This
much-loved, very original 1978 BMW R100/7 was ordered by its original Australian
owner through the Australian BMW distributor, in a popular scheme at the time
where a bike (or car) could be ordered in Australia, picked up from the German
factory, used to tour Europe for a minimum of three months, then brought into
Australia as a private import as a 'used' vehicle, thereby avoiding the substantial
import duties that applied at the time. Scroll to the bottom of this page
to see the original advertisement for this scheme!
The bikes were built in the factory to the correct Australian export specifications that applied at the time (the rectangular mirrors, for example, were peculiar to the Australian export BMWs), so fully complied with the ADRs (Australian Design Rules) to facilitate eventual registration here.
This bike is a limited edition 'Special', which differs in several aspects from the Specials built for the huge US market, but shares the distinctive and unique metallic red finish with hand-applied gold pinstripe. These factory Specials had twin front discs and spoked wheels with aluminium rims, as distinct from the single-disc, cast-wheel USA model. This bike was also factory fitted with kickstarter, full Krauser luggage and front screen (this was soon replaced by the 'S' bikini fairing, but I still have the original screen and brackets).
The bike was treasured and much-ridden by its original owner, who toured Europe extensively on it before bringing it to Australia and also touring here extensively. When he became too old to ride it, he passed it on to his neice, who also treasured it and used it on many extensive tours through Australia. I have since taken on the custodianship of this lovely bike, and after carefully and extensively rebuilding it mechanically and having the paint expertly redone (including the all-important hand pinstriping, which took a LOT of searching to find the right person to do - and yes, he was quite old!), but keeping originality as the main aim as with all my restorations, I also enjoy touring on this bike through the vastness of Australia.
Women were employed exclusively in the BMW factory to hand-brush the original tank pinstriping, now almost a lost art.
Here's a 1981 advertisement for the scheme that was still operating at the time
