Am I crazy to travel across Europe on restored 1954 BMW???

**paulrybicki** · #1 12 Sep 2005

Hi there,
Am looking to buy a restored 1954 BMW motorbike, only has 1,500km's on new engine. Looking to ride it from Turkey, to Greece, Italy, France and finish up in the UK.
I know people have done long trips in old school Royal Enfeld's but what about BMW's? Anyone? Any tips on this type of trip and or having to repair things on a bike like this along the way?
Thanks very much for any comments.
Paul

**Steve Pickford** · #2 12 Sep 2005

If you have some degree of mechanical competence & sympathy and are willing to work on the bike yourself, go for it.

**Matt Cartney** · #3 12 Sep 2005

Whilst I am a total hipocryte and am about to go and buy a brand spanking Japanese bike I always love to hear about people doing this stuff on classics and other 'impractical' bikes. I'd say go for it. One benefit is that classic marques such as old BMWs have widespread enthusiast networks who are often very keen to help out a fellow enthusiast. Theres a guy who posts on here occasionally who is going RTW on a 60s Ducati.
matt

**John Ferris** · #4 12 Sep 2005

You may want to look at the Boxerworks site message board to find some information on the BMW that you are getting.
http://boxerworks.com/message.phtml

**vincent danna** · #5 13 Sep 2005

hello,
for example, they drove in himalaya, central asia with a bmw r12 side car :

http://www.bmwmcf.com/infos/INFOS_F.htm

happy trails,

**Philippe[Hannibal]** · #6 13 Sep 2005

Depends - are you on the bike, which sits on a flat bed? j/k - if you do it, send pictures! it probably deserves one last trip!

**Adler** · #7 22 Oct 2005

I've just done a 1500 mile round trip through Holland and Germany on a 1976 MZ TS250/1 Supa 5 and my mate rode a 1972 MZ ES250/2 Trophy.

The only problem was a cracked pannier frame on my bike which 4 cable ties sorted out.

Next year I hope to do a longer journey on a 1954 Adler Mb200.

Go for it. Fresh oil, spare plugs and make sure your fuel line is clean, has a new filter and the petrol cock is in good condition.

**chris** · #8 22 Oct 2005

Go for it. It can't be any less reliable than the 88 to 95 era r80 or r100 gs-paralever cr*p that lots of people use.
Chris

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TheBrightStuffDotCom

**BCK_973** · #9 22 Oct 2005

What bike is that, a boxer or single cilinder?
That R-12 was an 1939 army bike!
Yes post a link to see your"future" bike.
I am very intrigated!
KH

**JonStobbs** · #10 23 Oct 2005

No reason at all why it should'nt make it.Ted Simon went all round the world on a Triumph of similar age and at least the BM does'nt have the same leaky reputation! Take Motobins( www.motobins.co.uk ) booklet with you and go for it.

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Just going for a short ride on my bike....

**DaveSmith** · #11 28 Oct 2005

Take it!! And what you don't know about fixing old bikes, you'll learn on the way. Unless your crankshaft craps itself and detonates the piston after 14,845 miles. That's something you can't fix with duct tape.

I didn't have a flat, but brought 2 extra heavy-duty tubes. Shipped one home. And bring a couple of spare cables.

--Dave

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Random attempts have
been made at RTW on
a '65 Ducati 250cc

**Steve Treloar** · #12 28 Oct 2005

When Therese and I did London to oz in 1992 we were on a 1978 R65 and it went like a train.The g/box had a bearing go in Iran though 25 usd latter and it was fixed. All the paralever gs we met had had problems or having problems with their drive shafts.Our bike didn't look the latest and greatest but it did what we wanted it to do.
so go for it
steve treloar
oz

**simmo** · #13 28 Oct 2005

Nice to hear Steve..thought it was just me

I doubt there is much difference between a 1954 BMW and a contemporary one, so you should be able to experience mechanical disasters in the usual bavarian way. I can only say Gear box Gearbox Gearbox this is the weak link.

Hey Dave is the Ducati still at Bobs?

cheers

alec

**Scottie** · #14 15 Jan 2006

Quote:

Originally posted by paulrybicki:
Hi there,
Am looking to buy a restored 1954 BMW motorbike, only has 1,500km's on new engine. Looking to ride it from Turkey, to Greece, Italy, France and finish up in the UK.
I know people have done long trips in old school Royal Enfeld's but what about BMW's? Anyone? Any tips on this type of trip and or having to repair things on a bike like this along the way?
Thanks very much for any comments.
Paul

Yep. But then if you weren't crazy you wouldn't be here with the rest of us in the crazy farm.

**Wheelie** · #15 15 Jan 2006

I am concidering crossing Africa on a 1960 Vespa Touring/GL upgraded with a brand new 200cc engine, disc brakes, 12v conversion, and more. Although a lot of brand new parts will go into it, the parts are the same as those that are in classic vespas (they did not change their winning formula until just a few years ago). With the Vespa there are still lots of brand new parts around, with your BMW, it might not be the same. Bring plenty of spare parts!

If your bike is properly restored, you bring hard to get spares that according to the model's history has a decent chance of failure, then you will be ok. It helps to know how to turn a wrench, but there are plenty mechanics all over europe that can help you as long as you can spare the time and expense of having someone transport your bike to the nearest garage and have it fixed. Old engines like these are not exactly rocket science and any decent mechanic should be able to repair pretty much anything on it as long as he has the parts for it... if not, then he should find a different profession.