Motorbikes

[chipchaser]

Yep but with periodic absences due to family commitments, time and cash shortages. Chris how have you managed over 50 years and still look so young!
First bike an Ambassador with 250cc Villiers 2T engine. Most miles on a KMX200 greenlaning with the TRF and LDTs with Bristol Phoenix and MCC in early 90’s. This pic is MCC Exeter Trial at the bottom of Simms.

Went retro with the Triumph Wasp which I still have. Must finish replacing the seal on the gearbox output shaft sometime! Pic is half way up Bluehills on MCC Lands End

Moved onto an early model BMW R80GS which I had fancied for a long time. Excellent bike but a bit heavy for me even in classic/long distance (not proper one day :shock trials due to middle age and not riding often enough to keep fit.

A few other bikes over the years including a deceptively fast K100RS which I didn’t really get to grips with until the ACU National Rally in 2003.

Congratulations on your project Ian, looks perfect.

Graham

 

[Chris Knight]

Ian, that's a fabulous job! It's be interesting to ear more abot how you went about it.

Chris how have you managed over 50 years and still look so young!

Graham, I just keep moving so the camera doesn't focus too well!

 

[flh801978]

heres a youtube video starting for the first time after perhaps 60 years of standing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zgscgQp08c

 

[chipchaser]

Excellent Ian, I am really impressed. Thanks for the link, I had only popped in for a cup of tea but had to watch the other Neracar videos there too.

Loads of questions: what work was required; where did you get parts, if needed; is front end leading link with hub centre steering; what are they like to ride; is the steering different to a bike with conventional front end and girders; and many more. I am sure others here might like to see a wip photo album.

Graham

 

[MickCheese]

THis is a picture taken this morning
I need to get it out and started now and into my photo studio to get some better shots of it..

Ian

Ian

Truly amazing

I bet you were pleased when it started second kick!

I would love to know more about how you go about this type of restoration.

Mick

 

[Digit]

I would love to know more about how you go about this type of restoration.

With the aid of a digital camera! :lol:
In the past I made lots of notes and drawings as by the time re-assembly comes round the things that you have forgotten are numerous.
With the Honda 400 twin I rebuilt last year I took dozens of pics, and when it came to routing the harness and control cables in particular, they were invaluable.

Roy.

 

[flh801978]

Yes A camera is an absolute essential along with diagrams markings etc

But just methodical work taking it to bits...dont rush. bag and mark everything with where it came from..

Sent metal work off to be blasted and then did any rerpairs to chassis and tinware.
Had everything steel galvanised then chassis and stuff powder coated..

Painted the bodywork panels after lots of filling with 2 pack paint.

Rebuilt the wheels with new spokes and nipples new tyres and tubes

stripped down engine and gearbox and cleaned everything to inspect.
Rebuilt both those

Now the things I made

The magneto was missing along with one back brake complete..
Aquired a magneto so that was that but the oil pump is driven off the end so that need lots making for that
The back brake made a pattern the opposite hand and had a plate cast in alloy
machined and made cams and operating cams
had some brake shoes cast and machined them
and then relined them

all new cables made those
turned a new gearknob
Oh the reflecter in the headlamp was cracked so made a buck and metal spun one in copper had it chromed and that works perfectly.

Did all the plating myself except for the chrome reflecter

then lots of making new fasterners and small parts...lathe and miller kept very busy..

all told about 4 months hard work...

seems a bit of an anticlimax now its finished bar the snagging list
this is what it was before I started

 

[squib]

Here's a couple of mine the BM is the best bike i have ever owned......The New Hudson errr well its for sale!

 

[Digit]

Very tasty, out of my league unfortunately.

Roy.

 

[flh801978]

Squib

sorry to be nosy but whats that in your shed behind the new hudson?

Ian

 

[squib]

Ian that was a BMW K100RS that i was trying to sell for a mate.Here's one other as you may tell i love beemers i think because they are built so well and are more reliable than the brits i used to ride..i hadn't put the transfers on the side panels yet,and the sprayer couldn't match the paint on the front mudguard!!

 

[flh801978]

Sorry it just looked blue in the shed looked very much like a K1 like mine in my ner a car shot

 

[squib]

The gold one is an R series the one in the shed is a K series, it is blue ,and its similar to your K1 but nowhere near as special, the K1s are getting rare now,nice machine.I love the boxer engines but the Ks are really smooth, i sold my K75S last year to buy the gold R100RS. I think my last post was a little confusing.Love the Ner-A-Car.

 

[Digit]

more reliable than the brits i used to ride

Anything is more reliable than the Brits I used to ride Squib!

Roy.

 

[squib]

Me too Roy, I discovered old BMW's a few years ago after always having brits and buying the K75 off a mate in a pub for £200 i hadn't even seen it but i trusted him,i could have jumped on that bike and ridden round europe on it ,it was so reliable.Since then you can see where i ended up and i take the GS all over europe and the UK, just love it.

 

[andycktm]

Gimme a Brit parallel twin anyday

 

[squib]

Aha but whats that at the end of your name .....is the future orange? (ktm) :wink:

 

[andycktm]

:lol:
I once swapped bikes with a mate cb 750 for a triumph t140v wow!
Another mate let me have a go on a r90? German enginering but an odd feel in the corner's.
I used to ride a 520sx hence the name

 

[Digit]

Gimme a Brit parallel twin anyday

My experience was thus.
The Nortons were like riding a jack hammer, the oil tank had to be rubber mounted.
The Constellation was also bad.
The Triumphs leaked oil every where there was oil.
My G8 was nice and the BSA 650s pre unit were as well.
But then of course you had the BSA C11 series, the FB with the God awful AMC engine and the elastic frame!
The Brit motorcycle business was not destroyed, it committed suicide!

Roy.

 

[Shultzy]

I agree the old bmw twins are bullet-proof, I have a 1981 R80RT ex police with 168K on the clock and still going strong.