Motorcycle Camouflage...?

[leebrandt]

I am interested in repainting my BMW R-75 Gespann (motorcycle & sidecar). It is currently dunkelgelb (dark yellow), which replaced feldgrau in Feb '43 as the base color for all WH vehicles.

In particular, I wish to paint the bike in Panzer-Lehr livery. P-L vehicles in Normandy were painted predominantly dunkelgelb with olive green and red-brown camo patterns. Beginning Aug '44, these same colors would be used in what we refer to now as the standard panzer Ambush Pattern.

Camouflage patterns seems to be exclusive to larger vehicles, particularly armored vehicles. There are a great many b/w pix of WH Gespanne in Horst Hinrichsen's books, but none "appear" to be multi-colored.

I have two questions:

1) Is there any historic precedent for WH Gespanne to be painted in anything other than base colors (DAK tan, feldgrau, dunkelgelb or WL blaugrau)?

2) Does anyone have pix of Panzer-Lehr division and tactical markings (particularly on motorcycles) that they can share?

Thanx in advance,

Lee

[iangordon]

Camo

There is an order, can't remember when, prohibiting cycles from being camoflaged. That said I have seen one or two pics where a half hearted attempt at camoflage has been done. I really think this is an exception to the rule. If I was fortunate enough to own an R75 instead of my converted Chang Jiang I would leave it sand colored.

[leebrandt]

R75

Trust me, you're better off with the CJ. Mine is a maintenance nightmare, and NO ONE wants to work on it. I dumped $3200 into in last month to fix the transmission and replace the wheel bearings. It ran 2 weeks (I think I used it 3 times) and it is now back at the shop with an electrical problem. It's always something.

I you remember where you saw the reg about no camo on motorcycles, I'd like to see it.

:^) LB

[BMWR71]

There are a few wartime pics of camo'ed bikes but most pics seem to be of dispatch bikes. I know your pain with owning wartime bikes. I own a R71 and 2 R12's in restoration(1 is almost done).They are hard to maintain and expensive to repair. I will keep my bikes just the 1 color. I personally think that camo'ed heavy motorcycles don't look right.

[zundappuk]

There are plenty of pictures of camouflaged bikes, even ammo tins were camo'd at some time or other.

Giovanni Bianchi has compiled a great book on the R75, loads of photo's of original packtache, most of which are camo'd.

Agree that 80% at least were plain, but I think a significant number were not.

David
Zundapp KS750

[Hans Zeug]

camo scans

please find enclosed a few pics that havenot scanned very well but clearly show camo on two heavy motorcycle units.
ks750 Normandy?

r75 Russion front.

artist impression of the black white photo of above pic.

the two bmw scans are from cocord publication no 7026,hope its alright to show them here?Regards jerry.

[leebrandt]

Pictures

Can't argue with pix - thanx for posting them. Poland, of course - and least the Blitzkrieg - was very early in the war and predated an directives on camouflage. Interesting examples. Odd that his companion chose to ride on the back seat (very uncomfortable compared to the sidecar). I suspect the beiwagen was stuff to the gills with equipment. I bet he wished he had a trailer.

Ok - now that that is solved. Does anyone have pix of division/tactical marking for Panzer-Lehr???

:^) LB

[iangordon]

Hi Leebrandt

Hi, Re your post of maintenance probs with original bikes. The CJ also has it's fair amount of problems, if only my mechanical skills and knowledge were better.
I have a friend here in Australia, a BMW cycle enthusiast. He restores all his bikes himself. He has an R12 that he rides everywhere on a weekly basis. Goes for trips away for weekends with the wife etc. My point is that if they are set up properly from the beginning and you have the knowledge to maintain then they can be reliable. Good luck with your bikes, have you thought of joining a BMW bike club to meet people who may help? Cheers Ian

[bergfurher]

Its important to have a person who perfessionally restores these bikes to service them, not a restoration guy pre-say, but someone who knows engines and transmission, inside as well. We service WWII german vehicles here at my shop daily, and I can tell you many stories of bikes taken to "motorcycle mechanics" who are great with an old Harley, but not an R75. And yes, they are different. Same with Zundapp. The transmission is tough, unless you know some of the tricks. We also have the wartime BMW service manuals which is a must. There are few who actually work on them properly, and because of this, it gets expensive. Same with Kubelwagens.