'73 R75/5 Early SWB and Late LWB Questions?

[Tom H Ca]

When I look up parts for my '73 LWB, the parts list does not seem to have a listing for the LWB. So what bike listing do I need to use? A /6?

Just a few things I'm curious about...

Is the seat pan and seat cover the same between the bikes? I know it seems to have a different rear upper frame section.

Battery tray. For as long as I have known the history of my SWB, the battery faces the engine. On my LWB, the battery faces the rear wheel. I looks like someone may have installed it this way rather than it being factory. Which way should it be?

Lighting... On my SWB when you push the key in/down, the "pilot" light comes on but no tail light. With key switch pushed in, if I rotate it left or right the headlight and tail light come on. On my LWB when I push the key in/down the "pilot" light does not come on. When I turn the key counterclockwise the headlight and tail light come on. When I turn it clockwise only the "pilot" and tail come on. I think the SWB is not wired right? I think the "pilot" is a parking light so that when you turn the key to "parking" you can have the lights on with the key removed. Which way should the lighting be?

Thank you,
Tom

[SteveD]

Have you tried the fiche and input your vin number.

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/PartsFiche.aspx
www.realoem.com

If you're looking for a specific lwb part then your suggestion of using the /6 list would likely work. It does also give a cross reference list too.
If you look via 75/5 inputs, you might see the fiche gives a to-from date for parts that have changed. You'll need to look in the parts list for that particular parts picture to see the differences.

Screenshot 2025-08-22 at 10-00-42 MAX BMW Motorcycles - BMW Parts & Technical Diagrams - R75_5 (2476).png (104.91 KiB) Viewed 615 times

[Tom H Ca]

Thank you for that example. I have looked at parts lists that show a date from - to. Like in your example, they show SWB up to '71, then LWB '71 on. My SWB is frame tagged '73. So If I bought that part by year, I would have ended up with a LWB rear frame. So it's a bit confusing when I have a early '73 SWB and a late '73 LWB.

Now with the SWB vs LWB. I would need to look at the pics again, but my LWB may be the mid LWB. It has the welded in section rather than the one piece long.

Thanks again!!!!!
Tom