Please help us in welcoming our latest Showroom Special: a brilliant BMW R90/6 its original form, essentially the same as it rolled off the production line in 1974 Berlin, and recently ascendent to the Union Garage 3rd floor loft in Bridgeport.

This new showroom show pony immediately classes up the room with its dignified stance, Avus-Black BMW paint with hand-painted weiss pinstripes, and overall uncommonly low-mile, original condition.

But it’s not just here for its good looks—this 51-year-young air-cooled twin was ridden to the shop this fall, and is ready to start racking up more miles as soon as the season starts. The bike is for sale by its owners—a local couple who have been shopping with us since we opened the Connecticut showroom. 

The bike fires up easily via a Bosch push-button handlebar switch and electric starter, and has a working kickstarter as a backup.

Overall the bike is is in excellent shape and just about 100% factory original. It runs smoothly and is a joy to ride—as we verified during a couple backroad outings before bringing it down from the hills of Fairfield County to Bridgeport for winter residence.

See below for two different photo galleries shot by photographer Adam Lerner—the first is of the fall ride along some choice local reservoir roads; and the second is of some ad-hoc studio photos, shot at the store last week on a bluebird day with sunshine pouring into the showroom from our wall of windows.

You can also see the bike in action in this dreamy Instagram Reel we made of the bike in flight.

This r90/6 will be offered for sale at auction this spring, but until then it will live on display at the showroom. The current owners are open to local offers, and serious inquiries are welcomed via support@uniongaragenyc.com.

Or come see the bike in person during our showroom opening hours.

// Buy the ticket, take the ride.

It's easy to see this bike going one of two ways. One path is to a collector, who appreciates an all original first-edition r90/6 with such low mileage.

Or, this bike bike could go to someone who’s looking for a rider.

These bikes are known for their legendary durability, capable of crossing 100,000-mile mark with some basic regular maintenance. They’re also incredibly capable as a do-it-all bike, ready for daily commuting or around-the-world adventures.

Elspeth Beard famously rode the 600cc version of this otherwise same basic motorcycle model clear around the world back in the early 80s. And she bought her bike used, with more mileage than this one currently shows. So with a full 900cc engine and all its best miles ahead of it, there's really very little this bike isn't capable of.

And for this bike’s sake, we hope someone buys it with the intention or riding it regularly.

// Meet the Machine: The 1974 BMW R90/6

What’s special about this particular bike is not that it's a concourse specimen that's spent the last 50 years in a hyperbaric bubble, with German air still entombed in the tires.

Nor it is here because it's an immaculate restoration that's been vapor blasted to newer-than-new condition.

Nor even is it an exceedingly rare model. Some 20,000 R90/6 motorcycles were made over its 3-year production run.

What *is* rare is this particular bikes’s extraordinarily original and genuinely low-mile condition. With less than 4.5k on the clock, this bone-stock survivor one of the least riddent examples you’ll find outside a museum or private collection.

The scrapes on the heels of the bike’s center stand are consistent with half century of being parked and moved around a concrete garage floor. But its milage indicates it hasn’t moved around on the roads much—averaging less than 100 miles/year since it rolled out of the factory with a 6/74 build date stamped on its head tube.

This motorcycle was purchased in 1977 from its original owner, and sat for most of the next 40 years in the back of a large private collection. Based on its condition it's clear that while it was not ridden much, it was stored responsibly.

When acquired by its third and current owner in 2017, a full evaluation was performed with a local BMW specialist, which included fresh tires, a leak-down test to confirm good compression, and a tune-up. The bike also received a light cleaning, the addition of an EZ-Pull clutch cable pulley, and mercifully saw the removal of Windjammer fairing.

Under its current ownership the bike has been kept under a cover inside a garage on a trickle charger, and given some regular annual exercise—taken out on a few backroad excursions every season. Just enough to keep its fluids circulating.

The last couple dozen miles were logged on the bike’s trip down to Bridgeport, and we can confirm its transmission feels tight, it's still got good power, and it holds both a steady line and an easy idle.

This bike is now safely perched on an elevated display in the Union Garage showroom in Bridgeport, where one can look close to see evidence of a true time capsule.

EG: the original BMW factory zip ties securing electrical cabling in place on the frame and handlebars. They’re in the same place where a worker in then West Germany put them on, indicating this bike has probably never been taken apart since it was built at the factory.

It also comes with the original factory manual and has a complete original tool kit under the seat, and otherwise sits just as it did when it rolled out of the factory in Cold War Berlin.

Unlike production bikes that came later in this model’s production run, this first-year 1974 edition has some unique features which are not present on later /6 bikes—like polished aluminum turn signals, and satisfyingly simple and symmetrical Bosch switchgear to operate the basic electronics—a direct carryover from the /5 series, which also feature elegantly curved and notched brake and clutch levers.

It has the original points ignition system, a first-generation ATE disc brake with 1974-only solid brake disc, and traditional rubber inner tubes in its spoked wheels.

