MOTOBRICK.COM
TECHNICAL MOTOBRICK WRENCHING In Remembrance of Inge K. => Project Classic Motobricks => Topic started by: propav8r on July 31, 2017, 04:28:27 PM
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Hey all, after several weeks of trolling Craigslist and motorcycle classifieds, I just purchased my second motorcycle and first BMW, a 1985 K100RS.
I saw it listed on Craigslist and started trying to get ahold of the guy early last week. Finally, he returned my email and I arranged to meet him this past Friday.
The ad said that the bike had been dropped and had a photo of the right side. The lower fairing is all busted, but the upper fairing is only scraped and is salvageable/repairable. The mirror is mismatched, but hey, at least it's there.
The long and short of it was that the owner had traded a friend a truck for this bike about 5 years ago, not long after the accident. The bike had always had electrical issues, and he had been unable to get it running. In addition, he reported that the brakes were inop, and he had to drag the clutch while pushing it around to stop.
"Well, at least the clutch works." I thought to myself.
I asked him to put the battery on the charger before I got there so I could at least hear it crank over. When I got there, he hadn't done that, which was okay with me...I just used it as a bargaining chip.
A quick once-over didn't reveal any obvious issues I was unprepared for. The included hard bags and trunk (not pictured) were a welcome addition.
His asking price was $800. I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to may more than $650 on the way over there, so that's all the cash I took with me.
After about 5 minutes of poking and prodding, I told him I didn't want to offend, but with the body damage, brakes, and questionable state of the motor, I was only prepared to offer $350. He himmed and hawed a bit, counteroffered $450, and we met in the middle at $400. It even came with a couple uncut folding keys and a Clymer manual, both nice touches.
I figured that even if the motor turned out to be junk, the titled frame and a number of decent parts would be enough to make my money back.
I loaded the bike up in the trailer, strapped it down, and headed home.
(http://i.imgur.com/jzjOBOUl.jpg)
When I got home and unloaded it, I popped the trans into 5th gear and pushed the bike around a bit...cool, the motor isn't locked up.
I pulled it in the shop and pulled the fairings and bodywork off while gritting my teeth and preparing for the worst wiring hackjob possible and...nothing. Everything, save for a heated vest connection off the front light, was OEM and uncut. Hmm.
Hooked up the battery charger and flipped the key on...the dash lit up and no magic smoke escaped. After letting the charger sit for a bit, I hit the start button and was greeted by a buzz from the starter relay. I popped the cover off that and hit the button again and saw it arcing between the relay contacts. When I pushed the relay closed manually, I would sometimes get a little bit of a revolution from starter.
I pulled the battery off the bike and let it charge overnight. In the morning, it was only holding 6v. Well that's no good. Even with the charger hooked up, there just weren't enough amps to turn the motor over.
I grabbed a new battery since I was going to need one anyway and hooked it up. There were some dead bugs and such in the fuel tank (it had been stored dry), so I blew those out, hooked up the tank, threw some gas in it, and...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU1-E1ezqrs
So that's where we're at...Front master cylinder needs a rebuild or replacement. Still undecided on which I'll do. I need to track down those couple panels, but overall, it's a pretty great starting point for a nice bike.
I'll keep y'all appraised of progress and probably flood the thread with questions and advice requests too.
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A couple quick photos here that I forgot to add to the OP:
(http://i.imgur.com/MZnZhuel.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/BITuXXIl.jpg)
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Nice score! I love my RT, but if I could find a little RS fixer-upper like this, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat. Have fun...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Sweet! Hope the guy who sold it doesn't see this thread! I know it would ruin my day.
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Nice looking RS. Watched your YT vid; yours sounds just like mine. :) I wonder if the light blue rides any cooler than schwarz. Nice grab!
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Nice looking RS. Watched your YT vid; yours sounds just like mine. :) I wonder if the light blue rides any cooler than schwarz. Nice grab!
Someone on FB pointed out the Luftmeister exhaust which is a nice touch. It does have a hole in it (crash damage? rust? dunno yet) that you can hear ticking.
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Welcome through the portals to K-Pox madness. they are highly addictive. Bricks do not like inactivity and benefit from going over all the electrical connectors. Go buy a can of Deoxit the Brick riders best friend, clean all connectors. Optional is to smear dielectric or heavy silicone grease lichtly around the connectors. Some inmates believe this can cause conductivity problems, I believe it keeps out air and moisture which leads to corrosion and problems. Check to see if your fuel pump is going when you hit the starter button, there is a 4 pin connector under the RH side of the tank that can cause problems. Failure to have a fully charged battery can caused the starter relay contacts to weld close. If this happens sometimes the stater will keep on going, overheating the battery. A battery isolator switch can be installed to overcome this if and when it happens. Rubber parts deteriorate especially the ones in the tank replace all the hoses in the tank with submersible graded hose. Replace the fuel filter. Replace all other fluids and filters.
Good luck regards Martin.
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Nice find! You did good to bargain for as low a price as you did. Will allow for whatever parts and work you'll need to do in order to get the bike in tip top shape. Have fun!
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Could anyone tell me what color this bike is? It looks a bit like Tundra Green 412, but I'm not positive.
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Just ordered a master cylinder rebuild kit...hopefully that'll be here by the end of the week. I'm going to try and straighten the bent brake lever in my vise without cracking it.
I'll pull the rear brakes apart tonight and figure out why they're not working. With any luck, it'll be rideable by the weekend.
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Sorry for the multiple posts...trying to get to that "edit" button (seems silly that's locked out for newbies...)
Kicking around the idea of a repaint since whatever panels I wind up with won't match my current color. I'd love to do a brilliant white or pearl white. Still undecided. Can I get the "Motorsport" decal kits anywhere?
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With any luck there is a colour code under the seat. Also there is a list of what the codes are here
http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes/greens.htm (http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes/greens.htm)
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With any luck there is a colour code under the seat. Also there is a list of what the codes are here
http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes/greens.htm (http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes/greens.htm)
Gotcha, thanks!
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The color codes are a bitch to find places that can mix them here in the States. The BMW paints are made by BASF, and nobody has the formulas in their data bases. Best way to match is to take a panel to an automotive paint supplier and have them match it with their computer. I was able to get a perfect match for Mystic Red that way. I would guess the part of the rear cowl that is under the seat will give the best rendition of the unfaded color.
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Can I get the "Motorsport" decal kits anywhere?
Heritage Stickers at http://www.heritagestickers.eu/cat/
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I spent some time this evening messing with the rear brakes. There was some water in there, but once I got that flushed out, it's back to working again.
(https://i.imgur.com/DjYWtBjl.jpg)
Found the source of my exhaust leak too... I'll pull that off tomorrow and get started on the patching.
(https://i.imgur.com/tbdl0PIl.jpg)
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That's the problem with aftermarket K exhausts...they ain't stainless like the OEM ones
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I have sourced my needed fairing and panel, plus spares for the other side. The front master rebuild kit should be in today. Depending on the needs of the wee babe this evening, I might be able to squeeze in a ride tonight or tomorrow.
I now have a set of spare fairings...guess I'll repaint the two I don't need and save them for a potential left side drop.
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Got the master cylinder rebuild and the front brakes returned to operation last night. It was too late to ride without a headlight, but I should be able to get it around the block tonight.
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Well, it runs good enough that I was able to ride it around the block.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gjz_BVwe9k
Pulled the exhaust off last night...the header will need some weld repairs, but nothing too crazy.
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Nice work propav8r!
Good advice from everyone so far.
I like you got into my first K about 2 years ago and am really liking it (K100 RT)
Had to inspect/fix many components as you have done. Clymer Manual is invaluable. Many good how-to's on YouTube, particularly the Chris Harris ones. Keep up the good work!
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Nice work propav8r!
Good advice from everyone so far.
I like you got into my first K about 2 years ago and am really liking it (K100 RT)
Had to inspect/fix many components as you have done. Clymer Manual is invaluable. Many good how-to's on YouTube, particularly the Chris Harris ones. Keep up the good work!
Yep, this one came with a Clymer, so that's been a big help. A few bits from Max BMW are waiting for me at the house now. I guess the next step is to order tires and change the fluids. I should probably do a spline lube too. The bike has 37K on it and sat for a long time, so even if it was done at 20k, the service interval is coming up soon, and grease tends to dry out after sitting for a long while. Apart from the $45 (gag) clutch rod boot, there don't seem to be any other parts that need to be replaced while everything is apart except for the clutch if it's worn.
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Spent last night trying to get my ignition switch working right. It had been rekeyed at some point and couldn't turn all the way to the "run" position. A few minutes with some files on the wafers let everything rotate like it should again.
I then realized that the actual switch is so biodegraded that the tab for the set screw is missing. That means the switch can't stay in the housing, and the switch and rear cap just fall out.
