CJ-750 Motorcycle 1938 BMW R-71 & Harley XA replica with Sidecar Chang Jiang 750
1938 BMW R-Series
Price: | US $5,500.00 |
Item location: | Mason City, Iowa, United States |
Make: | BMW |
Model: | R-Series |
Type: | Vintage Replica |
Year: | 1938 |
Mileage: | 977 |
Color: | Black |
Engine size: | 750 |
Vehicle Title: | Clear |
Contact seller: | Contact form |
If you have any trouble viewing the slideshow above, lease be sure to click on the thumbnail image below to view the web-album with all 33 super-sized photos of this bike:
1938 BMW replica sidecar motorcycle CJ-750
I am the second owner of this nearly exact clone of a 1938 BMW R-71 motorcycle with side-car, ust like the German Military used during World War II. A little known fact is that Harley Davidson ALSO copied this BMW design and built a hand full (nearly identical to this bike, xcept with a springer front fork setup) for the US Military called the Harley XA. None were sold as civilian motorcycles, lthough they eventually wound up in civilian hands, amp; are highly sought-after collector’s items. They had this same horizontally-opposed engine configuration and were NOT a transversely mounted V-twin like the rest of Harley’s motorcycles. The U.S. Military even commissioned Delco Corporation (GM?) to build one in a Servi-Car Trike configuration. Indian also copied the BMW design, nd built a model called the 841, ll with this same style frame & shaft-drive design (a revolutionary idea in the '30s and '40s)! I know it's unbelievable, ut you can do a Google Image search to see pictures of all of the above mentioned configurations.
Later, he Russian companies Ural & Dnepr acquired the molds from Germany after the two countries signed a non-aggression pact. These motorcycles continued to be built using the original BMW designs until 1950 when Russia put all the molds & dies onto a train, nd sent them to the People's Republic of China allegedly as a gift of Communist solidarity. Production resumed under the name CJ-750 which is the brand of this particular motorcycle for sale (CJ stands for the Chang Jiang Aircraft Company, amp; 750 designates the engine’s displacement). They continued to be built the same way up until 2010, o parts are still quite readily & inexpensively available on eBay & various sites on the internet, hich is one of the best things about owning one of these bikes! Some sources say that this is likely the most common motorcycle on the face of the planet… it’s just that extremely few of them ever made it onto U.S. soil because it was such an antiquated design by the time the CJ-750 was being produced by the millions, nd Americans wanted the latest styling & modern performance so they were never imported here as new machines. I've learned SO much from the 3 of these bikes I've now owned (cite history-lesson above), nd never had a problem finding anything I needed for them.
This motorcycle is all original, amp; it’s a complete bike. As I mentioned above, he engine is a 750cc horizontally-opposed Flathead 2-cylinder 4-stroke with the original points & condenser distributor upgraded to electronic ignition. It has a 4 speed transmission with reverse! Heel-Toe foot-shift, r hand-lever “suicide shifter” on the side of the transmission (I have a linkage kit which attaches to the right side of the tank included with the bike to make it hand-shift if you like the nostalgia of that)! It has a High-speed rear end (goes60mph).It’s pretty heavy (about 800 pounds with the sidecar plus then you add the weight of 1, or 3 people on top of that), o it’s not a speed-demon (I have a rear-seat which is spring-loaded like the front one, nd mounts to the rear fender). Some of the newer models of the CJ-750 have engines with overhead-valve style cylinder heads which can be interchanged, ut aren’t as authentic to the original design, nd are only slightly more powerful than the old flattie design. They also make the bike a lot wider, nd the right jug must be notched if you want to run a sidecar with it. I really prefer the look of this flat-head design. This one features both kick start AND electric start, s well as a modern 12 volt charging system (modern upgrades for reliability). It has modern Mikuni style carbs. Both cylinder’s connecting rods are hinged on the same crankshaft journal (much like a Harley V-Twin), o the engine has a great sound to it. There’s Dual Exhaust, ith way-cool fish-tail mufflers. It has very unique clutch & brake levers hinged from the outside. I have it legally titled, icensed & insured in my name as a 2003 Reconstructed Vehicle, nd it was inspected by the Iowa D.O.T. to ensure it has front & rear brakes, orking high & low beam headlight, urn signals & brake light, tc to be street-legal. The original VIN stamp matches the VIN number on the title. The sidecar headlight & taillight come on when the other lights are on as well, hich is a neat touch!
The bike fires right up on the first kick (see video above), uns very well and has no known mechanical issues. The carbs are PZ28s, ecently cleaned and balanced. This is incredibly RARE, ut there are actually NO leaks from the engine, ransmission, r rear-end on this bike! All electrical accessories (lights, orn, tarter) work properly. Odometer is in Kilometers, UT you can buy decal-overlays which show both MPH and KPH online for cheap (I did this on the gauge of my last one of these bikes). This machine tracks straight down the road with the sidecar attached, hich is easily removed and the bike can be run solo. In my opinion, he dirtier it gets, he better it looks (patina). I kept some pictures from the previous owner in Beverley Hills, alifornia where this bike never saw anything but cobblestone streets and pavement, ut mostly I like cruising it on winding, cenic, irt river-roads (where you would normally never take a 2-wheeled bike). It's got a giant training-wheel off to the side making it incredibly stable. It cleans up beautifully, ut just looks more authentic dusty... like it just came out of 75 year barn-storage. I hope you agree... otherwise, apologize, nd can have it polished up before it leaves.
