BMW R60

I’VE HAD A BIT OF BAD HISTORY WITH MEETING MY dream bikes. Often the reality of the most beautiful and exotic machines can never meet expectations, and I found my greatest joys in biking have come from an unexpected underdog.

A year ago I was blessed with the opportunity to test-ride a BMW R69S, the pinnacle of German motorcycle engineering in the 1960s. It was the country’s fastest production bike ever, with long-distance comfort and sublime handling to match.

Its endurance racing achievements helped solidify BMW’s reputation as a builder of exceptionally well-made and reliable machinery. This, along with a small affordable car based around the boxer engine, helped save the company from the threat of bankruptcy that had loomed in the late 1950s

For the last 10 years, another BMW, an R100RS, has been my machine of choice for work and long-distance travels, so I felt the R69, a stripped-down classic machine, would be its perfect sidekick... a time warp back to the earlier origins of my trusty steed and ideal for sunny rides in the countryside. For sale at £14,000, it was certainly stretching my budget way beyond where it realistically goes, but