Back on Two Wheels

This spring I sold off my wonderful Honda VFR 750 as I was moving to Turkey "any day now". Well, the entire summer has come and gone, and I am still here. Obviously the main riding season has come to an end, but something made me look back into the two wheeled life. I found a post on Craig's List. I have been thinking for years about a 'project'. Lots of guys do cars and other things, but I always thought that if I was going to do a project, it would be an old chrome-tanked BMW. And so there was the post. A guy here in Portland selling his 1973 BMW R75/5 'toaster'. An odd little catch is that the bike is actually up in Seattle. Here's a bit of history from Peter, the current owner:

The bike is original. I believe I bought it from the original owner in 1984 in Eugene. Then I put my girlfriend on the back and drove across country to New England and back through the Southwest and up the California coast. After that, I rode summer weekends through the back roads of Washington. I got a little wrapped up with women in 1996, bought a house and put the bike in my garage in Seattle under cover.

And it has sat in that Seattle garage since. Obviously I have some work to do to get it back on the road (all new fluids, rubber bits, maybe need to clean the carbs, etc.), but that is the beauty of this bike; it is so easy to work on. BMW made this style of bike through the mid-eighties mid-ninety's, so parts are still stocked at the local dealer. It's my intention of restoring it, but always in ridable form. I haven't seen it (even a picture), so we'll see what there is to do.

I think the bike is a true classic. Beautiful in form and function. What is the motorcycle that Robert M. Pirsig is maintaining in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance? One of these.

Yes, I know I am leaving, but this just isn't a transportation tool. It will be something to work on now, and on my return.

I haven't figured out the exact transportation plan, so I'll let the Seattle clan know more when it is decided.