Chrome Dreams: A 1972 ‘toaster’ BMW R75/5

I love this image. And not just because I have a soft spot for old BMW airheads: it’s also a classic example of a picture telling a story. William Pruyn bought this 1972 ‘toaster’ (check the chrome-paneled tank) two years ago in San Francisco, and grabbed the shot four months ago in the Nevada desert as he rode coast-to-coast on Route 50. The 750 cc R75/5 was one of the fastest production motorcycles of its time, and the first BMW bike to be manufactured completely in Berlin. Pruyn remembers that his bike “came with a ton of paperwork, including a...