This is what mine looks like:
(http://i.imgur.com/IqupymOl.jpg)
And what it should look like:
(http://i.imgur.com/N8St3isl.jpg)
I guess I need another switch. Kinda chaps me to pay $80 for a new one. If anyone has a decent used one, let me know. I also might try to adapt a '68-'72 VW ignition switch. The attachment looks the same, but I think the actuator starts and ends at a different angle relative to the locating pins.
(http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/additional-prod-images/en/US/wl2/LS985/14/image/4/)
I'll figure something out, and probably spend $100 to save $20 along the way.
I also got my exhaust disassembled after much cussing and bashing. I could hear something rattling around inside...turns out the packing had disintegrated/vanished after all this time.
(http://i.imgur.com/7zFZrJzl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/e3cH7NBl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5bBgZKil.jpg)
I'm taking the exhaust for sandblasting today. I want to make sure there arent' any more rust holes about to poke through that I can head off at the pass.
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Kind of getto, but I broke my switch while repacking the steering head bearings. Rather than buy the part, wait the weeks it would take to get, and run down the wires, I just wired in a flip switch, kind of hidden under the steering pad. No key needed.
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Kind of getto, but I broke my switch while repacking the steering head bearings. Rather than buy the part, wait the weeks it would take to get, and run down the wires, I just wired in a flip switch, kind of hidden under the steering pad. No key needed.
Yeah, given that this switch works, I think I'm just going to hold it in the housing with a little dab of adhesive to get me on the road. The $80 can be spent somewhere else for the time being.
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Long time no see...
I've been out of town for work and haven't been able to mess with the bike much, but I'm back now, so the pace of work should pick up a bit.
I received my replacement panels the other day, and unfortunately, they're not the right ones. I found out the hard way that I bought '88 RS side covers, which are different from the 1985 and prior side covers. Whoops.
(http://i.imgur.com/03arCJyl.jpg)
The hunt continues for a right side battery cover panel.
I think I settled on pearl white with gold wheels for the paint scheme. Should be rolling on that fairly soon. Aside from that, I'll start pulling stuff apart for the spline lube I guess.
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Found a right panel (finally) on ebay. It still set me back almost $50, which seems silly for a piece of plastic, but here we are.
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It still set me back almost $50, which seems silly for a piece of plastic, but here we are.
I think it would help future part seekers for you to post photos showing the differences of the two types now that you have both.
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I think it would help future part seekers for you to post photos showing the differences of the two types now that you have both.
There's a photo at the top of this page.
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There's a photo at the top of this page.
The interior differences, or are they the same setup in the interiors?
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I've been wondering if the interiors are different for a while now as have been thinking of swapping from the 100rs to the 1100rs panels, so would be interesting to know if they do.
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The interior differences, or are they the same setup in the interiors?
I've been wondering if the interiors are different for a while now as have been thinking of swapping from the 100rs to the 1100rs panels, so would be interesting to know if they do.
Ah, yeah, they're different. I'll add photos when the good condition panel shows up.
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Dang that puts a spanner in my plans, may have go to the drawing board and possibly remove the existing fixings make some nylon 3d printed ones that I can bond/re fibre glass on to match the fittings
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The powdercoat shop finished blasting the exhaust parts, so I picked up the header so I can patch it.
(http://i.imgur.com/EZSmADQl.jpg?2)
(http://i.imgur.com/BlSutyTl.jpg)
I think I've settled on a color combo...pearl white paint on the bodywork and gold flake wheels. Should look super 80s.
Side note, my engine cases are pretty stained. Is there any way to clean the corrosion/staining off of them without blasting? I was really hoping not to have to pull the motor apart, especially since it's not leaking or anything.
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So I finally broke down and bought myself a lift table. Sure does make things easier.
(http://i.imgur.com/NEraRCIl.jpg)
Poked around a bit and found some post-MAF vacuum leaks (those make it faster, right?)
(http://i.imgur.com/GU8E2BAl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/XY4a5KSl.jpg)
And I didn't want to waste time building a box, but I do have a set of Volvo wheels I can't seem to give away, so that worked out.
(http://i.imgur.com/OUZDwx5l.jpg)
The replacement side panel should be in today. I need to get tires and brake pads on order soon, and refresh the fork fluid. I have some 10-wt fork oil left over from the previous project. That should work fine.
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Header hole fixed up
(http://i.imgur.com/3zcqHuDl.jpg)
Battery cover panel showed up today.
(http://i.imgur.com/M110cBCl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/5FNR3bSl.jpg)
Dropped the header off for coating at lunch...should have that back by the end of the week.
Body work should occupy me for the foreseeable future.
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So I started in on the spline lube a couple nights ago.
(http://i.imgur.com/cZBBPs6l.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/gSDAV84l.jpg)
Removing the final drive shows the splines in good shape
(http://i.imgur.com/90HlFOol.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/8wRA4Mx.jpg)
Once the driveshaft is removed, I find some fresh light gray grease...looks like this bike was well maintained.
(http://i.imgur.com/BgYEpnxl.jpg)
Transmission output shaft looks good
(http://i.imgur.com/AaStxeQl.jpg)
I had some old Volvo alternator bolts laying around that made perfect dowel pins once the heads were cut off.
(http://i.imgur.com/FjV4Jl8l.jpg)
The transmission slid back and off...
(http://i.imgur.com/XD4v00Ul.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/OyZLKhll.jpg)
And the clutch and input splines look great!
(http://i.imgur.com/BlMpM5Cl.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/b5a1yZjl.jpg)
Couldn't have done it without my helper...
(http://i.imgur.com/tmXhsatl.jpg)
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I got the header back from ceramic coating on Friday...sure looks nice:
(https://i.imgur.com/duFxBetl.jpg)
Loaded up all the body pieces and sent them away to the paint booth.
(https://i.imgur.com/SMuOP9dl.jpg)
And put the bike in hovermode.
(https://i.imgur.com/hLIsA7xl.jpg)
I was going to have the wheels powdercoated, but I'm walking back that decision now for a couple reasons.
1: I'd have to remove the front wheel bearings. While that's not a huge deal, the Clymer makes it sound like a major pain in the ass, with heating the wheel and all. I'd rather not deal with it. The bearings in there look and feel brand new.
2: Cost. I'm over budget on paint work already, and coating the wheels would run me at least $200. I can spend that money elsewhere, on things that aren't cosmetic, and get this thing on the road sooner.
I'm still torn on color, but here are my frontrunners:
Toyota Aloe Green Metallic
(http://www.toyotareference.com/colors/venza/toyota_venza_09_776_20.jpg)
Infiniti Autumn Copper Metallic
(http://images.jaxsportscars.com/pictures/44395958.jpg)
Volvo Cosmic Pearl
(https://i.imgur.com/6pIA32s.jpg)
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That Toyota color looks a bit like the "Heather Mist Metallic" I had on a Honda Accord back in the '90's. If you use that color the only reason to wash your bike will be out of total boredom when you have absolutely nothing else to do. It's amazing how dirt didn't show on that car.
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That Toyota color looks a bit like the "Heather Mist Metallic" I had on a Honda Accord back in the '90's. If you use that color the only reason to wash your bike will be out of total boredom when you have absolutely nothing else to do. It's amazing how dirt didn't show on that car.
Good point!
Also, thanks...It was beginning to feel like I was talking in an echo chamber.
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My vote goes for the Volvo cosmic pearl, though at that light a colour I would either have engine black or put an accent colour to contrast it.
You could even have it painted like a SE in you own colours as will look great.
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/b5/ea/72b5ea76625630510791706bd5f4afbe.jpg)
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My vote goes for the Volvo cosmic pearl, though at that light a colour I would either have engine black or put an accent colour to contrast it.
You could even have it painted like a SE in you own colours as will look great.
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/b5/ea/72b5ea76625630510791706bd5f4afbe.jpg)
I hadn't even thought about that. I'm leaning towards that orange or maybe a slightly darker orange or saffron color. I've always loved that, and I really don't want to get into pulling the rest of the motor out of the frame. It wouldn't be all that much work, but then I'd wind up pulling the motor apart for vapor blasting and powdercoating the frame...generally going all OCD. I just want a nice daily rider.
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I'm leaning towards that orange or maybe a slightly darker orange or saffron color.
On my monitor, that color is bright copper and attractive. Saffron has spiritual overtones and would create a compelling juxtaposition of elements. If least-effort cleanliness is important, Gryph would seem to have you on the right track, but you could always just ride the bike less or wash it more.
:yes
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On my monitor, that color is bright copper and attractive. Saffron has spiritual overtones and would create a compelling juxtaposition of elements. If least-effort cleanliness is important, Gryph would seem to have you on the right track, but you could always just ride the bike less or wash it more.
:yes
Yeah, I'm digging that one too. A few minutes in photoshop yielded this.
(http://i.imgur.com/AtT5WAY.jpg)
Hard to capture the flake, and there's a smidge of green in there too, but I think the Infiniti color is going to be the winner.
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I like the aloe green as well! There's two votes...[emoji106][emoji106]
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I changed my mind again...
