Property of Peter Ardron, c.1938 BMW R12 750cc Motorcycle Combination

• Imported into the UK in 1944
• Ex-German Army
• Present ownership since 2014
• Expertly restored with no expense spared (completed 2017)

This wonderful R12 motorcycle combination belongs to Peter Ardon, a well-known and highly respected enthusiast within the BMW community (Peter helped restore/commission the 1941 BMW R12 that was sold by Bonhams in 2022). Restoring these older BMWs has always been his passion and he probably has more experience of working on them than anyone else in the UK. Indeed, he founded and ran for several years an international vintage BMW club.

'EOR 189' was first registered in the UK in 1944, but BMW have confirmed the October 1938 date of manufacture for the frame and its delivery as part of an R12 to the Army Ordnance Office in Munich. The engine came from another R12 delivered in September 1941 to the Luftzeugamt Küpper (Luftzeugamt = civilian Air Office). BMW's dating letter is on file.

It is quite likely that the R12 was a war trophy brought back by a British officer during WW2. The BMW has had six previous owners, the last of whom owned it for over 50 years. He confirmed he had not painted the machine and did not believe it had been repainted since importation. It was covered in a thick, oil based black paint. The story passed down with the machine is that the importer painted over the German Army colours with household black to make it less objectionable in wartime Britain. The original Army colour was still visible underneath the black but was beyond restoration. Peter decided that as the bike had been painted black since (probably) 1944, then restoring it in civilian colours better reflected its history than a return to German Army Grey. Dream Machine of Nottingham were entrusted with most of the repaint.

Peter bought this R12 nine years ago and restored it with no expense spared purely for his own use. It has had everything done that it could possibly need, including sending the frame to RRC Tuning in Germany, R12 specialists and the only company in Europe with the experience and tooling necessary to straighten it to as-new tolerances. RRC were also entrusted with the electrical rebuilds, etc and they and Mark Huggett supplied most of the spares. None of the cheap, poorer-quality spares which are available from Poland and elsewhere have been used.

One minor gearbox component (which does not in any way affect reliability or how it runs) was not available during the rebuild but comes with the bike should the next owner wish to fit it. Only Peter's ill health has prevented it from fitting it himself. No expense was spared in the rebuild, and Peter says that the machine runs even better than it looks. Purists will spot some reproduction parts but these are all minor, and it is doubtful there is a more practical R12 in the country. The sidecar is brand new and is a quality reproduction of an original Steib. With practicality and stopping-power in mind, Peter has fitted a brake (easily removed) to the sidecar. Poor health has meant that Peter has been unable to use the BMW as intended (he has only managed some 3,500 kilometres) and that is the only reason he is selling it now. The R12 last ran in August 2023. Accompanying documentation consists of Peter's purchase receipt; a photocopy of an old-style continuation logbook (issued 1952); a current V5C Registration Certificate; and numerous receipts for new spares.