Upgrades
A number of mechanical and electrical improvements for performance and reliability were made:
· The original pistons and rings were replaced with aftermarket high performance 4-ring pistons which give a noticeable boost in power.
· Installed a deep sump oil pan and oil pickup to help keep the engine cool. There is a temp gauge on the oil dipstick as it is important to monitor temp on these air-cooled bikes in hot weather.
· Replaced the stock fuel lines with clear fuel lines and dual in-line filters.
·Added brass fittings to the carbs to assist insynchronizingwith a manometer.
· Replaced the stock air cleaner with a smaller BMW-style filter unit, esulting in a less cluttered appearance and better engine breathing.
· Upgraded the electrical system with solid-state electrics including a modern voltage regulator, ectifier board and starter solenoid. These parts are enclosed in a locked toolkit mounted to the side of the bike, esulting in far better reliability and a more vintage appearance than standard. I have a matching primered toolkit for the opposite side of the bike for symmetry, hich could be painted black to match, nd installed as well. Most noticeable when riding with the sidecar removed.
· Installed a smaller high-power Yuasa battery in a custom battery box in the stock location, aving several pounds of weight.
· Replaced the center stand with a side kick stand, aking it easier to park the bike when running “solo” without the sidecar.
· A seat-belt was installed in the sidecar. While I doubt it improves the safety of an adult passenger, t might help them feel secure... perhaps keep a child or a dog from exiting the ride during motion. My dog rides in the sidecar, nd I even have a pair of goggles for her (they say "Doggles" on them). I can provide pictures upon request!
If you can't click the following, e sure to cut & paste them into your web-browser:
Here is a video of the same bike delivering a Christmas Tree in the snow! https://youtu.be/a10oI4uPyuw
Please be sure to click on the following video to view a walkaround of this bike, nd hear the engine revving: https://youtu.be/CJV_FqNxmr4
This is a No Reserve auction on a timeless, istorical design of a very attractive-looking motorcycle. You can google image-search CJ-750, nd find countless styles of tasteful customizations & mods done to these bikes. Here's some specs on the bike:
Engine
4 stroke, win cylinder, ir cooled.
Capacity (cc)
746
Fuel consumption
29mpg
Fuel tank-capacity
4 .6 gallons
Electrical system
12 volt
Starter
kick or electric
Clutch
dry double disk
Drive
shaft with u/v joint
Transmission
4 forward gears 1 reverse
Fuel Type
regular or high octane
Bore
78mm or 3.07"
Compression Ratio
6:1
Engine Oil
10/40 or 20/50
Engine Oil Capacity
2 liters or 2.2 quarts
Transmission Oil
SAE 80/90
Trans Oil Capacity
.8 liters or 26oz
Rear Drive Oil Cap
.175 liters or 5 oz
Spark Plugs
Torch4114
Bosch W4AC
Gear Ratio
Final Drive
High Speed Rear Drive
High Speed 4th
1st: 3.6:1
2nd: 2.29:1
3rd: 1.71:1
4th: 1.3:1
4.62:1
3.89:1
1.19:1
Tire Size
3.5/3.75 x 19
Tire Pressure Front
Rear
Side
3.0 or 1.8bar
3.1 or 2.2bar
3.2 or 2.0bar
Bulbs Headlamp
Tail Lamp
Turn Signal
60W/55W 12V
20W/8W 12V
20W 12V
Brake Type
Drum
Suspensions Front
Rear
Side
Telescopic oil damped
Plunger
Torsion bar, ocker
Steer Head Angle
25.5 degrees
Important, lease read:
By bidding on this auction, ou acknowledge it is being sold As Is with no warranty. A $250 non-refundable deposit is due within 5 days via PayPal or money order. Full Payment due within 10 days whether picked up yet or not. I can send title after payment is cleared. Storage for a reasonable amount of time is an option, ut please ask before bidding. I have a truck & trailer, o delivery is a possibility if within a reasonable driving distance, therwise, e have had a good deal of success with Atlas Auto Shippers (888) 285-2706. Patricia can get you a quote right over the phone from Mason City, A 50401. If you have any further questions, r would like to come take the bike for a test-ride, can be reached afternoons & evenings at (641) 512-5229. Never in all the many, any vehicles I've owned have I ever had one generate so much attention. Everywhere I take this thing, eople want to take pictures with it, nd sit in the sidecar, tc. Just puts a smile on everyone's face like nothing else I've ever driven. A real Harley XA or BMW R-71 would cost more than my house. This clone will get you the same experience for thousands of dollars less, nd99% ofpeople will be none-the-wiser. I've taken it to shows, nd people absolutely go nuts over it. It is currently titled, egistered, nd insured, o test rides are welcome. I'm driving it daily, o a few more Kilometers may rack up on the odometer by the end of the auction. The weather is nice, ut I had fun riding it in the snow as well at the end of winter. You could ride this bike year-round! Thanks for looking.
Also published at eBay.com