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 BMW - 600 R 69 S
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BMW R 69 S motocyclette motorrad motorcycle vintage classic classique scooter roller moto scooter
Photo ou archives : M. Montange
3801

Capacity : 600
Model : R 69 S
Production : 1960 - 1969
Category : (R) Street Bike

BMW

R69S – 1962

A sporty flagship

 

Between its launch in 1960 and its withdrawal from the market in 1967, the BMW R69S — flagship of the German marque — was the only large-capacity sportster available to counter the British big-twins in epic, impassioned exchanges.

 

Two Very Different Schools of Thought

The two schools had nothing in common. The leading English makes — Norton and Triumph —were vertical twins with separate gearboxes and chain transmissions. The legendaryy BMW was a sober-sided machine with a flat-twin power unit and shaft drive. More lively and entertaining than the German machine, the British sporsters were also more temperamental and marked their passage with the occasional oil patch. The BMW was at least as fast, efficient, clean and quiet. It did not possess the total reliability of the less highly tuned R50/2 and R60/2 versions, but it was incontestably durable.

 

The Vital Detail Differences

Externally, the R69S was virtually identical to the tamer R60/2, apart from its discreet chrome script on the rear mudguard, its hydraulic steering damper, its valve cover with two fins instead of six and a bulge on the front of the crankcase. The last detail was the one that mattered the most; it concealed a little inertia flywheel vibration damper on the end of the crankshaft, which ran in long roller-bearings the better to withstand torsion. That was one of the many technical details that were specific to the performance of the S type.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 590cc (72x73mm) air-cooled flat-twin four-stroke

Power Rating: -42 hp @ 7000 rpm

Valves: overhead

Fuel System: twin Bing 26mm carburettors

Transmission: 4-speed shaft final drive

Suspension: Earles leading-links (front); swing arm with twin spring/dampers (rear)

Brakes: two leading-shoe frums (front); drum (rear)

Wheels: 3.50x18 inch wire (from & rear)

Weight: 445 lb

Maximum Speed: 109 mph

 

The legendary R69S was the only big German sports bike of its day and it was as expensive to buy as it was uneconomical for BMW to build.



Le fichier Moto Passion réalisé par François-Marie Dumas réunit près de deux mille photos accompagnées d'un historique très complet des machines présentées.
Il sera progressivement mis à jour ici et toute information complémentaire est la bienvenue sur info@moto-collection.org.

Cette documentation unique, qui constitue sans doute l'encyclopédie la plus exhaustive jamais écrite sur l'histoire de la moto, a été réalisée avec l'assistance de nombreux spécialistes dont principalement Didier Ganneau, Christophe Gaime, Mick Woollett, Jean Goyard, Bernard Salvat, Christian Rey, Yves Campion, Helmut Krackowizer, Michael Dregni, Michel Montange, etc. que je remercie ici.

Disponible sur demande :
- Les fiches originales sur papier
- Les photos et archives signées de mon nom en haute définition ou les documents originaux.
Me contacter sur info@moto-collection.org pour les conditions et droits d'utilisation.