$30,000
San Francisco, California
Category
Sport Touring Motorcycles
Engine
597 cc
Posted Over 1 Month
Less than 1,600 R66 BMW's were built. Of this total, there are not many survivors.Most were drafted into the Wermacht, and many were lost during the War. This one was abandoned in Poland. It was imported into the US by Blue Moon Cycles in 2000, and sold to the next owner in 2002. The short block was rebuilt by a well known vintage BMW specialist, and the cylinder heads were rebuilt with new seats, R69S valves and coil springs-replacing the original hair-pin springs. I bought the bike in 2012. I have since overhauled the gearbox, and had the final drive fitted with the correct pre-war solo gearing.I also fitted a pair of standard compression (6:8 to 1) pistons. I have put 6,948 km on it in the last few years, and it is now a reliable, sound motorcycle, that is a pleasure to ride. It's a rider, not a garage queen.It's not a perfect restoration, but it's a solid bike, which is not the case with many untested restorations. The paint work is in good condition,but there are chips and scratches here and there.The plating is in generally good shape, and the wiring is sound and functional.The bike has had no electrical problems since I've owned it. Non-standard items: solid copper head gaskets, an electronic regulator for the generator, a Dyna Coil for the sparks, a post-war side stand (from a R51/2), two-way fork damping. Numbers of interest: The Poles ground out the original frame and engine numbers and applied their own. The Polish numbers are: engine 8094, frame 8651. These are the numbers on the California title.The last owner recovered the original numbers chemically. They are: engine 661397, frame 513656. Over the area where the engine number was ground out is OZ 80. The tappet chambers are stamped with a BMW emblem and a 38(see photos) The cylinder head has the number 266 cast in, and everywhere I went inside the motor there are BMW emblems and part numbers. The final drive is stamped 10/36 (prewar solo ratio) and there is a sideways "S" stamped on the final drive cover. This indicates a strengthened part, after early failures at the beginning of the production run. Any one who is seriously interested in buying this bike should contact me for additional information and photographs at 1 415 734 0461. I reserve the right to show and sell this bike locally. Thanks, Charlie Taylor
Trim R 66
