BMW R 90 S test

Menus

• BM triple V!
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Start-up
• In the city
• On the road
• On the highway
• In duet
• Braking
• Consumption
• Maintenance
• Production / timeline
• Coast side
• In case of purchase
• Conclusion

BM triple V!

In the heart of the 1970s, the image of BMW was printed on sepia paper. While the models offered had their reputation for exemplary reliability, they did not add anything very exciting. Finally came the R 90S. Suddenly, the brand switched from accordion to electric guitar ….

Discovery

Really beautiful…. Sober and elegant, even out of the context of yesteryear this BMW really looks great. We owe this plastic to Hans Muth, intrepid designer, then responsible for making forget the older models by bringing a real visual youthful look. Later, this same designer would design the Suzuki Katanas, which were also radically different from previous vintages ….

In the saddle

Climbing it is not that easy. First of all, she’s high on her legs. So obviously, it is better to be wary when maneuvering at a standstill, in particular not to tilt it too much otherwise you will be caught by the weight. It is not a problem to kick it out, but once its two wheels are on the ground, the power station should be raised with your foot, otherwise it will be heard scraping the asphalt. For the reverse operation, all you have to do is find the lug and stabilize the machine by pressing on the rounded shoe provided for this purpose. The effort required to tip the R 90 S onto its power plant is incredibly low, thanks to a judicious lever arm and an ideally placed lifting handle ….

We then discover a real cockpit.

Start-up

Just choose one of the fingers of your left hand to operate the Magura controller controlling the enrichment, activating the air shutter on each of the Dell’Orto. One stroke of the starter and presto! … Engine and whole machine shake, wriggling from side to side.

After the regular warm-up session, a little primer, greeted by a loud "klonk" of welcome and off you go for the adventure. The twin-cylinder emits a sympathetic rumble with each revving. Going for the upper gear becomes a real treat, as the music coming out of the silencers coaxes the eardrums ….

In the city

The gearbox is not lightning fast, but is reliable and precise. The beautiful German is doing very well, slipping like a cat between two boxes of Ronron mash and at each red light stop, the "overturning torque" effect causes the flat to a few steps of twist particularly appreciated in these periods of sticky gloom ….

On the road

In all circumstances, Dame BM remains swift and precise, obeys the thrust and the eye and complies with all requests. As soon as you twist the throttle for a pass, Dell’Orto’s pair appear to spur the beast’s sides lightly. Immediate effect: the BM catapults into a vigorous rise in speed. The engine, as lively as an English vertical twin at low and medium revs, has a surprising extension and seems willing to reach the end of the world…. As you turn, the engine sighs with ease. The use of the gearbox is rare, the twin, torquey at will, allows both to run on a trickle of gas, and, if necessary, to restart frankly with a simple rotation of the right handle. As soon as an opportunity arises, out of the hairpin, pushing the intermediate gears a little and making the powder talk is definitely very pleasant on this R 90 S…. On the cycle side, the bike is very healthy. Easy to put on the corner and just as easy to raise it. The fork performs its task very honorably and does not allow itself to be disturbed by the deformations of the bitumen…

On the highway

The general geometry, long and tall, requires attention at high speed. Ditto during downshifts to forcing, it is wiser to decompose calmly. Annoyed, the BM takes revenge by making little reassuring kicks…. Its power makes it a highway diva, but its inaccuracies in the past 160 km / h end up exhausting the rider, despite the well-designed fork crown that works as a shield against disruptive air. In addition, whatever the speed, no vibration to report ….

In duet

As comfortable to ride as a duo or solo. And the passenger is far from being mistreated, having a seat as spacious as it is soft and a very welcome support bar ….

Braking

Dual front disc 260mm floating calipers, single piston. For the time, that’s good. The discs will be perforated in 1975, in order to better drive away water in the event of rain. Going from one model "with" to the other "without", under the same climatic conditions, we do not notice any difference. Drum at the rear, a bit weak, whatever the vintage ….

Consumption

The BMW R 90 S consumes little. 6.6 l / 100 in mixed use. Unleaded 95 or 98. Additive unnecessary.

Maintenance

The engine is reliable "indestructible", assure even the addicts of the brand. Many BMs have over 200,000 kilometers on the clock and are always as fresh as roaches as long as they have been properly maintained. An oil change of the block every 5,000 and another annual gearbox / axle guard against any hassle.

Production / timeline

Introduced in 1973 with the objective of carving out croupiers for arrogant Japanese motorcycles, the advertisement, with the slogan "The samurai will find whom to talk to", made it no secret. It was then offered in black / gray gradient "Silver Smoke", but each dress was unique, paint and threads being applied by hand. Exchanged at the time for 20,000 francs, it was among the most expensive machines on the market (as an indication, the Kawasaki 900 cost 2,500 francs less!). In 1975, a “Daytona” version with an orange robe was characterized by the presence of perforated discs, the kicker became optional and the magnificent aluminum indicators of the first versions were replaced by sad black cabochons. 17,465 copies of this exceptional machine were sold. The magnificent BMW R 90 S will disappear from the catalog in 1977, definitively replaced by the R 100 S appeared the previous year.

Coast side

Having become legendary, a BMW R 90 S costs the skin on its knees today as it did yesterday. Minimum 5,000 euros if it is out of breath and in its own juice, up to 15,000 if it is a motorcycle that is 100% restored or has always been maintained.

In case of purchase

Undertaking a complete restoration naturally requires solid knowledge, however all parts and components are still findable or available. It can also be made easier by downloading an ETK (BMW parts software). Beware of make-up, the R 90 S doesn’t differ that much from the 6 series, so it’s all about ensuring the authenticity of the machine. Check the condition of the center stand. It is not uncommon for it to collapse on bikes that have been around a lot. In this case, a weld will be required. Finally, beware of “garage suction cups”. A motorcycle that hardly ever drives can suffer damage from current gasoline, which degrades quickly and destroys everything..

Conclusion

This is a motorcycle with a strong personality, lively and very endearing. To classify in the timeless. In 2015 she still has her say and the future ahead of her !

Strong points

• Downright mythical machine
• Reliability
• Aesthetic
• Parts availability
• Performances

Weak points

• Completely overpriced
• Very average braking
• High speed stability
• Reluctant to impulsive downshifts
• Permit trap

The technical sheet of the BMW R90S

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