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It's true that most of the war bikes got left in Africa and on the eastern front. But those bikes are now worth hard currency in western europe and especially in Germany, so a lot are getting repatriated. A few years ago there seemed to be a flood of bikes and (especially) parts coming from Greece.
However, if you have your sights on one (eg, an R71, R12, R75 or an R35 single) keep in mind that most have spent 50 years plowing fields and being repaired by the village smithy. R71s and R35s were made after the war in the Soviet Union and East Germany, respectively, and now the Chinese make an R71-like bike. It can be very difficult to be sure you're getting a German bike (which commands more money) than a bitsa or an eastern copy.
For example, the R12 I'm working on came into the US from South Africa. I didn't know anything more about it, other than BMW's archives said it was built in March of 1941 and went to the army. I had hoped that the bike went to Africa and after the war some collector found it and put it together. It looked really nice and complete when I got it.
Of course, the motor needed work, and as I took it apart, I found it had main bearings with cyrillic markings. The steering head bearings said POLAND on them and the bearings in one wheel said USSR. (The other, however, said Germany.) The crank was completely worn and had to be taken apart and new rollers for the big ends obtained with custom pins machined.
Anyway, to get back on track, it's not particularly uncommon to find earlier BMWs, from the early 30s and the 20s, in Germany. I bought a 1928 R52 two years ago, and had to choose between two I found. While checking out the one I did buy, there was also a 1926 R42 there.
However, if you have your sights on one (eg, an R71, R12, R75 or an R35 single) keep in mind that most have spent 50 years plowing fields and being repaired by the village smithy. R71s and R35s were made after the war in the Soviet Union and East Germany, respectively, and now the Chinese make an R71-like bike. It can be very difficult to be sure you're getting a German bike (which commands more money) than a bitsa or an eastern copy.
For example, the R12 I'm working on came into the US from South Africa. I didn't know anything more about it, other than BMW's archives said it was built in March of 1941 and went to the army. I had hoped that the bike went to Africa and after the war some collector found it and put it together. It looked really nice and complete when I got it.
Of course, the motor needed work, and as I took it apart, I found it had main bearings with cyrillic markings. The steering head bearings said POLAND on them and the bearings in one wheel said USSR. (The other, however, said Germany.) The crank was completely worn and had to be taken apart and new rollers for the big ends obtained with custom pins machined.
Anyway, to get back on track, it's not particularly uncommon to find earlier BMWs, from the early 30s and the 20s, in Germany. I bought a 1928 R52 two years ago, and had to choose between two I found. While checking out the one I did buy, there was also a 1926 R42 there.
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