This is what I'm going with: Ford Canyon Ridge Metallic
(https://imganuncios.mitula.net/2017_ford_edge_sport_canyon_ridge_metallic_in_daytona_beach_florida_3570004484005814866.jpg)
It's a very cool orangeish brown metallic... Hard to get accurate photos of, but it looks killer in person.
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That color is going to look fantastic :2thumbup: and you won't see another one like it on the road. Can't wait to see the end result.
:popcorm
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Nice project Propav8r ! :clap:
I follow your repair and refreshment of your bike with big interrest.
Good choise with the Canyon Ridge Metallic colour.
Greetings - Mats in Sweden
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So I haven't forgotten about this bike. It's still on the lift table, but the project has grown a bit more protracted than originally anticipated.
The guy I trusted to paint my body panels turned out to be a junkie. I had no idea. He was picked up by the cops two weeks ago for heroin possession. I didn't know this until I went to buy the paint (he told me the panels were ready to be sprayed) and the guy who ran the body shop asked how he was going to paint it from jail.
Fawk.
Fast forward a week, and ol' boy is out on bond, courtesy of daddy. I message him to check up on things and reacquire my parts. While trying to arrange pickup, he asks me if I know anyone who might be interested in a vintage Kawasaki project. I ask for details and get a message that says
"1972 Kawasaki H2 750. Clear title. $500."
After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I told him I'd take it, though I did have my reservations about handing over $500 cash to an alleged heroin user.
Long story short, his dad actually did the deal. I saw the folded money go into his dad's pocket, so hopefully that goes to pay off the bond debt instead of into his arm.
So, cool, I've got a kickass 2 stroke project...where are my BMW parts?
"I'll drop them by Monday"
Okay.
Monday comes and goes. Message him Tuesday.
"Yeah, I'll be by today."
Tuesday comes and goes. Message him Wednesday.
"Car got rear ended, had to get towed. I'll be by Thursday.
Thursday comes and goes. Message him Friday.
"I'll be by in about 15 minutes" (this was at about 10am)
At 6:30pm, he finally shows up with my parts. The workmanship is garbage. The body filler and guide coat are still wet. Keep in mind, these parts had supposedly been done for weeks and were ready for paint. The large fairing is pretty much unusable. Pieces are now broken that were in good condition when I gave them to him.
I was at a loss for words. I threw everything in the car and walked off without saying anything to keep from jumping down his throat.
Turns out that was a mistake. I didn't realize that he didn't give me back my windshield. Oh well.
Luckily, I know a local guy who is in the process of building a cafe from his '85 RS, so I scored an upper fairing, seat cowl, and radiator trim, and mirrors from him (since mine were all returned broken or unusable)
So last night, I took a trip down to Atlanta and handed off the parts to a longtime friend who runs a body shop down there. I should have done that first instead of screwing with this guy, but oh well.
Sorry for the long, ranty post.
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If you can't rant to your Brick Brothers then who can you rant to?? I read the whole piece! Sometimes it helps to just get it off your chest! You'll get there. Give us photos of the Kawi!! I had a '73 350 triple....my first real ride.
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If you can't rant to your Brick Brothers then who can you rant to?? I read the whole piece! Sometimes it helps to just get it off your chest! You'll get there. Give us photos of the Kawi!! I had a '73 350 triple....my first real ride.
(https://i.imgur.com/D2vPKOOh.jpg)
It doesn't look like much now, but it's 90% complete. The only major pieces I'm missing are the expansion chambers (which, it looks like, are going to run me $1k minimum) and a rear fender. I have all the bodywork, front fender, oil tank, plumbing, intake, and other associated doodads in a couple boxes.
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Now that is what I consider a real starting point for a cappuccino racer. Proper wire wheels and tank lines that will blend properly with an ironing board seat.
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It doesn't look like much now . . .
I think the earth-tone treatment of the metalwork looks pretty good.
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I tried my hand at wrinkle paint for the first time last night. Came out pretty good, IMO.
I still have to do the crank and cam covers...hopefully I'll get those knocked out tonight.
Cleaned and scuffed the cover...
(https://i.imgur.com/XdWnQ4xl.jpg)
Self-etching primer...
(https://i.imgur.com/PyT9DQGl.jpg)
Counterintuitive, but you lay on three heavy coats in quick succession...
(https://i.imgur.com/B3OiuLsl.jpg?1)
The instructions said to bake it in the oven, but the wife was home, so I hit it with the heat gun instead.
(https://i.imgur.com/Sr5DQsGl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PG0tdXrl.jpg)
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So my bodywork should be ready to pick up from the painters next week. Looking forward to that, big-time. I did a little more work on my crank cover to make it really pop. I haven't decided if I'll give the ribs on the valve cover the same treatment or not.
(https://i.imgur.com/du4zempl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/UoMotHil.jpg)
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S-W-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-T...
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Got a call today that my bodywork should be ready for pickup next week. Very exciting...
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Nice find. You could sell the luggage for more than you paid. I bought an almost mint bike but am going to have to buy some rubber bits, including the 15 old tires that 'look' new.
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Sorry to hear of your troubles propav8r. I had issues with my painter as well when I was modifying my bike. It took him weeks and weeks more than originally estimated. In the meantime, he had gone out of business and taken all the parts to his house where he finished the work. I also was glad to have them back but the workmanship was highly variable. I wasn't a happy camper. Fast forward four years and some of the paint is starting to peel. I'll have to have those redone this winter. Seems shoddy workmen are endemic everywhere.
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I got my valve cover finished up, so the motor is buttoned up again.
(https://i.imgur.com/wt7HT2Tl.jpg)
And I spent an hour cussing at my new radiator hose trying to get it in...I folded it, lubed it, tried everything I could think of. No luck.
I finally got pissed enough to start rummaging through my parts bins. I found a new lower radiator hose from a Volvo 240. After cutting 4.5" off the end, it fits perfectly. It's slightly smaller diameter makes it much easier to get through the cover... And it's $53 cheaper than the OE BMW part.
(https://i.imgur.com/f6WStNml.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FFeN9a2l.jpg)
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Swingarm and final drive went back on yesterday evening...it's starting to look like a motorcycle again.
(https://i.imgur.com/ivcjHVrl.jpg)
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The first batch of parts came out of paint the other day...
(https://i.imgur.com/VmraZPMl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/O5deaUSl.jpg)
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Baby steps...
Last night, I decided to have the wheels powdercoated instead of painting them as I originally planned. Since I don't have a blind bearing puller (but this bike inexplicably came with a spare front axle), I just did this.
(https://i.imgur.com/p6CoVRKl.jpg)
Going to pick up my fairings and bodywork this Saturday. I'm pretty excited. A kind member sent me the fuel cap retainer I needed, and I have a rebuild kit for that on order.
Got some tires on the way too...won't be long.
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I picked up my fairings and bodywork from paint on Saturday, and I'm absolutely blown away. The color is incredible, and the work is very, very high quality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsI2rEgXZbA
(https://i.imgur.com/fhBh9tVl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rmOsxkdl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/0xh5e3Ol.jpg)
I'm stoked. At this point, all I really have left is to redo the fuel lines, wait on my wheels to come back from powdercoating, and bolt the fairings back on.
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Noticed last night that it's time for steering bearings too. It feels like the grease has just dried up. I'm gonna go ahead and order a set of steering bearings just to have them on hand in the event that my current ones are roached.
Kinda bummed I have to disassemble the brake lines to get to everything. My least favorite thing in the world is bleeding brakes.
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You need to get a vacuum bleeder, makes life a lot easier. Even easier is you have a compressor and a Nescafe Mk2 bleeder.
Regards Martin.
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Can I pop the upper race out with a chisel from the bottom or do I need to cobble a tool? I have an idea for a tool, but if there's a lip to catch, there's no need to bother.
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I split my race by grinding a groove carefully most of the way through. Then hit it with a hammer and cold chisel it then split. I put the new race in the freezer heated the headstock up a bit with a hot air gun. I made up a tool consisting of a long threaded bolt and two thick washers just slightly smaller than the race and wound the bolt to pull them in. Be careful to pull it in square.
Regards Martin.
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So I figured I'd go ahead and disassemble the steering head before I ordered bearings just to see what I was working with. When I got everything apart, it was very obvious there had been water ingress issues, which rusted the bearing and dried up the grease. Aside from being ugly, the bearings and races looked okay. I spent a few minutes with some kerosene and emery cloth, and managed to bring them back.
(https://i.imgur.com/TvavOkNl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Szael3zl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/KBJYmwTl.jpg)
Steering is nice and smooth now...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3RzQrYML-A (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3RzQrYML-A)
For reference, here's what it was like before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIBnRbKDWsg
Sure, new bearings aren't prohibitively expensive, but these have pleeeeenty of life left in them.
