My first classic bike (70s BMW)
Discussion
Hi all
I've had my full bike license for 14 years but not ridden for 9 years.
I was expecting to inherit my Dad's classic bike (a 70s BMW) at some stage, hopefully many years from now, but he's decided to hand it to me early based on his health and me about to have a milestone birthday.
I have a number of questions which I'm hoping you can help with please, I am on the process of getting a new helmet, current one is 15 years old now and looking to book a "return to riding" session with a local riding school.
So, I've not owned a bike for a while and never owned a classics:
1) Any recommendations for insurance please, will be used for summer weekends only and garaged
2) in terms of storage I have a single garage which was built with my house in the 1970s, the previous owner fitted what I suspect is the cheapest up and over door they could find, it's not a great fit to there are drafts from all sides, should I look to fix the gaps, insulate the door etc or is a bit of a breeze actually a good thing?
3) would it be worth putting a cover over the bike (noting the storage solution in #2)?
4) the bike has both a centre and a kick stand, which is best ?
5) fuel, any recommendations for fuel additives please? Also should I run on e5 99 Ron or E10 95 Ron? Assume neither is ideal
6) anything else you'd recommend to a returning biker / first time classic bike owner please
7) Bike is mot and tax exempt, to keep it roadworthy is it still worth getting an MOT each year more as a check ?
Any info greatly received and sorry for all the questions
I've had my full bike license for 14 years but not ridden for 9 years.
I was expecting to inherit my Dad's classic bike (a 70s BMW) at some stage, hopefully many years from now, but he's decided to hand it to me early based on his health and me about to have a milestone birthday.
I have a number of questions which I'm hoping you can help with please, I am on the process of getting a new helmet, current one is 15 years old now and looking to book a "return to riding" session with a local riding school.
So, I've not owned a bike for a while and never owned a classics:
1) Any recommendations for insurance please, will be used for summer weekends only and garaged
2) in terms of storage I have a single garage which was built with my house in the 1970s, the previous owner fitted what I suspect is the cheapest up and over door they could find, it's not a great fit to there are drafts from all sides, should I look to fix the gaps, insulate the door etc or is a bit of a breeze actually a good thing?
3) would it be worth putting a cover over the bike (noting the storage solution in #2)?
4) the bike has both a centre and a kick stand, which is best ?
5) fuel, any recommendations for fuel additives please? Also should I run on e5 99 Ron or E10 95 Ron? Assume neither is ideal
6) anything else you'd recommend to a returning biker / first time classic bike owner please
7) Bike is mot and tax exempt, to keep it roadworthy is it still worth getting an MOT each year more as a check ?
Any info greatly received and sorry for all the questions
Thanks all, some great advice.
I'll start making some calls to the insurance companies above, buy a vent for the garage to help with airflow, probably easiest to cut one into the wooden side door. Buy a proper cover, make sure I use the centre stand and run it on 99 Ron.
The bike is a 1979 BMW r45
Based on the above I'll take it steady on the brakes
The bike has been regularly ran and warmed up so hopefully avoided any issues with blocked carbs etc.
Not yet agreed when it will arrive as we live 90 miles apart, but will post pics when it does
I'll start making some calls to the insurance companies above, buy a vent for the garage to help with airflow, probably easiest to cut one into the wooden side door. Buy a proper cover, make sure I use the centre stand and run it on 99 Ron.
The bike is a 1979 BMW r45
Based on the above I'll take it steady on the brakes
The bike has been regularly ran and warmed up so hopefully avoided any issues with blocked carbs etc.
Not yet agreed when it will arrive as we live 90 miles apart, but will post pics when it does
Edited by Roboticarm on Monday 10th January 19:39
Thanks, the bike is UK spec which means I will have a massive 35 bhp, my last bike was 90bhp so be interesting the feel the difference.
It does have a single disc so an upgrade maybe a good shout. Only plan to begin with is the remove the luggage frame which I think impacts the look of the bike.
Been having a quick look at insurance, seems classic bike insurance is really cheap, coupled with no tax and no MOT this is looking like it might be low cost fun
It does have a single disc so an upgrade maybe a good shout. Only plan to begin with is the remove the luggage frame which I think impacts the look of the bike.
Been having a quick look at insurance, seems classic bike insurance is really cheap, coupled with no tax and no MOT this is looking like it might be low cost fun
Pat H said:
Use the centre stand. The standard side stands are poor.
If someone hasn't already fitted a Surefoot side stand, then buy one.
Then you can take the original side stand off and place it in the recycling bin. Or, if your bike is pre 1981 and has ATE calipers, perhaps re-purpose the old stand as an anchor, to be thrown overboard when attempting to stop.
Your bike probably has Bing CV carbs.
I was lucky enough to inherit an R100. It hadn't been used for a long time. The main jets were blocked and the rubber diaphragms were perished. Once they had been replaced, the bike was good to go.
Lack of use also causes the crank main seal to dry out. It then starts leaking onto the clutch when the bike is used, causing clutch slip. It's not a small job.
Moto Bins or Moto Works are good for parts.
The Haynes manual for these bikes is pretty good.
Brook's Airhead Garage is a blog written by a friendly American chap who has rebuilt both 1970s and 1980s R100s. Lots of good clear advice and excellent photos to be found there. It can easily be found online.
There is also Snowbum's BMW Motorcycle Repair and Information Website, which will batter your head and make your eyes bleed, but is encyclopedic and worth dipping into periodically.
