Spring Lunacy?

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Willopotomas · #61 Post by **Willopotomas** » Tue Aug 13, 2013 5:48 pm

Thanks for that Keith. I'll see about getting a look at a twin plug head and take some measurements. We've got her up and running for the Inverness trip over the BH weekend, but will be tearing her right down over winter. Engine being one of the things I'll be overhauling. We also ditched the ATE master cylinder (under tank type) and grafted on a unit from a GSX550. A lot more positive braking, even with the ATE callipers.

HisNibbs · #62 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sat Aug 17, 2013 5:18 pm

Kit fitted and first test ride completed.

Bearing in mind I've only done 20 miles and was keeping it below 4K and 1/4 throttle, I am very pleased. Started instantly seemed really crisp, very tractable and pulls strongly. Maybe a little loud but sounds great too. Not sure how much "running in" its going to get as I am not a patient man. I'll probably be upping the revs by 500 on every ride...

Still other stuff I'd like to do but this is probably it for a bit. Might bring it to Norfolk if I can stow my tent or crash in the barn.

HisNibbs · #63 Post by **HisNibbs** » Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:15 pm

Now touching 5k on occasions. Pulls like a train maybe even stronger than the Falco...

HisNibbs · #64 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sun Sep 01, 2013 6:23 pm

Still good.

Changed the oil today after popping round to see my dad at the care home. As one time a keen motorcyclist and BMW owner he came out to have a look. The expression on his face was great. "Beautiful" he said and gave me the thumbs up as I left.

I added some lettering and extra white stripes to cover some problems in the paintwork that appeared when i polished it the other day.

Not sure the sound track will do it justice but thought I'd give it ago.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/260 ... CN2365.AVI

HisNibbs · #65 Post by **HisNibbs** » Fri Sep 20, 2013 6:30 pm

Was out on it for a blast today which since the tax is up at the end of the month, will probably be one of my last rides on it for the year. It has now done 500 miles on the new barrels and pistons. I've not tried for how fast it'll go but I have given it the beans for a bit and it certainly gets a move on. In fact it is most unlike any BMW I have ridden. On the bike it feels sort of "Italian"...

Any way its now the bike I wanted it to be. I'll look out for an oil cooler and maybe an alternative front mudguard. New rear tire in the spring and maybe see about the VMCC/BHRC preparation practice day at Mallory in March. Thought about entering it as an R80T-He. Tamy doesn't sound too keen on my racing again and the bike may not be accepted as it is by the BHRC any way. Also there are currently financial uncertainties so I'll not be making any commitments at this point.

Still it's a 'crack' to ride. I'm going to have to 'meet up' on it next year and if I'm on this I might even join the ride out.

blinkey501 · #66 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:50 am

Pinched from face book...

Aladinsaneuk · #67 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 8:03 am

stunning keith

and interesting jay....

HisNibbs · #68 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 6:00 pm

There are some pretty exotic BM cafe racer / custom bikes out there. And thanks for adding to this post as I thought I'd been mumbling to my self again.

#69 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 8:53 pm

Fair play, Keith - you've actually got me interested in Beemer flat-twins again. I always quite liked them right up until I rode an early-80s R65 when on a short jaunt to France with Superbike magazine. Four of us swapped and changed between the R65, a Honda CB500 (my favourite), a Yamaha XJ900 and a Kawasaki 650GT. When I was handed the keys to the R65 I really didn't know what to expect, but I soon found out...

Weird torque reaction at low speeds, too much weight, a totally gutless engine, vague steering and horrid 'Supertouring' Pirelli tyres combined with predominantly soaking wet roads (in August, in France...) left me not so much underwhelmed as wishing never to see it again.

I'm sure a properly set up BMW flat twin would be a thing of joy and huge fun, but my experience was not a good introduction...

randomsquid · #70 Post by **randomsquid** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 10:12 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:stunning keith

and interesting jay....

What is a tyre iron for?
What did I win?

HisNibbs · #71 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sun Sep 22, 2013 10:17 pm

Though I there is a lot I prefer about Guzzis but I started with BMs and will all ways have a soft spot for them. I don't know about the new ones but the older BM's or Guzzis for that matter, do take a little getting used to and a single ride is unlikely to expose their virtues.

What I have got here now is a BM that seems to be like a lighter and more agile 1000cc Lemans. It is also quite reminiscent of my brothers old 750 fastback Norton Commando... but that is a pretty vague memory to be honest.

These days there are a lot of older BMs for sale and a lot of the bits can be mixed and matched from different years and capacities. The motors are sound and can take a fair amount of abuse and are easy maintain. So one can get creative: bobber, flat track, cafe racer, what ever. It doesn't have to be too expensive or precious, can be ridden hard and cover a lot of miles.

MartDude · #72 Post by **MartDude** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:58 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Fair play, Keith - you've actually got me interested in Beemer flat-twins again. I always quite liked them right up until I rode an early-80s R65 when on a short jaunt to France with Superbike magazine. Four of us swapped and changed between the R65, a Honda CB500 (my favourite), a Yamaha XJ900 and a Kawasaki 650GT. When I was handed the keys to the R65 I really didn't know what to expect, but I soon found out...

Weird torque reaction at low speeds, too much weight, a totally gutless engine, vague steering and horrid 'Supertouring' Pirelli tyres combined with predominantly soaking wet roads (in August, in France...) left me not so much underwhelmed as wishing never to see it again.

I'm sure a properly set up BMW flat twin would be a thing of joy and huge fun, but my experience was not a good introduction...

R65 is a good 'pootling' bike. You get used to the torque reaction, and soon learn to ignore it. Yes, the steering isn't the most rewarding, but it's a great bike for slow riding - I could balance mine at a standstill.

The R100RS which followed the R65 was one of the bikes I've enjoyed most. Not spectacularly fast, but so easy to ride, and so flickable in twisties - could give an R6 a surprise on our local roads, and I'm nowhere near as 'progressive' as Keef.

#73 Post by **mangocrazy** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:25 pm

MartDude wrote:R65 is a good 'pootling' bike. You get used to the torque reaction, and soon learn to ignore it. Yes, the steering isn't the most rewarding, but it's a great bike for slow riding.

Perhaps that's why I disliked it so much. I was in the company of 3 hardened journos, and they really were not hanging about. I could keep up quite happily on the other 3 bikes, but on the R65 I was just about hanging on by my fingernails. To be fair, it was probably the fault of the tyres but I still recall the engine as being entirely power and torque-free...

HisNibbs · #74 Post by **HisNibbs** » Mon Sep 23, 2013 10:45 pm

We'll start a cardboard box story....

If you want to talk about under powered... R65 pah I used to run an R50/5.

I didn't have a problem keeping up with my mates though or even the dispatch riding crazies across London trying to catch the next pub before it closed....

In fact take two 750 Commandos, a 650 Tiger, Bonnie, A65 , Suzuki 250 hustler and the R50 on a twisty Cornish road I know which would get back to camp some way before the others.

HisNibbs · #75 Post by **HisNibbs** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 7:44 pm

Cafe racer through the MOT today no problem. I thought there might be issues but the guy said "made my day, a pleasure to see a bike like that." Was a nice ride over and back. So tax it for May 1st I think.

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Spring Lunacy?

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