Source: Bring a Trailer –
This 1975 BMW R90S is one of a reported 1,738 produced for the US market for the 1975 model year and was acquired by the seller in November 2021, subsequent to the completion of a five-month restoration performed by Mark Francois. The bike is finished in a silver and orange gradient and powered by an 898cc opposed twin mated to a five-speed gearbox. Equipment includes a driveshaft, a quarter-fairing, a stepped two-up seat, dual front disc brakes, a steering damper, an electric starter, twin Dell’Orto carburetors, and stainless-steel mufflers. This R90S was previously listed by the seller on BaT in July 2022 and is now offered by the seller on behalf of its current owner with an owner’s manual, a BMW tool roll, a shop towel, a tire pump, restoration records, and a clean California title in the owner’s name.
The bodywork has been refinished in Daytona Orange with hand-applied red pinstriping and sits over a black powder-coated frame. Equipment includes a quarter-fairing, a replacement clear windscreen, a six-gallon fuel tank, street lighting, a reupholstered stepped sport seat, a lift-assist handle, a chrome grab rail, folding passenger foot pegs, and both center and side stands.
Rebuilt wheels with polished aluminum rims, chrome spokes, and replacement bearings and seals wear a 19″ Continental RB2 tire up front and an 18″ Continental K112 tire at the rear. The dual front disc brakes, master cylinder, and rear drum brake were rebuilt during the refurbishment, as were the leading-axle fork and both Boge shocks.
The adjustment knob for a rebuilt hydraulic steering damper sits ahead of a chrome handlebar equipped with replacement BMW grips, dual BUMM straight-stalk mirrors, and Hella switchgear. Refurbished instrumentation consists of a 140-mph MotoMeter speedometer and a tachometer with a 7,100-rpm redline as well as a voltmeter and an analog clock that reside in the fairing above. The five-digit odometer shows 92 miles which have been added since completion of the refurbishment, 42 of which were ridden by the seller. True mileage is unknown.
The 898cc opposed twin was rated at 67 horsepower when new and breathes through a pair of rebuilt Dell’Orto PHM 38mm carburetors as well as a chrome dual exhaust system with a crossover pipe and Keihan stainless-steel mufflers. An overhaul of the engine during the refurbishment included:
Bored cylinders to their first oversize
Installed Wossner high-performance pistons and rings
Balanced rotating assemblies
Rebuilt cylinder heads with Kibblewhite valves and performed a three-angle grind
Replaced rod, crankshaft main, and crankshaft front roller bearings
Replaced timing chain
Replaced valve guides and springs
Power is sent to the rear wheel through an overhauled five-speed transmission with a replacement clutch assembly as well as a driveshaft enclosed in the right leg of the swingarm. The rebuilt final drive carries a 33/11 ratio stamped on its housing.
The number 4981030 stamped on the steering neck matches the numbers stamped on the left engine case and on the manufacturer’s plate, photos of which can be viewed in the gallery.
The bike is accompanied by an owners manual and BMW tool roll as well as a replacement shop towel and a tire pump.
Photos depicting various stages of the refurbishment can be viewed in the gallery, as can restoration paperwork from Mark Francois.
