ABOUT

Welcome to earlesfork.com, dedicated to the preservation and restoration of antique and vintage BMW motorcycles. I'm James Young, an avid motorcycle rider and collector for over 40 years. My journey with BMW Motorcycles began when I bought my first Beemer, a 1966 R69S, and since then, my fascination with these classic machines, especially those from before 1970, has only deepened.

While I've enjoyed more modern bikes like the K1200RS and R1200GS for touring the Western US and Canadian Rockies, my heart lies with antique and vintage BMW’s. I've sold my newer bikes to focus entirely on restoring and maintaining these gems of the past.

Though I can't attend many rallies or shows due to distance, I've created earlesfork.com as a hub for fellow enthusiasts to share in my passion. On the site, you'll find a restoration page showcasing a small collection of rare BMW twins that I've painstakingly restored over the past 25 years, a gallery with collected and contributed images from BMW enthusiasts worldwide, and a media section with high-quality scans of original literature and manuals from the era. If you're searching for parts, restoration services, etc., be sure to explore the resources page. Thanks for visiting earlesfork.com. 

About the name of this website: The Earles fork, invented by Englishman Ernest Richard George Earles, was a distinctive type of leading-link suspension system where the pivot point was located behind the front wheel's axle. This design was patented and known for its unique characteristic: under hard braking, it caused the front of the motorcycle to rise, contrary to the action of telescopic forks which compress under braking. Initially designed to accommodate sidecars, BMW adopted the Earles fork from 1955 to 1969, even though most of their models were primarily sold as solo motorcycles. This fork was utilized across most BMW models during this period, including the R26, R50, R60, R69, R27, R50/2, R50S, R60/2, and R69S.