Some good news is that the bike comes with some additional parts, including a sure foot stand (apparently added and then removed as and I quote "it looks like a big of scaffolding stuck to the bike") so I can re attach that, there is also all the parts needed to upgrade to dual front disc so I'll look into that. The side stand is missing at the moment so been relying on the centre stand.If someone hasn't already fitted a Surefoot side stand, then buy one.
Then you can take the original side stand off and place it in the recycling bin. Or, if your bike is pre 1981 and has ATE calipers, perhaps re-purpose the old stand as an anchor, to be thrown overboard when attempting to stop.
Your bike probably has Bing CV carbs.
I was lucky enough to inherit an R100. It hadn't been used for a long time. The main jets were blocked and the rubber diaphragms were perished. Once they had been replaced, the bike was good to go.
Lack of use also causes the crank main seal to dry out. It then starts leaking onto the clutch when the bike is used, causing clutch slip. It's not a small job.
Moto Bins or Moto Works are good for parts.
The Haynes manual for these bikes is pretty good.
Brook's Airhead Garage is a blog written by a friendly American chap who has rebuilt both 1970s and 1980s R100s. Lots of good clear advice and excellent photos to be found there. It can easily be found online.
There is also Snowbum's BMW Motorcycle Repair and Information Website, which will batter your head and make your eyes bleed, but is encyclopedic and worth dipping into periodically.
The bike was actually originally purchased from motor works who aren't a million miles from me so will be my go to place for parts, I've also sound a small local place which specialises in classic bikes to handle any work I might need doing
The carbs were recently rebuilt so hopefully nothing to worry about there.
I've also found that as a pre 1981 I can legally use a pressed back and silver plate which I quote like the idea of
Edited by Roboticarm on Friday 14th January 11:03
Edited by Roboticarm on Friday 14th January 11:03
So, the bike (need to give her a name really) arrived about a month ago, if anyone needs the name of a good motorbike transporter let me know, was very impressed with the service.
Since she arrived I've been getting use to the centre stand (anyone else find them really difficult to use?) But other than running to warm her up, changing the number plate and filling with fuel and lead replacement Ive not done much. I did go up and down the street but learned that my low speed skills need a brush up so booking some refresher lessons before I take her out properly.
Will be removing the frame for the panniers but otherwise have cancelled any plans to modify, seems an unrestored, in modified 79 model is pretty rare.
A few things I've noticed... The left exhaust and cylinder warm up much faster than the right, is that normal ? The clutch is a bit "grabby" the brakes aren't great, the brakes however will be a short term thing as I've got all the bits got a twin disc conversion.
A few pics from her in her new home
Since she arrived I've been getting use to the centre stand (anyone else find them really difficult to use?) But other than running to warm her up, changing the number plate and filling with fuel and lead replacement Ive not done much. I did go up and down the street but learned that my low speed skills need a brush up so booking some refresher lessons before I take her out properly.
Will be removing the frame for the panniers but otherwise have cancelled any plans to modify, seems an unrestored, in modified 79 model is pretty rare.
A few things I've noticed... The left exhaust and cylinder warm up much faster than the right, is that normal ? The clutch is a bit "grabby" the brakes aren't great, the brakes however will be a short term thing as I've got all the bits got a twin disc conversion.
A few pics from her in her new home
Thanks guys, the pictures make it look better than it is but having said that's it's a few years older than me and in better condition than I am
It's defo not fast but I'm planning to use it mainly for Sunday morning runs out.
The twin disc conversion will hopefully help with the braking.
Thanks for the video, I've defo been doing it wrong with the centre stand, will practice based on the video this weekend, hopefully I'll get the hang of it.
It's defo not fast but I'm planning to use it mainly for Sunday morning runs out.
The twin disc conversion will hopefully help with the braking.
Thanks for the video, I've defo been doing it wrong with the centre stand, will practice based on the video this weekend, hopefully I'll get the hang of it.
So I've been enjoying owning the bike, not used it much as yet but been cleaning it, regular start ups and move arounds.
However yesterday it would start up, put partial choke on and it started fine but cut out, restarted and I managed to keep it idling by holding the throttle open but as soon as I let the throttle off it stalls out.
Tried with and without choke but just won't hold an idle.
It does idle if I hold the throttle but won't once I let go
Any ideas what I should be looking for please?
However yesterday it would start up, put partial choke on and it started fine but cut out, restarted and I managed to keep it idling by holding the throttle open but as soon as I let the throttle off it stalls out.
Tried with and without choke but just won't hold an idle.
It does idle if I hold the throttle but won't once I let go
Any ideas what I should be looking for please?
Thank you all for the feedback.
I took a quick look yesterday and can confirm that a) the fuel tap was on, there only one on this which feeds both sides, tried it on "on" and "Res" which made no difference, checked the tank via the filler and there's plenty of fuel
B) both cylinders appears to be running although the left bank got very hot whilst right was only Luke warm, there was visible output from both exhausts c) bike revs smoothly throughout the range just refuses to idle without throttle input
I guess the next step is to check the plugs but I'll have to watch some YouTube videos 1st as not something I've done before, very much an amateur with this stuff
Based on the above though sounds like a blocked idle jet ?
I took a quick look yesterday and can confirm that a) the fuel tap was on, there only one on this which feeds both sides, tried it on "on" and "Res" which made no difference, checked the tank via the filler and there's plenty of fuel
B) both cylinders appears to be running although the left bank got very hot whilst right was only Luke warm, there was visible output from both exhausts c) bike revs smoothly throughout the range just refuses to idle without throttle input
I guess the next step is to check the plugs but I'll have to watch some YouTube videos 1st as not something I've done before, very much an amateur with this stuff
Based on the above though sounds like a blocked idle jet ?
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