This is what's been occupying my time...

[Valkahuna]

I have spent some time recently going over and "refreshing" my 1977 BMW R100/7.

Even though it is 35 years old, it really is a very nimble bike that handles great, is reasonably comfortable for touring (I have the Hard Krauser saddlebags for the loops you can see on the rear), but I especially like it for a total different feel from either of my other two, heavier, fully dressed bikes. I thought I'd share some pictures of it. It is in amazing original shape, even down to the green paint marks that are on some of the areas and bolts that I understand were inspection marks. I bought it in 1998 when the original owner, who was 77 at the time, sold it with only 5,000 miles on it.

It had a full Luftmeiser fairning, which I removed since I wanted the bike original. It still just has only 14,500 miles on it. I bought it mainly as a "tribute" to my late father, who in Germany was a motorcycle racer on a 250 NSU, and later had a career as a Motor Officer, of course on a BMW. In his eyes, that was the only brand, and even though every time I asked him to try one of my new rides, he was cordial, and kept his feelings to himself, he would always end the evaluation with a thick German accent, and by saying, "It's not BMW (but pronouncing BMW in German, which sounds like: Bay, EM, Vay). My earliest recollection of sitting on a m/c was sitting on the tank ahead of him, looking down, and seeing those two cylinders sticking out.


This is one of those m/c that I just can sit near and stare at, and be flooded with all kinds of good memories of my father.

[tank_post142]

she looks great ! 

[xman]

I always wanted a vintage BMW. Thats real nice.

[PAVALKER]

    Very sharp !! 

[97ValkSteve]

Beautiful bike.  Beautiful story too.  Nice job! 

[Valkahuna]

Thanks guys for the nice comments.

[chrise2469]

That is sweeet!!

The bike is in great shape and you have a cool back story.

Ride safe.

[scoot]

That is just a neat looking bike. I remember going with my dad to look at a very early Goldwing a guy was selling. It was sitting in an abandoned store front downtown. The guy had every kind of dodad hanging on it you could imagine. I remember it had one the these great big, huge eagle hood ornaments mounted on the front fender. It had the light up wings. I think that thing had a wing span about 4 feet. I was just a little crapper at the time, but I still remember it like yesterday. He never got own a bike that he could ride (life gets in the way sometimes). I know he would smile ear to ear to see these Valkyries, or to ride on one. Every time I ride I know he is riding with me, and having the time of his life 

[NCGhostrider]

Nice bike!!   Some friends I had in the late 80's had one parked in their garage.  It belonged to their dad, who had not ridden it in some time.  He had apparently laid it down, repaired it, and then did not ride any longer.  I think a lot of people tried to buy it, but it stayed there as long as I remember.

He was actually quite a fellow, and I can't feature him being afraid of it.  He owned an air tractor company near me that builds high powered aircraft for crop spraying, fire fighting and even a few went to 3rd world countries to use for ???

They are neat bikes, I looked it over several times, would have loved to ridden it, but it wasn't meant to be...

see ya,

Craig
NCGhostrider
99 I/S

[Daniel Meyer]

Nice machine!

[hotglue #43]

Sweet Bike Valkahuna!!!!! and great memories!

[9Ball]

nice restoration....looks very professional.

Hopefully you'll get a lot of use riding it....

[R J]

Nice ride brother.

It's funny you said your  dad rode  BMW as a motor officer.

My old employer now has them in the stable.

My buddies just love them.

When I left we rode Kawa 1000's

[old2soon]

Guy i go to church with here is in his mid 50s and i was in the back back side of his shop. There in the shop are 8 or 10 vintage B M W. He told me when he got time( ) he was thinking on restoring them. We shall see. Yours looks fine. Take care of it. Sounds like you have some good memories to go with it. RIDE SAFE.

[John Schmidt]

Hey buddy, great story, beautiful looking bike. Love those older models, they just don't seem to wear out.

When are you headed this way, we need help keeping TJ out of trouble. 

[Valkahuna]

Nice ride brother.

It's funny you said your  dad rode  BMW as a motor officer.

My old employer now has them in the stable.

My buddies just love them.

When I left we rode Kawa 1000's

I remember watching the CHIPS episodes. I think that they were riding Kawi 1000's then. Must have been your time. Every time you post up something about your days as a motor officer, it makes me think of my Dad. I think you guys are a fraternity. I know that I was in Germany on business in 1986 and someone broke into my rental car. I had to go to the police station to file a report. There was some grizzled old desk sergeant. When he read my last name, he asked about my father. Turns out that they had been motorcops together, and he remembered my Dad.

[Valkahuna]

Hey buddy, great story, beautiful looking bike. Love those older models, they just don't seem to wear out.

When are you headed this way, we need help keeping TJ out of trouble. 

For sure John about keeping TJ straight.  We'll have to handcuff him and chauffeur him wherever he needs to go.  I hope he is done crashing. I don't think his body can take any more!

[MacDragon]

Love the older Beemers... in the later 70s, I had a 90/6  900.  My very first motorcycle!  They look very similar.   You can't kill the dual horizontally opposed twin engine.  And BMW has had driveshafts since 1923 with the R23 R26 etc.
I worked for BMW in the 70s selling BMW Motorcycle parts throughout the country to shops and owners by mail.

yours looks fantastic...

[Valkahuna]

Love the older Beemers... in the later 70s, I had a 90/6  900.  My very first motorcycle!  They look very similar.   You can't kill the dual horizontally opposed twin engine.  And BMW has had driveshafts since 1923 with the R23 R26 etc.
I worked for BMW in the 70s selling BMW Motorcycle parts throughout the country to shops and owners by mail.

yours looks fantastic...

Thanks! Yup, you are right about the R90/6 looking about the same. Even the /5 were pretty similar. As far as not being able to kill the old boxers, you're right on with that. And so simple. The tool kit they give you under the seat, actually has enough tools to pretty much do a rebuild anywhere. They even give you a "BMW" Logo, woven mechanics rag, which I still have and without any dirt or grease on it.