The bike has a clutch safety switch wired in from the factory, a new feature in the day, but no such similar safety switch built into the kickstand—that's what the self-retracting spring is for. 

There’s not much else to say about this particular motorcycle that differs from the original catalog, linked here, because not much has changed since it was new.

// Pedigree Perspective

The mid 70s was a halcyon period for motorcycling in general, and 1974 in particular was a very busy time for BMW’s motorcycle division, with this particular model being one of the better motorcycles available in its day.

The R90/6 was produced from 1974 though 1976. This first-year example marked the biggest displacement motorcycle engine BMW had offered to date, and for some historical context, it was also the first year BMW offered hydraulic front brakes as a factory feature.

Overall this bike certainly has BMW's trademark shaft-driven, air-cooled, tractor-like torque, the ability to go 100mph, and the durability to keep it going over long-distance tours. It can still keep up on today’s roads, and will happily chug across the country if given the opportunity.

As Motorcycle Classics Magazine  concluded after week-long test ride review:

“We think the BMW R90 /6 is a perfect machine for the classic bike enthusiast looking for a comfortable and reliable touring machine. Its winning combination of classic looks, legendary reliability and fine road manners make it easy to live with, and its flexible, surprisingly powerful engine makes spirited riding easy, if not down right fun. Add to that an established network of supportive and knowledgeable parts and restoration experts — and riders — and you have a classic bike ideally suited for everyday use. —Motorcycle Classics, March 2009” 

The R90/6 was positioned in BMW’s growing motorcycle portfolio alongside its lesser-CC siblings, the R60 and R75, and one notch down the totem pole from the flashy R90S—the long shadow of which has often obscured this other 900cc Bavarian.

The R90S was set apart by its flashy paint job, matching bikini fairing and dual disc brakes—both novel features for a production bike in 1974. Hotter carburetors and high compression pistons completed the "S" model accolades.

But aside from that, the r90S and this r90/6 share the same 247 series frame, same controls, and same major engine components.

These standard R90 bikes were favored by well-heeled commuters and long-distance touring riders alike, and as a testament to their build quality and sound engineering, many are still on the road today. 

// Time for the Next Chapter 

A few years back one of the current owners of this 90/6 accidentally dropped something on it while working in the garage. Even though it was parked under a cover, the slip-up broke the tachometer glass.

“That’s when we knew we had to sell it” he recalled, still sounding somewhat annoyed with himself. The glass has since been replaced, along with the speedo, so that they match. But sharing a garage with other bikes that get ridden more than this one, it's come time for this 90/6 to find a new home.

So what’s it worth? This bike originally retailed for $3,395 — or about $22k in today’s dollars.

While motorcycle values rarely keep up with inflation, there was a recent sale of another, very cherry 1976 R90/6 with 6k Arizona miles that sold last summer on Bring a Trailer for a respectable $18,750.

Ultimately, an auction will decide what this particular bike is worth; although serious offers will be considered between now and the projected spring offering.

General disclaimer: This is an unrestored, original condition survivor. It is being offered with no warranty, expressed or implied. It's complete and intact, and starts easily and runs well, pulling strongly through all 5 gears.

There are no leaks present after several weeks on display in our heated showroom, but if the next owner intends to ride this bike to its potential, they would be advised to refresh the major oil seals and get the bike on a regular service schedule. 

For the mechanically inclined, there is an excellent and complete video series available for free at Boxer2Valve.com. The 23-part DIY-focused project is professionally filmed and edited, and represents hours of footage walking though in expert detail precisely how to service every aspect of this motorcycle.

This video series applies to a broad array of BMW Airheads, but the donor bike used just happens to be the exact same year and model—a 1974 R90/6. You literally couldn't ask for a better resource if you're planning on owning and maintaining this bike. 

Condition notes:

• Original paint and bodywork. Some rubber bits have been replaced over the years.
• What appear to be factory zip ties are evident on the handlebars and frame
• The rather delicate tang used to deploy the center stand, very often broken off, is present and intact. 
• Original Tool Roll under the seat is complete, and included.
• The only non-stock accessory: an “EZ Pull” pulley mounted to the back of the transmission to lessen the force needed to pull in the clutch.
• The master brake calipers was recently rebuilt, with sintered brake pads installed.
• The the original pads in the bike’s under-seat storage tray. 
• Typical acid stains on the frame near the footpegs where the original lead-acid batteries would vent and splatter.
• Center stand shows heel scrapes consistent with 50 years of parking. 
• Small break in the chrome seat trim where it contacted a factory luggage rack (rack is included in the sale)
• Instrument glass (x2, speedo + tach) have been replaced with new.
• Some isolated surface rust is evident under the seatpan.
  

This R90/6 will be on display all winter at Union Garage. Come by during our opening hours to see the bike in person, or contact support@uniongaragenyc.com with any questions.