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Beautiful paint job, I am in the process of a complete rebuild/ restoration of a 1985 K100 RS. I plan to have all the plastic repainted and after viewing the parts in the car was wondering if you could give me an idea as to the cost for repainting all those parts. The estimate would help me determine how much I needed to save for the project. Thank you, Craig
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Beautiful paint job, I am in the process of a complete rebuild/ restoration of a 1985 K100 RS. I plan to have all the plastic repainted and after viewing the parts in the car was wondering if you could give me an idea as to the cost for repainting all those parts. The estimate would help me determine how much I needed to save for the project. Thank you, Craig
Total, the repair to busted panels and paint ran me $750. That's more than I hoped to spend, but it is very well done. I took the parts to a few local shops, and nobody wanted to touch it for less than $1,000. Repairing and painting motorcycle parts is low volume, tedious stuff. Most body shops stay slammed with insurance work, and don't want to take the time to do something non-standard.
The guy who did the work is a friend who manages a shop outside Atlanta, and that helped a little with price.
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When I did my RS I had quotes from $1000 to $1500 for the paint job on all the parts for a K1100RS. By spending some time with Bondo, a bunch of wet or dry paper and high build primer I was able to get the job done for $500.
Prep work is very time consuming but requires little real skill beyond patience and a good, fussy eye. If you need to save money on a project this can be a good place to do it.
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that Lufty brought back memories of when I was running one. I got so tired of repacking it I just ran it unpacked. And the time the baffle shot out the back on the highway..... :yes
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Well I feel right stupid. I spent hours of my weekend chasing an electical issue...
I noticed that my front parking lamp wasn't working, and since that's where my aux water temp and oil pressure gauges are wired into, I had to track down the source of the failure.
So I cut all the old, mangled wiring out and added a nice twisted pair for power and ground to each gauge, and the gauge lighting. I turned the key on, and patted myself on the back when I got 10v (I chalked this up to a low battery) at each terminal).
I put a parking lamp bulb in, and...nothing. I put a tiny tic-tac bulb for the gauge lighting in, and...nothing.
Wtf?
Pull the meter back out, and I can only read .2vdc at the bulb, with the bulb plugged in. After some headscratching, I noticed that I had +10v with the bulb out, and .2v with the bulb (any bulb, parking or gauge lamp) plugged in.
I thought that was strange, but everything else seemed to work just fine.
I grabbed my tail section and plugged that in...the brake light worked, the turn signals worked, but the rear running light did not. Strange.
I noticed that circuit was doing the EXACT same thing as the circuit at the front...10v with no bulb, dropped to .2v with a bulb plugged in.
I went to my wiring diagram and started looking...everything led back to the Bulb Monitor Unit. I thought that must be going out, but before spending $50 on a replacement, I found bypass instructions on the forum.
Tried that, no change. Damn.
Wired everthing back up, and went to bed for the night. I sat there for an hour rolling over in my head why these damn lights weren't working...
Came back the next morning, poked around a little more. Briefly considered rewiring the front and rear lights to just bypass my issue, then snapped out of it.
"It has to be something stupid" I said to myself. "What haven't I checked?"
The fuses.
No. It can't be a blown fuse. Can't be.
Guess what it was...yep, a popped #2 fuse. All that fussing and head-beating, and it was the simplest possible answer.
I replaced the 7.5 amp fuse with a 5amp, and it seems happy thus far. The PO had wired in a large, three lamp rear running light. I suspect the fuse was blown when he did that, which explains the extra relay just laying in the tailsection that took unfused power directly from the battery. That's all gone now, and we're back to a functioning, stock electrical system.
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While I'm waiting for parts to come back from third parties, I decided to occupy my time a bit last night with a piddly project.
I live in the mountains, and over a day of riding, I'll go from 1,500' to 6,000', to 3,000', to 5,000' and back again. Stopping every time to fiddle with the altitude plug would get tiresome.
I had a spare heated grip switch I wasn't using, so I hooked that into the altitue plug wires, and repurposed an old car meet decal to show what the switch is for.
It's a little detail, but hey, kinda neat imo.
(https://i.imgur.com/aoP1nn4l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4FeqGAMl.jpg)
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This is what mine looked like:
(https://i.imgur.com/hgEoKi9l.jpg)
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This is what mine looked like: . . .
Somebody disrobed it. :mbird
It looks like this when it hasn't been stripped and flogged.
(http://www.motobrick.com/gallery/0/1601-131217010600.jpeg)
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Somebody disrobed it. :mbird
Lol
It was almost permanently installed too...I had to cut the cover off to get to it. It was glued on somehow. Very strange. The fellow I bought it from lives in Asheville, which is a shade over 2,000'. It would be hard to never dip below 4k' out here. I wonder if he realized he was running around running lean all the time...
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I'll bet he was loving the gas mileage!
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I got my wheels back from powdercoat yesterday, along with the center and side stands. I took last night to install the bearings and rotors, and do some instrument cluster surgery.
(https://i.imgur.com/86I74WVl.jpg)
Used the kerosene heater to warm the wheel, while I dropped the bearings in the deep freezer
(https://i.imgur.com/VUO0Fcrl.jpg)
A quick rap with the old bearing race drove it home.
(https://i.imgur.com/niqVBXJl.jpg)
The display for my gear indicator had never worked, but luckily, there is a guy in town who built a cafe bike out of his '85 K100RS and still had the cluster. I swapped the tach from his cluster to mine (discovering along the way that the cases changed, so I had to modify things a little bit), and I now have a working gear indicator.
My current frustration is that my 7L low fuel lamp does not work. Right now, the tank is bone dry. I get 683 ohms of resistance between both the 7L and 4L pins and the +12V pins on the bottom of the tank. Pins 7 and 8 on the green connector for the instrument cluster both show power with the key on. However, only the red 4L bulb will illuminate.
I have power on both sides of the 7L lamp, which leads me to believe that the circuit that turns that light on is not dropping to ground. I haven't decided how much time I'm going to waste chasing that down before I decide to just live with only the 4L warning light.
To add insult to injury, I accidentally caught the side of my starter button last night and broke it. So now I get to find that unobtanium part.
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I have wracked my brain on the starter button. I believe someone in Spain is making them, and I think someone else has 3D printed them.
Regards Martin.
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I wouldn't worry too much about the 7L light not working. Very common to have it disconnected since you really don't need to know you are low on fuel that far to empty. I think they had not made a bike w/o a petcock before and wanted a little more insurance that you knew you were getting low on fuel
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I wouldn't worry too much about the 7L light not working. Very common to have it disconnected since you really don't need to know you are low on fuel that far to empty. I think they had not made a bike w/o a petcock before and wanted a little more insurance that you knew you were getting low on fuel
Yeah, I know they replaced the 7L light with the ABS light later on...I'm just kinda anal.
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...I'm just kinda anal.
TMI!
Anyway, back to the starter button. ¡Olé! (http://www.hardtoptire.com/producto-hardtop.php?id=178&id_familia=105&id_catalogo=19)
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Euromotoelectrics sells the right hand control (includes starter button, turn signal etc.) for not a bad price.
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Euromotoelectrics sells the right hand control (includes starter button, turn signal etc.) for not a bad price.
Yeah, eventually I'll drop the $300 for new left and right controls, but for now, what I have will work.
I did come up with a temporary solution to my starter button problem last night...
Started with a hunk of walnut and began whittling away...
(https://i.imgur.com/3Uzvn7Wl.jpg)
Got it about where I wanted it
(https://i.imgur.com/h5jC7Kml.jpg?1)
Carefully drilled the bottom
(https://i.imgur.com/XDpfhkLl.jpg)
Pressed the contact post in with a dab of wood glue and...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sACk6F4nkp0
I made a backup out of an old screwdriver handle
(https://i.imgur.com/ZsRtowGl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/M0GuE5tl.jpg?1)
Should work fine until my replacement from hardtoptire arrives.
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My current frustration is that my 7L low fuel lamp does not work. Right now, the tank is bone dry. I get 683 ohms of resistance between both the 7L and 4L pins and the +12V pins on the bottom of the tank. Pins 7 and 8 on the green connector for the instrument cluster both show power with the key on. However, only the red 4L bulb will illuminate.
I have power on both sides of the 7L lamp, which leads me to believe that the circuit that turns that light on is not dropping to ground. I haven't decided how much time I'm going to waste chasing that down before I decide to just live with only the 4L warning light.
I reverse engineered some OEM circuits and posted the schematics (http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,10566.msg90724.html#msg90724), including the schematic for the low fuel indicator. Luckily, the 4L comparator circuitry is the same as the 7L comparator circuitry so, if you have electronics skills, you can compare measurements in the 4L circuit to the same points on the 7L circuit to find the failing component.
When you disconnect the low fuel sensor from the harness, can you measure the resistance of each of the NCT resistors? They should be the same and around 600 Ohms at 25 degrees C.
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I reverse engineered some OEM circuits and posted the schematics (http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,10566.msg90724.html#msg90724), including the schematic for the low fuel indicator. Luckily, the 4L comparator circuitry is the same as the 7L comparator circuitry so, if you have electronics skills, you can compare measurements in the 4L circuit to the same points on the 7L circuit to find the failing component.
