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Author Topic: BMW R-27 motorcycle  (Read 7408 times)

Hugh Conway

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BMW R-27 motorcycle
« on: April 28, 2016, 12:39:32 AM »
 Just brought home another project. Don't have any experience with these bikes, but they were well made and strong.
I know, it isn't a diesel, and it can move around, but it does have a single cylinder and a largish flywheel!
This one is fairly a fairly complete model from 1964. All the major parts are here. Needs electrical bits like switches,  some wiring harness work. The engine is free and transmission can be shifted through the gears. The basics are there, needs some knowledge, TLC and some $ for the missing bits.
Anyone have any experience with one of these? Got any bits laying around your shop?
Cheers,
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project

xyzer

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2016, 12:19:03 AM »
Hugh,
I restored a R-26 about 30 years ago. They are 250cc I think and are good bikes....not fast. They refer to the older BMW's now as "airheads". They were all air-cooled up to 1999 I think. Now they are "oilheads".....oil cooled. Parts are out there
.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2053587.m570.l1311.R1.TR7.TRC2.A0.H0.Xr27.TRS0&_nkw=r27+bmw&_sacat=0

Good luck and have fun!
Dave
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Z482 KUBOTA

LowGear

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2016, 06:07:25 PM »
Photos?
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Hugh Conway

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2016, 06:29:13 PM »
@XYZER....Thanks for the encouragement. After a bit of research, looks like the oil slinger will need attention as a priority before riding.

 http://vintagebmw.org/v7/node/12009

Seems like a complex job, given the facilities available to me. Won't be farming it out, too costly! Will be interesting though. And the eBay link.....yes there are parts available, I have also found a couple of German sites that sell  an even more comprehensive list of parts, but as it is said, "BMW stands for Bring My Wallet"!!

@ LowGear....... I used to post photos on listerenginegallery.com and now that it has disappeared, have not gone to another venue. Any recommendations for a good place to go? I will have to take photos as I disassemble this R-27 engine, so would be a good idea to have them available online. That way, some with more knowledge than I could offer advise based on what we can see.  There is also the 12V starter/generator project for my listeroid still sitting in a box waiting for some time.....good to have a few photos of that to share as well.
It will be slow going as there are lots of other projects around here, some mine and some for the best wife ever (fortunately mine) I want to keep her happy, so those are higher priority!

Cheers,
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project

dieselspanner

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2016, 08:28:37 AM »
Go for it!!

I've just pulled my tractor into three bits to get at the crankshaft, I kept putting it off but like all jobs you keep avoiding it's never that bad once you're into it.
Once you get going there's any amount of decent people on the web who will set you back on track should you get lost - this site is a shining example!

I run a couple of old BSA's, I'm not into 'Total Originality' I want them to look right and run as well and reliably as possible, my advice would be to do the motor first then get it rolling so you can enjoy it, you can continue to fettle it as time and funds = it's usually funds with me - allow. If you wait for both to appear the clutch lever for 1954 will suddenly become the rarest thing on the planet.

There are guys who will take their pride and joy back to Birmingham (UK) to ensure the tyres are filled with the same air that the manufacturer would have used. That's not me!!

Cheers Stef
Tighten 'til it strips, weld nut to chassis, peen stud, adjust with angle grinder.

xyzer

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2016, 08:05:19 PM »
Oh yes the slingers. The oil is fed to the rod bearings via centrifugal force but they fill up and are packed tight with the solids from the crankcase oil. No filter. I remember digging them out now. They were really packed!
Dave
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guest23837

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2016, 04:51:08 PM »
You can buy a Royal Enfield diesel motorbike, they look like the classic British bike but made in India. I am tempted to buy one but sadly the missus has other ideas for our limited spare cash.

Hugh Conway

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Re: BMW R-27 motorcycle
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2016, 11:36:39 PM »
Oh yes the slingers. The oil is fed to the rod bearings via centrifugal force but they fill up and are packed tight with the solids from the crankcase oil. No filter. I remember digging them out now. They were really packed!
Dave
A job that requires a complete tear-down, one that I am not looking forward to, but probably necessary. That will keep me busy for a while. I think re-assembly requires heating the case and chilling the crank.
How am I going to get the thing into the kitchen , then into the oven un-noticed?

You can buy a Royal Enfield diesel motorbike, they look like the classic British bike but made in India. I am tempted to buy one but sadly the missus has other ideas for our limited spare cash.
I do have one of those Indian made Royal Enfields, an oldie, reg says 1978, but could be anything. It isn't a diesel though. Theoretically easy to repair, and parts are inexpensive (and cheap,if you get the distinction)  But previous owners/repair shops have used whatever fasteners that came to hand. It has Whitworth, British Standard, Metric, and SAE, along with some that I have not been able to identify. A set of crescent wrenches are a must for the tool kit!
I will sell it when this BMW is roadworthy, and just use metric tools.

Cheers,
Hugh
JKson 6/1  (Utterpower PMG ) Off-grid
Lister 6/1 Start-O-Matic engine......running with PMG
1978 Royal Enfield (glutton for punishment by Indian iron)
1963 BMW R-27 project