The air-cooled boxer BMW twins were among the most significant
motorcycles of the 1970s through the 1980s, providing an unparalleled
combination of comfort, reliability, and performance. From the /5
series, a complete series of sport and touring motorcycles evolved that
earned a huge following and which was never emulated by other
manufacturers.
Synopsis
Before the /5 series, BMW had a reputation for producing expensive
and idiosyncratic touring motorcycles. But the /5 changed that. Although
still expensive, the market was opened to a new world of riders, and
during the 1970s the air-cooled boxer evolved into the ground-breaking
R90S and R100RS.
These were amongst the first motorcycles with factory-fitted fairings
and they also offered class-leading performance. Even when BMW decided
to discontinue the twins in favour of the new four-cylinder K-series in
1984, demand for the older boxers forced BMW to reconsider. The boxer
was resurrected and continued for more than a decade.
Additional Information
Covers the period 1970-95, and the following models: R50/5, R60/5,
R75/5, R60/6, R75/6, R90/6, R90S, R60/7, R75/7, R80/7, R100/7, R100S,
R100T, R100RS, R100RT R100CS, R80T, R80RT, R80ST, R65 Mono, R65RT Mono,
R80 Mono, R89RT Mono, R100R, R100RS Mono, R100RT Mono
With production spanning more than two decades the air-cooled boxer twin has become the iconic BMW motorcycle
Detailed research has resulted in a plethora of new information regarding the production of the air-cooled boxer twins.
Includes full production figures and detailed Appendices.
Table of contents
Chapter 1 Background and historical
introduction to the /5 series.Chapter 2 /5. R50/5, R60/5, R75/5,
1970-73Chapter 3 /6. R60/6/, R75/6/, R90/6, 1974-76Chapter 4 R90S
1974-76Chapter 5 /7. R60/7, R75/7, R80/7, R100/7, R100S, R100T,
1977-80Chapter 6 R100RS, 1977-84Chapter 7 R100RT 1979-84Chapter 8 R100,
R100CS, R80 RT, R80ST, 1981-84Chapter 9 R80 Mono, R80RT Mono, R80R,
1984-95Chapter 10 R100RS, R100R, R100RT, 1986-95
ABOUT Ian Falloom
One of the world's foremost motorcycle
historians, Ian Falloon is the author of more than twenty books on
motorcycles. These titles include the Original BMW Twins, BMW R90S, BMW
Story, Ducati Story, Moto Guzzi Story, Honda Story and Veloce
publications The Ducati 750 Bible, Ducati 900 Bible, Moto Guzzi Sport
Bible and Laverda Twin and Triple Bible. He has a small collection of
classic sporting motorcycles, including a 1976 BMW R90S. A freelance
contributor to a number of motorcycle magazines around the world, Ian
Falloon was born in New Zealand but currently lives in Australia with
his wife Miriam, and sons Ben and Tim.