Surprise third price in the Best Vintage category

When I knew that in my second assignment to IRRI I would stay for a while in the Philippines, and after not being able to import my BMW GS80, I was on the lookout for a BMW. I looked at a RS100 for sale in Alabang, which had belonged to the former major of Davao City. He was rumored to ride around on it with some motorcycle friends after office hours and shoot criminals. That bike was a bit too hot for me. Finally I found a 1971 BMW R75/5 which had the first registration in the Philippines in Subic and therefore was probably brought into the Philippines by an American stationed in the former marine base.

Over the next year I had re-built this BMW R75/5, basically from scratch. I took it apart to the last screw, purchased lots of original parts in Germany and at BMW Autohaus in Pasig and put it back together in as much as possible original condition, and it looked and ran pretty good. Initially I had sub handlebars and a cockpit fairing mounted to make it look as close as possible to a BMW R90S, one of the most iconic bikes of the 1970s.

From Jolly, a guy posting on www.philippinemotorcycles.com, I learned about the Motobuilt Filipinas, an annual event where local motorcycle builders exhibited their creations. It is open for everybody, so just to meet some people I signed up with my “rubber cow”. The BMW was ready for the “Moto Builds Pilipinas 2016 Music x Motos” in Manila on June 11-12, 2016. I got the rubber cow registered already, so I was too ready for the event.

Driving to Manila was the first time I took the BMW to the big city. It was hard work, after all the bike is several generations before current modern bikes. For current standards it requires quite a bit of work, in particular the Duplex drum break of the front wheel. But I arrived safely, signed in and got a space allocated next to two other BMWs, one pre-1970 and another more modern one.

Winning, after having zero expectations

The event ran for two days and since I had to drive back to Los Baños on the second day I planned to leave early. Zack, the organizer, told me that I should stay, when I told him that I wanted to pull my bike out from the exhibition area. “Just wait for the awarding of the prices.” he said and I thought he just did not want people to start leaving. So I agreed to stay.

To my huge surprise halfway through the awarding of prices I was then announced as the winner of the 3rd Price in the Best Vintage category. One of those moments in life.

Text to Mavic:

Prices in the Vintage category:
1st Place: Laguna Choppers / DR Ave. Saguig – BMW R50/2
2nd Place: Dave Galvez – Triumph T140 Special
3rd Place: Martin Gummert – BMW R75/5 👍🏼
I hope they were referring to the bikes and not the owners ✌🏼

Some of the bikes and impressions

Going home

Pulling my bike out after the price awarding ceremony.

I had a pretty good ride back to Los Baños, not much traffic. In Los Banos the old and rotten accelerator handle broke and I could not rev up the engine speed anymore. The idle speed screws adjusted for slightly higher idle speed, and I managed to get home before midnight.

A great event, I’ll be there again next year on the Motobuilt Filipinas 2017 this time with Miriam joining.

Third party documentation

In case you have doubts

A BMW Icon in the Philippines

The price was handed over to me by Eugene Anderson, a BMW icon of the Philippines. He owns two vintage BMWs.

See also:

Link of RadioRepublic