With its available Krauser saddlebags, the 1976 BMW R90/6 was a motorcycle that didn’t need to be racy to have style. It was like a business suit that could be worn in the 100-meter dash, and seven colors were available for this business suit. Japanese motorcycles streaked like meteors, but the R90/6 had become established as the thinking rider’s choice. It was smooth, efficient and durable. Many commented on the richly polished, painted, and plated surfaces.

The brilliant engineering also spoke for itself. With the advent of the /6 series in 1974, the air-cooled, overhead-valve, horizontally opposed twin was upsized to 90.0 x 70.6 mm bore and stroke to displace 898cc. It operated with a 9.0:1 compression ratio. A pair of 32mm Bing constant-velocity carburetors fed the combustion chambers, and output was 60hp at 6,500 rpm.

Weighing 460 lb, the R90/6 was fleet enough to run the quarter-mile in 13.45 and could reach 115 mph on a long straight. A dragstrip launch required the rider to lean well forward to suppress wheelies. Perhaps even better, Cycle Guide found it easily possible to accelerate from 50 mph in fifth gear and pass another vehicle. The R90/6 looked just fine with either the neatly striped 4.75-gallon tank or optional larger-capacity tank, and the bike’s range could exceed 200 miles. The width and comfort of the seat might have allowed the rider to stay aboard that long, too. A full instrument cluster perched over the handlebar, and these gauges incorporated printed circuitry and were tightly encased against the elements. The only common complaint concerned how the transmission usually shifted with a bit of a clunk.