turning points

things change.
Several things in particular, decisions that change the course. One is that I had decided to take the engine and transmission to Thoroughbred Cycle to have Glen check/repair the rear main seal and trans input shaft and check for other leaks and check the clutch while in there. Yeah, the clutch was WAY beyond spec minimum and with everything else is gonna come to over $500 parts and labor. I feel like this has become now a commitment to make more than cosmetically but now absolutely perfect. Not in a perfect restoration mode but perfect functional mode. If it needs to be fixed make it right.
The frame components are all rough stripped and ready for final prepping for paint. The difficult part is the swing arm or, as they say in non-USA, rear fork. I could not get the bell coupling to come off the driveshaft and fear that it might have spun and welded itself to the shaft. I got a swingarm/driveshaft assy from eBay but the u-joint on that is distinctively shot. I need to complain on that to the seller. It is too obvious to have be less than misrepresented.
Any way, at this point, with the engine block and transmission ready, I am planning to at least get the main frame painted and get those components back in frame. After that other developments may stall this project for a bit.
I sold Sharona. Down river. Yeah I know. After all her faithfulness. The 1988 R100RT sold in under 24 hours for the asking price of $3500. I feel really fair and just about that price. The reason for this move is that I was looking at all four of the roadworthies and realized that Sharona was suddenly the odd man out; being that some of the monoshock, K-bike technology doesn't jive with the others. Most other parts are interchangeable with almost anything 1974 - 1984. Sharona did not 'fit' any longer. Also, the RT fiberglass is more hassle than necessary to deal with. So, now with what is left in the stable, priorities have shifted. The plan is now to:

1. Make Gilera (1980 R100T) the main ride while ...
2. 1982 R100RS gets a good going over to make totally roadworthy and ...
3. when it is, then Gilera gets the next going over so ...
4. Konstantine (1974 R75/6) will need to sit until such a time as dedicated time can be given.
5. umm, unless Luke has some spare time?

So, the next installment of this post will most likely be to show bare stripped frame components and then finished main frame and then that frame holding engine and transmission. At that point a respite.

less purple paint.

I was really worried that the paint would not come off of this nameplate without wiping it out.

paint stripping, aluminum parts

This may not look like much but this took some work to get this far. I (wisely) decided to start stripping paint from parts that are supposed to be bare aluminum and not painted at all so that I would not have to deal with priming bare steel. This is as far as I got. I have the front electrics cover that I am finishing up and I think that the top part of the triple tree is supposed to be chrome; every thing else is going to be paint. Don't argue with me. I am keeping the engine/transmission black and I am adding black parts from the eighties air cleaner and starter cover. That is all done. Which leaves miscellaneous frame parts to be stripped and painted. I will not do that now until the weather is warmer so that I can deal with that out side of the basement.

So, the next step will be to begin categorizing repairs to be done and making parts lists. If things go well I will be finishing that up by Friday (I have another Friday off!)

Engine out

Don't lift the engine out, lower the frame! This was a lot easier than what I was anticipating.


Frame parts to be painted. I need to take the driveshaft out of the swing arm and then find someone to prep and paint this. I don't have the patience or resources to do this myself.


It's all there. There are a bunch of little projects hiding on these shelves. Bearings, seals, cables, brakes, carb rebuilds ...

I need to get some miscellaneous parts on eBay and raise some cash. The one "cosmetic" item that I need yet is a seat; I refuse to put the R65 seat back on and I doubt if it would fit with a /6 tank anyway. Luke wants to get this one http://www.corbin.com/bmw/bmw6g.shtml for $350. I would probably shop for a used /6 seat for less.

eBay instead of paint

I was researching painting the tank and fenders but instead of that I found some deals on eBay that are much more satisfactory and at less cost. Sometimes it works out that way. I initially bought a better rear fender that was solid black. Soon after that I found a pair of fenders, front and rear, from the same seller, I won them both at a really good price. Much less than painting and pinstriping. Black with white stripe in good condition. Then, to top it all off, I ran accross this tank that the seller said has been repainted but for as far as I can see it looks like a factory paint job to me! His story was that he had it repainted and then set it on the shelf on never installed it on his bike. Fine with me!! This takes care of the most critical components to paint; that is all done. I need to find side covers and a seat, paint the frame and misc. components and that would take care of all the cosmetic issues.

Oh, and Luke found this plastic quarter fairing that he is thinking of using. Remember, this is not a restoration, it is a rebuild. What will develop in the long run is a mild cafe bike. I am happy with the black with white pinstripes but the engine is painted black, I believe it is powder coat, and it is done so well that I am not going to try to take the black paint off. Leave it alone. It came without air cleaner assembly and I have gotten a black top engine cover and black air cleaner box from an '80's bike that makes this black /6 look so sharp. Make the best of it.

OK, this gets me all caught up to today. It is winter and I have been working out of state for the last months but that should change soon. I have my Modine Hot Dawg propane garage heater installed and tested. Soon this project will begin in earnest and as it does it is only gonna get so much more exciting!! Here we go!