is in original condition: note his mention of the pinstriper’s initials on the underside of the tank. The listing describes fastidious care and the seller appears to be very knowledgeable, which is always confidence-inspiring when you’re spending your money on a bike sight-unseen.

-tad

1975 BMW R90S R Rear 2

BMW

Low-Mileage, Unrestored1975 BMW R90S for Sale!

1975 BMW R90S L Side

Ah, another sportbike from Ze Germans. BMW, in typical Teutonic fashion, approached their sportbikes with a more integrated approach: form followed function. Although, barring pure racing machines, the R90S was the sportingest bike they’d ever produced, it definitely lacked sex appeal when compared to Italian or British machines. But what it lacked in style, it made up for in pure function: it could haul in the canyons and munch miles on the open road, then arrive for dinner with unruffled class. This was a sport-touring bike with the emphasis definitely placed on “sport.”

1975 BMW R90S L Tank

Introduced in 1974, the bike was intended to sit at the top of the range and featured BMW’s highly developed “air-head” flat-twin engine, clean, low-maintenance shaft-drive, and an effective bikini fairing. The bike was fast, well-equipped, and refined: a true gentleman’s express with a top speed of 124mph and handling that allowed it to place first and second at the very first AMA Superbike race.

1975 BMW R90S Engine Detail

The BMW R90S featured an interesting front-brake arrangement: the lever operated a short cable to the master cylinder, which was mounted on the frame below the tank. It was thought that this provided increased safety, as the master cylinder was not vulnerable to damage during a crash.

1975 BMW R90S R Airbox

From the original eBay listing: 1975 BMW R90S for Sale!

The condition of this machine is highly original and un-restored.  It has 8,482 original miles from new.  The frame and engine numbers are factory correct and original.  It is the 900 cc engine.  The gearbox is also original to the machine.  This R90 S is completely original and has never been apart.  I am either the third or fourth owner from new.  This machine has been in my collection for some time, is started on a regular basis, and ridden occasionally.

When I purchased the bike, it had been sitting for some time in completely original condition.  I went through the machine top to bottom and checked all of the major engine, transmission, and braking components for functionality and safety.  The gas tank is in very nice  condition, the inside having no corrosion evident, the carburetors were inspected, cleaned, and re-installed, the air filter checked, all fluids changed, and both front and rear brakes taken apart, cleaned, re-built, and re-installed, the consequence of the bike sitting idle for a long period of time before I acquired it.   

Make sure you head over to eBay to read the rest of the listing and see additional, high-quality images: the seller pretty comprehensively describes the condition of this very nice machine.

1975 BMW R90S Dash

Striking in its factory orange-fade paint, this one looks like a nearly perfect bike to own and ride, with low enough miles to be desirable and original, but not so low you might be tempted to squirrel it away in a garage somewhere. Or a livingroom. Not much time left, so move quickly if you feel this classy and ahem “mature” machine is the one you’ve been looking for.

-tad

1975 BMW R90S R Side

BMW

1978 BMW R100RS for Sale

1978 BMW R100RS R Front

The Germans have such a singular way of blending practical and sporting elements into their cars: the BMW’s 3-series sedan is historically so practical, but full of quality engineering and responsive rear-wheel-drive handling. The VW GTI is a box on wheels, but truly one of the most iconic real-world sporting cars of all time.  Even Porsche’s 911 can be considered relatively practical, when compared to cars from Ferrari or Lamborghini. German motorcycles are built along the same, very conservative lines: I love how these are so upright and dorky, efficient, practical, aber sehr sportlich. 

Although you can’t hide that monstrous engine behind a bulbous fairing: it seems to stick out everywhere, bulging like an overstuffed wurst.

1978 BMW R100RS L Rear

The R100RS was BMW’s flagship sport-touring model at the time. Introduced in 1977, it made 70hp and had a top speed of 108mph, which could be achieved in relative comfort, thanks to the wind-tunnel-designed wrap-around fairing that made the machine an unruffled, all-weather device designed to cover big distances at high speed.  Handling was extremely stable, rather than nimble, as befits its intended mission.

The original ad is straight and to-the-point, written so efficiently as to leave out things like lowercase letters. Luckily for you, I had a few moments to translate the original listing into something that is a bit easier to read. From the original eBay listing 1978 BMW R100RS for Sale

This is a beautifully restored R100RS with 67,000km/ approx 41,000 miles

  • European bike headlight on/off switch
  • Longer front fender
  • Powdercoated wheels
  • Upgraded forks with new seals
  • Resr [reservoir?] shocks [they appear to be Ohlins]
  • New brakes with stainless brake lines
  • All fluids changed
  • Carbs cleaned and balanced
  • New Odessey battery and electronic ignition
  • Cafe reverse cone mufflers sound great
  • Runs great looks great, everything works as it should
  • Rear bag mounts shown but not included

1978 BMW R100RS L Rear Wheel

In spite of the relatively minimal information, the ad does include a video of the bike.  I love videos! And those mufflers sound pretty great.

I have to admit: dorky as these are, there’s something so cool about them, that practical sportiness that infuses German cars and bikes. And some of these 70’s BMW’s are still really cheap. The earlier “toaster tank” models are getting pricey but, if you’re not scared off by the mileage these accumulate, they’re pretty darn affordable, and very practical as far as classics go. Find a set of those vintage, briefcase-y hard bags, pack up the missus, and head out on the highway, looking for adventure, or whatever comes your way.

