From a high of 9 bikes about 12-18 months ago I've managed to get down to 5, having had a good offer on acquiring a BMW I quit a pile of XJ550 bits to finance it and after sorting shipping it arrived today It aint pretty but it's the start point for my new Pre82 race bike build
Cool you have got the new toy ! how much does it weigh and how much weight you can get off it?
Dunno, might weigh it tomorrow, I don't actually think there is all that much weight I can loose off it but I will see
Finally took it for a ride down the road, seems to go ok, changes gears better than I remember, brakes are truly crap but after pulling off the remote master cylinder found it was semi seized anyway, that'll get replaced with a bar mounted item anyway Still points ignition in 1977 so I will price up an programmable electronic ignition for it and are on the look out for a couple of 38-40mm dellortos
38-40mm dellortos with that one....last set I saw on TM went for about $600.00 May as well go new or look at Mikunis.....oh sorry....the rules probably don't allow Japanese improved parts... Talking to one of the guys at Puke, he thought the Bings worked ok Motobins are good for most parts. I'd spend the money on the suspension and brakes first. Braise up some of the valve holes in the forks and fit two piece progressives.....but you most likely know all this. Later flywheel transforms them....far less weight.
At $600 they are well overpriced as there's nothing special about them and I'd pay $595US off Bevel heaven before I'd pay that for secondhand ones, I can use Mikuni unless I want to do a NZMCRR meetings up North Suspension and brakes will be the first areas I work on,I have already priced Ohlins for the rear which I will buy once I can afford them and emulators and respring for the front, ideally I'd like a 81ish front end with the brembo calipers but the ATE can be made to work ok with decent pads and a bar mounted master cylinder the right size
With the Ohlins...although they are regarded highly I suspect they would be wasted on the cowgummy BMW frame and rear end. The 81 front end is really only an improvement due to the valving being resized. I fitted the brembo fork internals to the ATE lowers easily...gives you the improved damping but lets you retain the ATE's so you can run wire wheels.....unless you machine down the front two piece hub a few mm or find a G/S one from the 80's. I don't want to come accross as some sort of BMW know all....but I was going to build a classic racer to play with and did quite a bit of research....... I spent a lot of time on the Boxerworks forum as there are some ex racers, bike builders and lots of knowledge. Easiest frame mod is the steering head to swing arm bolt on braces and then a 81 large diameter swing arm...then frame gussets around the steering head....brace to the top of the motor......etc. Sounds like a lot of fun!!!!! Keep us all posted as Max and I need imspiration for out 900cc Hybrids.
I don't think Ohlins are wasted on anything and I've seen a lot of so called "frame flex" cured by good rear shocks and the back up from RT is second to none, he'll also be doing the front end as well, I was aware of the hub width problem with fitting the wire wheels with the Brembo equipped front end so another option is Lockheed calipers adapted onto the ATE forks as per the period race bikes but the Lockheeds are generally a bit pricey I was planning on the steering head gussets and possibly the steering head to swingarm pivot braces as I've heard conflicting reports but they're easy enough to remove if I don't like the way it makes the bike feel, whats the deal with the 81 swingarm? Don't hold your breath looking for regular updates, this is probably going to be a year or two in the build
Rode it down the street today, errrrr I mean down a closed road not open to the public, goes ok, doesn't smoke, changes gear better than I remember my R75/7 doing, I'll pull the gearbox and check the clutch at some stage and probably lighten the flywheel at the same time
Kick, The Mikuni VM's will be okay as long as you don't want to run in NZCMRR Pre 76 class events, they are the only one who have the non jap major component rule. All other Post Classic classes (ie MNZ rules) don't distinguish for country of origin. At all NZCMRR events except the Feb festival, they run a pre 82 class for the posies under the MNZ rules it will slot into. Essentially it is probably only one event that the Mikuni's wold block you from.
Unfortunately it is also the one event I would also like to do, but at worst the Bings could go back on for it
Ohlins would be wasted on me would be more accurate.. The 81 swingarm is much more rigid than the earlier ones...large diameter all the way on the shaft tube.
Does the larger diameter shaft tube restrict tyre fitment?
not sure and the bits are now all in storage. This was as far as I got......story of my life... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/al...hmentid=182250