When you disconnect the low fuel sensor from the harness, can you measure the resistance of each of the NCT resistors? They should be the same and around 600 Ohms at 25 degrees C.
Yeah, both sensors are good. I've got the cluster pulled out now to troubleshoot an inoperable speedometer today. I *think* the sensor is bad. It didn't respond to the soldering iron test, and it's extremely corroded. It gives a fluctuating resistance when tested...I'm going to try to get the Karamba utility installed today, and bench test the speedo.
Also, hey, it runs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py_l9unFIU0
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Two tests to perform before you go down the route of assuming the rear sender is bad. First, before you start, remove the sender from the final drive and wash it clean, then replace it back into the final drive. The sender can collect metal particles from the final drive oil which will interrupt its operation.
To get a good connection, first clean the electrical connections on the harness with Deoxit or similar contact cleaner. Make a couple of jumpers from some solid 18GA wire and insert those jumpers into the cable terminals. Then clamp your meter leads to the jumpers using alligator clips. Don't depend on you applying enough finger pressure on both test leads to get a reliable connection. Can't be done and besides, you'll start measuring the electrical characteristics of your skin and not the sender.
(1) Measure the resistance across the Yellow and Brown wire right at the connector (under the right hand battery cover). You should measure 280 Ohms.
(2) if that succeeds, set your multimeter to AC milliVolts and set the range to about 100 mV. While spinning the rear wheel at hand speed or engaging the drive in 2st gear while the engine idles, measure the output from the sender. It should fluctuate around 30-50 milliVolts AC RMS.
If these tests succeed, your sender is in good working order.
P.S. I doubt it's the sender gone bad.
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Two tests to perform before you go down the route of assuming the rear sender is bad. First, before you start, remove the sender from the final drive and wash it clean, then replace it back into the final drive. The sender can collect metal particles from the final drive oil which will interrupt its operation.
To get a good connection, first clean the electrical connections on the harness with Deoxit or similar contact cleaner. Make a couple of jumpers from some solid 18GA wire and insert those jumpers into the cable terminals. Then clamp your meter leads to the jumpers using alligator clips. Don't depend on you applying enough finger pressure on both test leads to get a reliable connection. Can't be done and besides, you'll start measuring the electrical characteristics of your skin and not the sender.
(1) Measure the resistance across the Yellow and Brown wire right at the connector (under the right hand battery cover). You should measure 280 Ohms.
(2) if that succeeds, set your multimeter to AC milliVolts and set the range to about 100 mV. While spinning the rear wheel at hand speed or engaging the drive in 2st gear while the engine idles, measure the output from the sender. It should fluctuate around 30-50 milliVolts AC RMS.
If these tests succeed, your sender is in good working order.
P.S. I doubt it's the sender gone bad.
So I noticed weird resistance behavior last night with an old Fluke at the house. Figured I'd bring it into work and confirm it with a known good calibrated meter.
When I first touch the leads to the sensor wires, I get a reading of about 250 Megaohms. Over a period of about a minute, this reading will drop to as low as 100 megaohms, but never gets out of that range. Sometimes, if I move the sensor, the circuit goes open.
I think I've found the problem.
I'm still a noob on electronics though...learning as I go. Basic wiring is no problem, but troubleshooting components is still a learning experience.
Follow-up question, quoted from K100-forum:
Hi all, just getting ready to test my inop K100 speedo with Karamba, and wanted a little clarification...
This thread: http://www.k100-forum.com/t2038-karamba-speedometer-calibration-program-tutorial (http://www.k100-forum.com/t2038-karamba-speedometer-calibration-program-tutorial)
Says you should connect power to pin 6, speedo signal to pin 22, and ground to 23.
Now, I'm a little confused here...power is 12v from a benchtop transformer to pin 6. That's easy enough.
Signal to pin 22...is this the tip/ring of the special cable? (yellow wire in image)
Ground to pin 23...surely this goes to the ground of my benchtop transformer, yes? Where should I connect the ground pin of the audio plug? Also to pin 23? (black wire in image)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_AC03dHfKZxI/TZhv8cAlWtI/AAAAAAAABQk/KrQVoz6HysQ/s800/114%20small.jpg)
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The text you referenced is in connection with bench testing the cluster while it is removed from the bike. If you are planning on testing the cluster while it is installed on the bike, then all you need concentrate on is the sender connections to Pins 22 & 23; the battery will be supplying the correct power to the cluster to power it on.
Irrespective of whether you will bench test the cluster or test it in-situ on the bike, then Pin 22 & 23 are from the sender, Yellow and Brown respectively. The sender is not referenced to frame ground inside the instrument cluster, thus you need to connect both pins to the PC. in the picture you referenced, the Yellow wire would go to Pin 22 and the Black wire to Pin 23, and the phono plug would go to the headphone output on the PC.
Assuming that you are bench testing the cluster, to supply power to the cluster from a DC power supply on the bench, hook up +ve to Pin 6 and -ve to Pin 13. That tidbit is missing from the description. Unfortunately the thread is locked so I can't go in to correct the text.
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The text you referenced is in connection with bench testing the cluster while it is removed from the bike. If you are planning on testing the cluster while it is installed on the bike, then all you need concentrate on is the sender connections to Pins 22 & 23; the battery will be supplying the correct power to the cluster to power it on.
Irrespective of whether you will bench test the cluster or test is in-situ on the bike, then Pin 22 & 23 are from the sender, Yellow and Brown respectively. The sender is not reference to frame ground inside the instrument cluster, thus you need to connect both pins to the PC. in the picture you referenced, the Yellow wire would go to Pin 22 and the Black wire to Pin 23, and the phono plug would go to the headphone output on the PC.
Assuming that you are bench testing the cluster, to supply power to the cluster from a DC power supply on the bench, hook up +ve to Pin 6 and -ve to Pin 13. That tidbit is missing from the description. Unfortunately the thread is locked so I can't go in to correct the text.
Thanks, that's exactly what I was after. I'll be bench testing it shortly then.
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The speedometer works perfectly with the Karamba utility, however the odometer and trip meter do not. Guess that's next on the list.
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Gears turn into cheese. On replacing them I was told not to lubricate them as greasing speeds up the process.
Regards Martin.
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Gears turn into cheese. On replacing them I was told not to lubricate them as greasing speeds up the process.
Regards Martin.
Yeah, I noticed the green and orange gears are toast too. I'll probably live without the odometer for awhile.
I got a lot of piddly stuff accomplished last night, and finally got it off the stands/box. If everything goes to plan, I'll be able to take it on a first ride tonight.
(https://i.imgur.com/iHJpJi8l.jpg)
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Side note...I let the bike idle for 15 minutes or so to get up to temp and check proper operation of the fan. Imagine my surprise when I heard a hissing and popping from the fuel tank, only to discover my fuel boiling!
After looking around a bit, boiling fuel seems to just be a Kwirk and nothing to worry about. Still a bit surprising and disconcerting if you don't expect it though.
A follow-up question...I hear pressure hissing out around my fuel cap, and when I release it, there is a "woosh" of pressure. Is there some pressure relief somewhere that's not functioning or is this just normal behavior?
The fan cycles as it should...comes on around 215*, goes off around 190*. I think I'll be fitting an aux switch for the fan before summertime hits.
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There is a vent for the tank. On my early '85, it exits, along with the fuel cap drain line, under the tank on the right rear into a drain cup fashioned to the frame.
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There is a vent for the tank. On my early '85, it exits, along with the fuel cap drain line, under the tank on the right rear into a drain cup fashioned to the frame.
Hmm. I'll have to check. I did ensure the water drain line was clear, but didn't know about the vent. Thanks.
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Make sure your fuel filler is oriented correctly. The hinge should be toward the back of the bike. If it's the other way around it blocks the vent.
What looks like fuel boiling can be just the splashing of fuel returning to the tank.
Your FYK (Finest Year K) looks great, keep those pictures coming.
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A follow-up question...I hear pressure hissing out around my fuel cap, and when I release it, there is a "woosh" of pressure. Is there some pressure relief somewhere that's not functioning or is this just normal behavior?
My guess is that you don't have much fuel in the tank. I hear the whoosh when I open the cap for a low tank fill up.
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Well, it's finished, except for the fender that I forgot at the paint shop and some tank emblems.
(https://i.imgur.com/UPsTz9Mh.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/WDCRsHuh.jpg)
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I guess I should check in and wrap this up since I've been done for a couple weeks now.
The bike looks and runs great. My rear master cylinder is weeping a bit, but I ordered up what I needed to do the aftermarket rear master conversion. That stuff should be in next week.
I'll stick around, and if you're in the WNC area, you might see me out riding. Be sure and say hey, and I'll try to make it over to the K Kampout when that happens.
On to the next thing now, the H2 is ready for some lovin'. Thanks to everyone who helped out with this project with parts or advice. I'm sure I'll have many happy miles on the bike.
