Whether in the living room as a reminiscence of wonderful times, meticulously maintained for Sunday use only, competing in road- and off-road races or simply as a loyal companion in distant countries, flat twin 2V BMW Motorcycles are everywhere to be found. They'll delight their rider and the passers-by.
They are just "Built to Survive".

My relationship with BMW began at the age of 13 years.
I got to read an article of the Butler & Smith BMW R 90 S racer, on which Steve McLaughlin won Daytona in 1976. The report with detailed descriptions of the modifications I could recite from memory. With 18 years, as "Mad Max 1" was first shown in the cinemas, there was a short time on a Kawasaki Z 500 (The Z 900 my parents would not have allowed). With this bike I was able to make the riders of the heavy Z 900 and Z 1000 sweat in the Austrian Alps. The lesson learned of this exercise: Power is not everything.

At the age of 20 years I purchased my first BMW. A second hand 1976 BMW R 90 S in Daytona orange ...
My friends were somewhat surprised. Me on a bike for elderly amidst all the modern Japanese four-cylinder motorbikes. For those experienced BMW rider who know a time for adjusting the riding skills began. After a couple of shocking situations, I was back again.

Then Hubert Auriol appeared on his “desert bomber BMW ” and I had to adjust my definition of the ultimate motorcycle. In 1992 Jutta Kleinschmidt, won the Ladies Cup of the Rally Paris-Cape Town on an almost standard R 100 GS, and became 23rd in the Marathon Cup. By then for me the quality of these "new" BMW Motorcycles was beyond doubt.

With family and profession occupied my motorcycle ambitions had to be ranked according to the rear of the priority list. Never the less we could still spend some beautiful vacations on a R 100 RS, and later on an R 80 GS.

Around the age of 40 years and living in England, it was time to focus on old dreams. Soon I noticed that there
also in the English community deeply into BMW motorbikes. No shortage on bikes, new and used parts. A "Motorcycle Modifier" named Jim Cray, everyone on the island knew was mentioned to me. The saying was: "He gives your BMW wings." So he did on my R 100 GS, with dual ignition and some modifications to the cylinder heads. In Romania this motorcycle helped me onto the 7544ft high Tarcu and also survived the prologue at the 2008 Erzberg Rodeo well.

Back in Austria, I found a 1985 BMW R 80 G/S on the Internet. During closer inspection it I could find out that it was actually a modification of the Tyrolean tour organizers Hinterreiter. Marzocchi fork, extended rear swing arm, WP-rear suspension Sport cylinder, 2 into 2 exhausts and everything legally authorised. My dream of the motorcycle which numerous HPN riders had defined for me in desert rallies could become reality. Quick was the motorbike disassembled and most of the important parts sent off to HPN HPN. Since 2008 the bike is back on the road... my personal boxer BMW.

All the BMW motorbikes had an eventful life before I was allowed to buy them. For example, the 1978 R 100 RS, began its career in a driving school. It caught my attention as a retired racer with open Carburettors, single seat and racing foot pegs. Today it is back in original condition. It takes over the Sunday cruises. Or, the 1989 R 100 GS which 12 months of the year  for several 100 000 km did its duty as a courier bike in England before it ended up in my garage, rusty and exhausted.

2008 this very R 100 GS was it was the second fastest 2V BMW on the Erzberg Rodeo Iron Road Prologue - Desert Bomber Cup. The Hinterreiter R 80 G/S  must have seen countries of which I can only dream of. 2008 the “Team 1000 kg” (2 friends on BMW F800 GS and I) entered an EnduroMania Event in Slatima Timis and became second. With 14 teams behind us this old bike made me very brought.

Therefore the motto of AFB- Sonnleitner is: BMW motorcycles are just "build to survive"