Look, I’ve seen Easy Rider a few times, and hardtails look like a pretty terrible choice if you plan to ride across the country…

-tad

1978 BMW R Rear

DKW

1936 DKW ex Works Supercharged 2-stroke

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There is a stereotype that the Germans are an engineering nation, measured, meticulous, and calculating. Looking at this 1936 DKW Works Supercharged race bike, that stereotype is perpetuated. During a time when race bikes still had rigid suspension the heart of this racer was a 3 cylinder, water cooled, two stroked supercharged engine which screamed, a real scream. The seller of this work of art gives a very good history of the bike and a look into the history of the times in which it raced.

$(KGrHqJ,!qoFDkmU81m,BRCgSnlf6g~~60_3

From the seller

Possibly the most aesthetically pleasing, most advanced & fastest prewar motorcycles of all time..The supercharged deeks led to the banning of supercharging in racing grand prix & TT machines.This was Kluge’s own bike, before being left with a Victorian DKW dealer awaiting a new ordered production racer, being imported from Germany, which arrived in 1939..(the surviving production racer is also pictured below)..Champion, Ewald Kluge was coming to Australia with new machines & factory team, to repeat their 37/38 winning feat, when war intervened.. They made it as far as South Africa.. “The Baron & Baroness, already in Australia, just managed to leave before the internment net closed around them.” (Full article in “the Classic Motorcycle /Hamish Cooper Sept 1991 Edition”). Leaving this bike behind, a truly amazing, well documented, unique history..

 $(KGrHqZ,!g4FC6Buhk)NBRDjYwFRzg~~60_3

DKW was the larges motorcycle company during the 1920’s and 1930’s and they were not afraid to spend their money on racing. Never straying from their production bikes, DKW raced light weight bikes in 175cc, 250cc and 350cc two stroke bikes. With this money DKW was able to develop a supercharged racer that was the bike to beat in Europe and Australia. The supercharged engine is elegant in that the Supercharger is not some big lump attached to the engine as an after thought. A third cylinder, driven by the same crank as the powered cylinders would pressurize an chamber within the crank case, and it was this forced air which would charge the two power chambers.

$T2eC16N,!yUE9s6NDMPEBRDjYhz0Dg~~60_3

 

Quotes from the time

“The machine sounds like a shotgun when it fires, with unbearable pressure waves pounding your chest, when you stand 5 metres behind.”

Deeks first raced in the Isle of Mann TT in 1935, “the screaming DKW’s shattered the island “~ (Bob Holliday Keig collection vol 1).

A sound you could hear 60 miles away across the water in Liverpool.

 

$T2eC16R,!zEE9s3!(YZoBRCgSm18f!~~60_3

As you can see the twin Carburetors stuck out the sides with there large velocity stacks taking in air as it rushes past the bike and rider. A British privateer, L.R. Higgins wrote in his book Private Owner that the DKW would be a world beater on sunny days at the Isle of Man. But he tells that if it was raining, or the road or track wet, these exposed stacks would pull in more water then air, and the world beater could be found at the side of the road.

$(KGrHqN,!p0FEH3OQ8I6BRCgSnVtZ!~~60_3

As the seller tells, the works riders and the DKW’s themselves were effected by the world at war starting in late 1938. The riders returned home before they were interned for the duration of the conflicts to come. The bikes were left behind and were not treated much better. When found the engine was blown, not in a good way. Check out the auction for this 1936 DKW Supercharged racer, there are more stunning pictures, and the added history lesson is worth the read. BB

Horex

1958 Horex Resident

Horex was a German Motorcycle manufacture which was started by the Rex glassware company in Bad HomburgGermany in 1960, so you can see where the name came from. They originally purchased their 4-stroke engines from Columbus, until Horex merged with Columbus in 1925. This 1958 Horex Resident offered up over on eBay.de is something you may never see here in the States from a company that disappeared, but may be re-appear.

Not much from the seller

This is a nice Horex Resident 350 converted to sport style. Engine is running, no paperwork. Check photos you get what you see.

Like many manufactures in Europe, Horex was unable to produce motorcycles for many years in the late  ‘30’s and early ‘40’s. When they did start production up again, their most popular bike was a 350cc single called the Regina. Horex as able to sell over 18,000 of the. During this time they also offered a 400cc and 500cc Straight-two, one cylinder in front of the other. This Resident was first offered in 1955 and replaced the popular Regina.

The  350cc engine offers and over square 77×75 single cylinder, with a 7.1:1 CR which generates 24hp at 6250rpm. The twin port exhaust is a hold over from pre-war racers which used a twin port in an attempt to keep the exhaust valves as cool as possible. The single carb looks to be by Bing, and for a 350cc could likely be as large as 26mm. The seller claims “converted to sport style”, but I am interpreting that as a Café racer, and not tuning to the engine.

Mercedes-Benz purchased the Horex company in 1960 and stopped all Motorcycle production. There appears to be a revival of the Horex name, so you may have seen some concept motorcycles with a supercharged Horex engine. So if you want to be in the know of German Manufactures, this Horex offered surprisingly on German eBay, would be interesting to own. BB