(https://i.imgur.com/8HrrjXhh.jpg)
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Man, that is one sweet looking brick. Are you going to leave the front mudguard off?
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Man, that is one sweet looking brick. Are you going to leave the front mudguard off?
Thank you, and no. My buddy was just a little slow shipping it to me. Should be here this week.
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Is the windscreen white or is that just highlights? The color scheme is really classy looking.
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Is the windscreen white or is that just highlights? The color scheme is really classy looking.
I vinyl wrapped it with some pearl white 3m vinyl. I would have loved to find a clear one, but I'm really just not willing to pay what new or nos ones go for. I thought if I painted it black, it might look a bit like a pumpkin.
I didn't like it at first, but it's growing on me.
(https://i.imgur.com/rmaeB2wh.jpg)
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:2thumbup: :2thumbup: Nice restoration good to see rather than a chop job.
Regards Martin.
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Thanks Martin.
If anyone would like to check out a photo album with all the pictures from the rebuild, be my guest: https://imgur.com/gallery/xSDJ5 (https://imgur.com/gallery/xSDJ5)
And if two strokes are your thing, I'm trying out a video series while I rebuild the H2. You can follow along with that project here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfJnkFGQmCL339Fu4YIRdYccloUGc6ECG (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfJnkFGQmCL339Fu4YIRdYccloUGc6ECG)
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Man, I'm loving this bike. I put the fender and a fork brace on a couple days back and got a few miles on it yesterday. What a great sound and a great ride.
I'm planning a trip with Dad this summer and I think I'll take this bike. Should be about a week and a half on the road exploring historical sites in the Northeast, and the Allegheny and Catskill mountains. Can't wait.
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This is such a beautiful build. I first saw it on Reddit. Man, what an inspiration. The color is amazing on the lines of the brick.
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This is such a beautiful build. I first saw it on Reddit. Man, what an inspiration. The color is amazing on the lines of the brick.
Thank you man.
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Well that didn't take long.
(https://i.imgur.com/cDuRjXr.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/YhE8CE1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dyIenai.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gCMI8Cu.jpg)
I decided to take advantage of the moderate temps this weekend and get a few miles on the K. I had a nice, 300 mile ride planned. About 20 miles in, I decided to deviate onto a back road I hadn't ridden in awhile. I had a little voice telling me it was a bad idea, but I ignored it.
I was leading a friend and hit a pile of sand/grit from winter road treatment in the middle of my lane. Right, left, down, scraaaaaaaaape.
I'm fine. I had on an armored jacket and thick leather gloves. Just a scraped knee and a bruised ego.
The bike still runs and rides fine, but the lower fairing has turned into dust, and most horribly, my left mirror pod and NOS turn signal lens are crushed.
The seat cowl and upper fairing can be repaired.
My nice new case is also damaged, but not too badly. The lower latch broke off, but it just pulled the rivets through the case. That can be mended. The cover is scratched, but I can spray it or vinyl wrap it and you'll never be able to tell.
Sigh. Back on the parts hunt.
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It makes a good looking corpse, anyway. Glad you're relatively ok.
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Reminds me of the time in the early 1980's when I spent two years, fully restoring a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. The finished product looked great. I had it registered and insured for nearly a month when the backend got away from me and I started to fish-tale on a similar cold, snowy, sand and gravel covered asphalt road. The car rolled several times. (with me in it) The car was utterly and completely totaled. The only salvageable item was the brand new Craig AM-FM Stereo Cassette that I put in. The car had no seat belts and low back front seats.
I was ok, but the real pain was the total loss of the car that I had so carefully restored. I still wince when I think about it to this day. I definitely feel your pain.
I'm glad that you're ok.
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My condolences, I guy I knew rebuilt a R90s back to better than new, right down to the original stickers. On his first ride hit some gravel and dropped it, as he lay there, he realised not too much damage. Then a large truck came around the corner. :yow No insurance no bike.
Regards Martin.
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Good to hear that you're okay! All the gear all the time makes a lot of sense.
I doubt you can repair the amount of fairing that has been ground off. There's a nice looking part on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-left-side-fairing-K100RS-05091703-p-n-46632300403/382077174452?epid=852661337&hash=item58f59302b4:g:bJAAAOSwdjNZEg1D&vxp=mtr (https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-left-side-fairing-K100RS-05091703-p-n-46632300403/382077174452?epid=852661337&hash=item58f59302b4:g:bJAAAOSwdjNZEg1D&vxp=mtr)
Seems like there is nothing like a new paint job to jinx a bike. I dropped my new to me K75RT in the driveway the first morning after getting the fairing and mirrors painted.
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Well, insurance came back today. The estimated cost to repair my bike is just north of $7,600, so of course, they're wanting to total it. I'm going to have a salvage company look at it to determine scrap value, and then, I can retain ownership of the bike and fix it myself. I just get the agreed value ($5000) - salvage value (TBD).
I've already sourced a replacement lower fairing, mirror pod, and turn signal. I need to find a good condition windshield. The exhaust is scuffed up, but I can sand that smooth and have the Cerakote redone. I'll have to find a replacement valve cover too, but that shouldn't be hard.
All in, including paint, I should be able to get out of it for a few hundred.
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So the salvage appraisal came back...$25. Good for me, bad for Brick values.
So I kept ownership, and there's a $4975 check in the mail. I've already sourced 90% of the parts I need. Lower fairing, mirror pod and signal lens, replacement case, etc. Now it's just filler for the upper fairing and paint. Oh, and I need a valve cover.
So a couple hours to strip the bike, a few hours in the paint booth, and we'll be back in business. The bike will have a salvage title though, but meh.
I do highly recommend Hagerty's agreed-value policies though. The claims process was pretty hassle free, though a tad protracted. They never tried to pay out less than the agreed value.
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Damn! $25 sounds good to me. I got mine back, but it cost me $750. Insurance gave me over seven crumbs for it though.
Get rid of the salvage title by buying a good frame on eBay. I bought one with clear Colorado title for $400 shipped to East Aurora, NY. An old K100 frame should go for about $250 or so.
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Damn! $25 sounds good to me. I got mine back, but it cost me $750. Insurance gave me over seven crumbs for it though.
Get rid of the salvage title by buying a good frame on eBay. I bought one with clear Colorado title for $400 shipped to East Aurora, NY. An old K100 frame should go for about $250 or so.
I frankly don't care that much. When the time comes to sell it, I'll just remember that it's already been "sold" for 5k once and disclose the cosmetic damage.
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Well, I shoved this bike back in the corner of the shop where I couldn't see the damage. After having it sit up a couple months, I got a wild hair the other day and decided to start fixing it.
I sourced all the bodywork I needed awhile back, so I disassembled the bike and took the parts that needed repair to the paint shop. Should be somewhere in the $400 ballpark to fix and paint those. Not too bad.
I also have a blown fork seal, so I ordered some replacements up. I'll deal with that here soon.
The exhaust is scratched, but you can't see it with bags on. I think I'll just hit it with some silver hi-temp paint and forget about it.
I did manage to find a NOS left Series III tragkorb, so that'll go on nicely. I'll also use this opportunity to recover the seat.
The rear master always leaked, so I did order a replacement. I'll be converting to the ebay universal master cylinder.
Anyhow, if I can find some time, It'll be back on the road within a month.
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Well, it's been off the road for a couple months, but it's almost done (again.)
I tracked down a new lower fairing and mirror, had the large upper fairing and seat cowl repaired, and the affected panels repainted. I still haven't found a replacement valve cover, but there's nothing really wrong with this one other than it's ugly. I'll probably just let it ride for a bit.
I also found a NOS GenIII side case to replace the one I screwed up.
(https://i.imgur.com/Mlk3pstl.jpg)
While it was apart, I decided to address the leaking rear master cylinder. Using the info available on this site, I found and adapted a cheap universal master. Works like a chame.
I found a universal rear master on Ebay for $7. That, plus a Volvo wastegate adjuster clevis, a tack weld, and a sheet aluminum bracket gives me a nice, leak-free master. I already had the line and banjo fittings laying around that I needed to make this work.
(https://i.imgur.com/mGqOkIkl.jpg?1)
(https://i.imgur.com/FM32uIUl.jpg?1)
I need to finish getting it dressed up, probably this evening, and then I can get it back on the road. I also ordered a nice little panel mount 12v to USB adapter so I can have some of that sweet, sweet juice as I'm headed down the road.
I plan on taking this down to Montgomery next month, and on a long trip with Dad at the end of May.
Still really bummed that I went down, but oh well. The only thing I really have left to fix is the exhaust. It got lightly skinned up, but it's pretty much hidden by the saddlebag, so I may just not worry about it. The worst part is that on the header part (that didn't hit the ground) you can see rust color coming up underneath the ceramic coating. I'm not sure why, but the only thing I can come up with is improper prep by the shop that did the ceramic coating. Maybe I'll run by there with it and see if they'll help me out with it.
