Treasures
The labels may be a little faint from age but these are brake cables for a BMW R26/27. The R27 is a18 horse power 247cc single OHV engine. A single cylinder with a shaft drive…what a concept. Over 13,000 were built between 1960 and 1966. No complete records exist on sales per year as dealers recorded the year sold and not the year manufactured.
Retail cost for the brake cables was $3.10 in 1960.Today, it is called a front brake hydraulic hose and for a 310cc G310 (similar in size to the R27 but no comparison) the cost is $192.81.
In 1964 the R27 with a solo seat sold for $850.00.
Among other treasures is the small box of fittings to make practically all throttle, clutch and brake cables in house for British and German bikes. Lost is the experience and knowledge to hand make the simple ones.
What’s new and what’s coming…
Gone are the days when you could order a bike the way you wanted it equipped. The Build Your Own page on BMW’s website was the most accessed as dream bikes were created; specs brought to the dealer and a couple of months later…viola it was here. No more. Allocation was cut by 40% to the US. Components, chips, shipping, labor, unrest Covid – you name it – contributed to all these changes. Today we are happy to accept what we can get, sparse and sporadic. 1250RT’s sold last year are just now seeing availability of some options and hardware arriving and being retrofitted.
We did just get 2 1250GS’s – one Exclusive and one Rally. Both are nicely equipped and are seeking new homes. A 1250GSA has been promised but no idea of when it will arrive. The renewed K1600 line which was supposed to be here in March is starting to slowly arrive. We have a 1600B Grand America and a 1600GT due to arrive in a week or so. The F750GS built couple of months ago is not here yet and no promise of an 850GS in the near future. The 750/850’s are perfect bikes for those who want to step up from the 310’s and perfect for the rider whose 1100 or 1200 might be feeling a little too heavy to handle want to step down. The 850 has as much or more power than the 1100/1150’s and early 1200’s of a few years ago.
One last 22 1250 RT is in production for us; should be a month or so before it shows.
Sourcing tires and batteries still remains a challenge but we somehow get thru it. Service remains busy with Joseph and Sade keeping it efficient. Parts delays create a feeling of Christmas when FedEx brings lots of little packages as they eagerly open each one and find the missing part to finish off a job and send another one home.
Keep cool, check your tires and watch out for the crazies on the road. As always, we are grateful for your continued support all these years.
West Valley Cycle Sales…the Legend Lives On…
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