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Looking good! I need to get up the ambition to get to work on the damage Ilsa endured when I dropped her on an ice patch at the beginning of the month.
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On Thursday, I picked up the freshly recovered seat from the local upholstery shop...I'm extremely pleased with how it turned out.
(https://i.imgur.com/EWQpf3il.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/ynur8hal.jpg)
And Friday saw overcast, but acceptable weather, so we rolled out to Deal's Gap to cut it's teeth...
(https://i.imgur.com/nurKDSJl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/b5n094dl.jpg)
On Saturday, I rode it down to Greenville for Cars and Coffee, and then to check out the flat track races in Traveler's rest.
(https://i.imgur.com/oX4Q9ySl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Ngz77KDl.jpg)
All-in-all, it was about 450 miles of riding in a couple days. The bike was flawless, and it's really starting to grow on me. Especially at the Gap, it's got SO much more potential than my GL1000.
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Clutch cable snapped at the handle the other day. Got home and ordered a new cable, only to realize when it got here that there's a stupid brass bushing/holder that sits in the lever in such a way that when the cable breaks, it just falls out onto the road!! Geenyus, I tell ya whut.
Anyway, a few more days waiting for shipping for that little piece, and we should be back in business by the weekend.
(Could they really have not put a little lip or it so that it wouldn't just fall out? Geez...)
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http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,10315.0.html
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I'm still on all my 25 year old cables. I have fitted a grease nipple to the clutch arm. And every second or third oil change I lube all the cables with a PTFE lubricant called Triflo. Do not lubricate your cables with WD40 or it's like as this can accelerate the break down of the liner. Triflo can be bought from bicycle shops. It is also important to check that your levers are not catching on the cable causing it to fret.
Regards Martin.
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I'm now learning that you should lube the pieces that hold the ends since they pivot in the lever and arm respectively. That's probably what did me in.
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I forgot to say lube the ends. Lube is cheap compared to replacing parts.
Regards Martin.
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Clutch cable snapped at the handle the other day. Got home and ordered a new cable, only to realize when it got here that there's a stupid brass bushing/holder that sits in the lever in such a way that when the cable breaks, it just falls out onto the road!!
(Could they really have not put a little lip or it so that it wouldn't just fall out? Geez...)
I’m lucky I saved my old throttle cable when I ordered a new one. It has the adjuster trapped inside a rubber boot that you might not think to remove before you pitch the old cable. You’d think not having these fittings on the replacement cables would make them cheaper. [emoji23] Yeah right. [emoji23]
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New clutch cable installed on lunch break on Friday made for a nice Saturday of riding out at the Gap.
I went with a Venhill replacement cable. Couple observations: The accordion boot on the clutch arm end is smaller, and slips right through the cutout on the trans. That's nice.
The Venhill cable that supposedly fits 1985 K100RSes is ever so slightly shorter than the OEM cable. It works just fine, but you have to readjust some of the routing. Once you do that, it adjusts and works as normal.
Anyhow, here's a couple snaps from the weekend.
(https://i.imgur.com/einxBXnl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jJf8t1Fl.jpg)
Next month, Dad and I are setting off on a decent little trip. I'll be on the K, he'll be on his 2100 Vulcan. Guess I should mount my top case before then.
(https://i.imgur.com/lKBUiShl.png)
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greetings...
i really diggs those action shots...
j o
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greetings...
i really diggs those action shots...
j o
Thanks. There's still a lot of potential in the bike I haven't tapped yet...still a little worried about dropping it again. It really does handle well for what it is. I've outrun a couple late-model 600s on some local roads, but I'll need another month or three to learn the bike before I'm really comfortable pushing it.
I need to put my fork brace back on as well, and maybe look at an improved rear shock.
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Well, I shoved this bike back in the corner of the shop where I couldn't see the damage. After having it sit up a couple months, I got a wild hair the other day and decided to start fixing it.
I sourced all the bodywork I needed awhile back, so I disassembled the bike and took the parts that needed repair to the paint shop. Should be somewhere in the $400 ballpark to fix and paint those. Not too bad.
I also have a blown fork seal, so I ordered some replacements up. I'll deal with that here soon.
The exhaust is scratched, but you can't see it with bags on. I think I'll just hit it with some silver hi-temp paint and forget about it.
I did manage to find a NOS left Series III tragkorb, so that'll go on nicely. I'll also use this opportunity to recover the seat.
The rear master always leaked, so I did order a replacement. I'll be converting to the ebay universal master cylinder.
Anyhow, if I can find some time, It'll be back on the road within a month.
My porch ornament came with an extra exhaust; if it's in good unscratched condition, it's yours for shipping. It would look better on your bike, anyway.
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Nailhead/propav8r, if either of you wind up with an exhaust you don't need, in scratched or unscratched condition, I'd be happy to take it off your hands and give it a good home. Brunhilda came with a Supertrapp that I'm not too fond of and I'd like to try a stock exhaust...
Thanks!
Jim
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Nailhead/propav8r, if either of you wind up with an exhaust you don't need, in scratched or unscratched condition, I'd be happy to take it off your hands and give it a good home. Brunhilda came with a Supertrapp that I'm not too fond of and I'd like to try a stock exhaust...
Thanks!
Jim
Jim,
Want to sell your supertrapp? What don’t you like about it?
I’m looking for a Remus or Supertrapp to replace my Luftmeister.
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Jim,
Want to sell your supertrapp? What don’t you like about it?
I’m looking for a Remus or Supertrapp to replace my Luftmeister.
It's a bit loud, but that's not a big issue. It's short and dumps the exhaust on the back tire and on the left bag. Not really interested in selling unless I can find a cheap stock exhaust to replace it first. It's my daily ride...
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It's a bit loud, but that's not a big issue. It's short and dumps the exhaust on the back tire and on the left bag. Not really interested in selling unless I can find a cheap stock exhaust to replace it first. It's my daily ride...
I totally understand that. Keep me in mind if you find a replacement. I’see cheap stock exhausts on eBay pretty regularly.
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Cable guy, I have a dinged up K100 exhaust that you can have for postage. It's off of Moby Brick which was the victim of vehicular assault by a KIA last Fall. It will probably need a bit of work to get it to fit, but it is intact. I don't need it, and really don't want to take anyone's money for it.
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Took the bike on a little break-in trip this past weekend, down to Montgomery AL and back home. All in, it was just barely shy of 800 miles. The bike performed perfectly, and I had great weather the whole way.
Started out at about 5am, hit the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga at 9am, Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum at 1pm, and I was in Montgomery for dinner.
(https://i.imgur.com/IqeNAOTl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oweN7RDl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/l3syukEl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jK5cC5xl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SIRzxLOl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8XoCEW1l.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/GsqSIENl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BQcOS0Ul.jpg)
I have hundreds more pictures, but I digress. If you've never been to the museum at Barber, you need to put it on your list. It's amazing.
On the way back I rode through the Talladega National Forest which forms the southern terminus of the Appalachian mountain range. I think I found one of a handful of relatively curvy Alabama roads.
(https://i.imgur.com/Rm8g6TJl.jpg)
Maybe all this is better put in a trip report...oh well.
Anyhow, I do have a couple of questions before I head out on a longer trip here in about two weeks. When I got home, I washed the grime off the bike before I unpacked. One of my Gen 3 cases has a water leak. Not terrible, but I also don't want my clothes getting wet if we hit a rainstorm. Can I get new gaskets for the cases or should I just bundle everything in garbage bags before I pack it?
Also, I have a Metzler Lazertec on the back now. I'm not sure how long it's going to last, and I might wind up needing a tire mid-trip. Is there any reason a 140/80-17 wouldn't fit and work just fine? That seems to be a much more common in-stock size than 130/90-17.
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I used to wrap my laundry in plastic bags, but now have tragkorb liners. They work well to keep stuff dry and make it easy to unload the tragkorbs and carry your stuff indoors.
There's lots of them on eBay.
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I would lose the lezertec, I only 4 days and 2500 mile out of a new one just a week or so ago on a trip out west. Started out with 39psi (day 1) then tried 36 psi (day 2) then 42 psi (day 3) and replaced it day 4.
I also think a 140 (wide) would rub on swing arm.
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Try either replacing the tragkorb seals or packing out the existing ones. There are alternatives to the OEM seals, and somebody in your neck of the woods will probably chime in.
Regards Martin.
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Yeah, I was thinking about some foam rubber insulation I saw on a roll at the hardware store the other day. It was like piping, and I think sized just about right.
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I'm making the final preparations for the trip. I did an oil change and brake pads last night, got my odometer fixed this past Saturday, and I'm getting a pair of tires tomorrow. I don't really NEED tires right now, but they're worn enough that I'd rather not have to hassle with getting them replaced on the road. Going a little budget with some Kenda Challengers, but given that I won't be carving turns on the trip (dad is a much more conservative rider than I, and I don't want to dust him), they should do just fine, especially at $140 for a set.
I tried a few things and wasn't able to stop my top box and right tragkorb from leaking, so I just popped a couple drain holes in the bottom of the top box, and I'll pack my clothes in the left case and the camping gear in the right. Neither leak very bad, but it's enough to leave a small puddle in the bottom.
Anyway, I've also been dealing with a strange issue where one of my front wheel bearings loosens up in the bore of the wheel. It walks in the bore and on the shaft, and makes a disconcerting noise. The first time it happened, I removed the bearing, lightly peened the bore, and put the bearing back in. That held for a few weeks, but eventually loosened again during a trip to the Gap.
I disassembled it again, peened it much more thoroughly, and used Loctite bearing retainer to sorta glue the bearing in the bore. Obviously, the long-term fix is to source another wheel, but I didn't have time for that at the moment.
Anyhow, sans tires and packing I'm good to go. Should be about 2000 miles all in on the trip. I'm really looking forward to it.
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With the bearing walking there is a Loctite product specifically made to counter this. I don't have the specific product number offhand but it should easy to locate.
Regards Martin.
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With the bearing walking there is a Loctite product specifically made to counter this. I don't have the specific product number offhand but it should easy to locate.
Regards Martin.
Yep, and I used it the second time around.
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There is more than one Loctite product that can be used. There are ones for small clearances and ones for larger clearances. Go to the Loctite web site it might help without having to replace your wheel.
Regards Martin.
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I've had good luck with locktite "sleeve retainer" (green, got it a long time ago and have not seen it lately) and just the regular stuff as well. As for the kenda's watch out for wet roads!
Good luck and I hope you have a safe and fun trip with your pa.
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To keep the stuff packed in my cases dry, I use dry bags left over from my sea kayaking days. They come in all sizes, help keep your stuff organized and when you stop for the night you need only bring in what you need.
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I've had good luck with locktite "sleeve retainer" (green, got it a long time ago and have not seen it lately) and just the regular stuff as well. As for the kenda's watch out for wet roads!
Good luck and I hope you have a safe and fun trip with your pa.
Yeah, it comes in a stick now, looks almost like green chap-stick. You can still get the liquid, but the stick was available locally. Seems to be holding up.
I'm not thrilled with the prospect of running Kendas given my past experiences[size=78%], but it's what's available and in the budget, and it'll help me avoid having to stop halfway through for a tire change.[/size]
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Nailhead/propav8r, if either of you wind up with an exhaust you don't need, in scratched or unscratched condition, I'd be happy to take it off your hands and give it a good home. Brunhilda came with a Supertrapp that I'm not too fond of and I'd like to try a stock exhaust...
Thanks!
Jim
All yours if you want it. Sorry for the delay-- haven't checked in for a while.
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Thanks. PM sent...
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Well, that's the end of that. On the first day of an 11-day roadtrip, I was descending into Boone, NC on Highway 105. I was about 3 carlengths back from the vehicle in front of me when they slammed on brakes to make a turn they were about to miss.
It took a split second for me to process what was happening, and then I screwed up and grabbed too much front brake which unloaded the rear and put me in a tankslapper. Before I knew it, I was down and sliding. I slid across oncoming traffic and luckily missed all the oncoming vehicles. My bike wasn't so lucky. It impacted an oncoming SUV.
Thankfully, I walked away with minor road rash and a few days worth of soreness. The bike, however, is a total loss.
So learn from my mistakes. Stay farther back off other vehicles at highway speeds to allow yourself time to react when someone does something completely unexpected.
This is the end for this bike. Insurance is still going over the claim, so I'm not sure what exactly will happen. I may do a buyback and part out what's left. Below is a tentative list:
Luftmeister exhaust is in decent shape
Engine is fine. The crank cover has a hole and the oil drained out, but the engine shut off before the oil vanished.
Trans, clutch, swingarm, and final drive are fine.
Front and rear braided brake lines
Front and rear calipers have pads with less than 200 miles on them
Front and rear rotors are fine
Center and side stands are good
ECU/Coils/All engine electrics should be good
Brand new clutch cable
Rebuilt front master is good (needs a reservoir now though)
Rear wheel is probably straight, Believe the front is tweaked.
Forks are bent
All bodywork damaged beyond repair except the front fender
Frame bent
(https://i.imgur.com/mXBFo3S.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BwBX6UJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/9k4eezY.jpg)
I wish this would've ended differently, but at least I'm still here to talk about it. Be safe out there. Aside from a potential partout, I'm probably going to take my leave of K bikes. Thanks for the help and advice during the rebuild.
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Holy hell. Glad you are OK. What kind of gear were you wearing?
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Holy hell. Glad you are OK. What kind of gear were you wearing?
Cortech textile/leather jacket, heavy jeans, leather gloves, and an Arai full-face. The textile part of the jacket shredded FAST, leaving me with about 10" of road rash on my right forearm. The leather elbow pad took a beating, but held up, as did the reinforced shoulder pads. The jeans wore through at my knees, but only barely. Probably a 2" diameter rash on my right, 1" on my left. Gloves held up well. No rash on my palms at all even though I splayed out with them on the pavement. My visor is all scratched and the helmet shell damaged. If I didn't have a full-face on, I would have had serious injuries to my face. As it was, I didn't have so much as a headache.
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How are you feeling? I hope you are talking to a lawyer. Despite how well you might feel now, long term there may(probably will) be lingering stuff. My accident was 7 months ago, and I feel worse now than the way I felt three weeks after it happened. All the x-rays showed was a couple of sprains and bruises, now I'm on my own without a paddle.
As far as the bike, it's a shame. You had done a beautiful job on it, but with two crashes in such a short period, I would have to think it was jinxed. Hope you have better luck with the next one, whenever or whatever it may be.
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How are you feeling? I hope you are talking to a lawyer. Despite how well you might feel now, long term there may(probably will) be lingering stuff. My accident was 7 months ago, and I feel worse now than the way I felt three weeks after it happened. All the x-rays showed was a couple of sprains and bruises, now I'm on my own without a paddle.
As far as the bike, it's a shame. You had done a beautiful job on it, but with two crashes in such a short period, I would have to think it was jinxed. Hope you have better luck with the next one, whenever or whatever it may be.
Thanks. My friends had joked that it was cursed too. At one point, all four lug nuts on the rear loosened up and sent me into a wobble I barely recovered from. After that, one of my front wheel bearings kept walking out and trying to kill me.
I never really fell in love with the bike. It always seemed to be lacking a little something for me, but I could never quite put my finger on exactly what.
As far as litigation, I'm gonna take a hard pass. I went to the hospital and was checked out, had a CT scan of my head and neck, and have no lingering soreness (the accident was actually a week and a half ago, I'm just now posting about it).
I realize now the first part of my story was incorrect. There were actually two vehicles in front of me, and the one in the very front is the one that tried to make the missed turn. The vehicle behind them (that I was following) also slammed on brakes to avoid a collision. The very front vehicle vanished. The one in front of me stopped and was extremely apologetic. There's really not much to be done. I'm sure some lawyer somewhere would take the case, but in reality, it was an accident, nothing more. Also, the police report shows it as a no-fault accident, and nobody got a ticket.
Side note: Hagerty insurance is absolutely amazing. Their claims process is easy, agents helpful, and their coverage is incredible. If you don't have them, I'd seriously consider looking into it, especially on old/classic vehicles.
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Yeah, everything looked okay after my accident. None of the tests showed any serious damage beyond sprains and bruises. Now, 7 months later I am dealing with neck and lower back issues that my medical insurance doesn't want to cover because they say they're a result of the accident.
It doesn't cost anything to talk to a lawyer.
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Sorry to see, it was really a beautiful restoration and you should be proud. I wish they would make all car driver ride motorcycles for two years before they could drive a car. It would hopefully make them better drivers and change their attitudes.
Regards Martin.
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Last couple photos I have before the accident...
Altapass NC in the early morning.
(https://i.imgur.com/hijCOqCh.jpg)
Lightweight but effective camping setup (Rain fly, hammock, and underquilt)
(https://i.imgur.com/AvDs1W7h.jpg)
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I wish they would make all car driver ride motorcycles for two years before they could drive a car. It would hopefully make them better drivers and change their attitudes.
They've had plenty of experience with cars and that hasn't necessarily made them better drivers. Having them ride motorcycles might weed out a few of them though, like it's weeding out a few of us. :giggles Head up; eyes up, plenty of space, and as the cops say, "no sudden moves" provide the best chance of one-piece moto-arrival. YouTube is filled with videos of people in cars suddenly stopping—or pulling out—in front of other cars, tractor-trailer trucks, buses and even trains. Why would anybody think a motorcycle is something they'll see any better?
Where I've lived in the Deep South, walking away from something like this was referred to as a warning, not a judgement. The question I'd ask myself after repeated accidents and close calls is,"Do I want to make the judgement after all these warnings, or do I want a judgement imposed upon me?"