Remember CHIPS?

[Ginger]

We need an RJ money thread...

[Apoc]

I was just thinking that.

Congrats btw... I want to ride it.

[Ginger]

Thanks. OK - I need to replace the clutch ASAP, but after that, 'course.

[Apoc]

Almost forgots... didn't you want something for 2up too?

[Ginger]

A 2up conversion is possible, I'm also toying with the idea of molding something up myself... if I decide to go with a second seat. In my search for safety/medical/liability information, I've come across a few stories that make me unsure if I want to carry a passenger.

[PGK]

if she wants to ride, she can get her own damn bike.

[.RJ]

Andrews bmw a splode!

[Ginger]

Uh, Alex, yeah, I know, it's 8 on a Sunday morning... I need you to bring my torque wrenches over. Yeah, now would be good.

[drivesideways46]

Congrats, that is one cool bike!

I'd imagine that's a fairly niche market though, was it pretty easy to find a bike in such good condition?

[Ginger]

Well, it's done... and really, that's not a job I'd look forward to doing again. Huge thanks to RJ for his garage and assistance [and beieve it or not, he did more than make poor commentary... he knows how to change final drive and transmission fluids now, among other things, and not on car ] and Phil for his encyclopedia-like expertise.

I don't have my own garage, which is the biggest reason I don't look forward to this kind of thing. That said, aisde from having tons of things to remove, it's not that complicated of a repair. The issue with BMW [dry] clutches is that they operate forward/backward in relation to the motorcycle instead of pushing sideward like traditional/chain drive motorcycle clutches do... therefore the back half of the motorcycle pretty much has to come off... oh, and anything the might run back to front... or might prevent those portions of the front from coming off... or might make said things too awkward to remove without further disassembly... or might otherwise unnaturally effect the rotation of the Earth and anger the Sun God. But it's done, and working great.

I was fortunate in that neither my transission input, nor rear main seals were leaking. With any luck they won't start any time soon (or ever). The whole new clutch package is in (new diaphragm spring, 2 pressure plates, and friction disc), all three sets of oils (engine, transmission, final drive), valve adjustment, and fuel filter. The alternator belt & pulley update didn't get done because we just flat ran out of time, and I still need to sync the throttle bodies. But it's done for now, and that makes me glad.

It isn't in as great shape as it could be, but what do you expect for a bike with so many miles? It wasn't that hard to find, either, in fact, it was kind of a fluke in my search for an R1150GS or some other adventure tourer. Apparently the RT is BMW's most popular model, and the P has a lot of nifty features (radio box, huge output alternator, crash bars).

It's late, and I just wrote this twice because I accidently deleted my original... pics up some other time.

[Ginger]

I don't really have a lot to add to this project right now. As summer gets under way I'll be using this bike less and less, leaving me time to make some headway on it. I bought it as a foul weather & touring machine... and it's been excellent in those regards. I couldn't be more happy with it. I can crank the windshield up to a near-vertical angle, virtually eliminating windblast, and cruise down the highway like I'm.... on a BMW. And on cold, nasty days the fairings really make life pretty pleasant. OK, the fairings, and the bike's huge electrical capcity. When it drops below 30 degrees I turn the heated grips on high, crank up my heated jacket liner, and plod away in a little German cocoon. It's also nice to not be seen as "another troublesome biker" anymore. People look at a BMW and see something somewhat civilized... the people that want to talk to me about it are not idiots. They may not know a ton about bikes, but at least they're not the thug-life stunnas that want to talk Wheelies when I tool around on my sportbike.

Cosmetically, I'll be going for a blacked out look: the look's biggest offenders are the crash bars, so they'll be headed out to a powder coater for some bake-on therapy. I've started in on some of the more basic metal bits already: I'm using Blitz Black for anything that will accept it. The clipboard, which was a heinous, regularly rusting, bare metal eyesore, just got it's dose, as seen below. Next up, I hope to take care of the rest of the gas cap, the drive shaft, final drive, and, if they'll take, the left and right lower control mounts.



Phil and I are working out some performance plans in between happy hours. I can't say too much about them now, but even if they don't net a big performance gain, and to be realistic: they won't, they'll give the bike a bit more originality.

Leaving with a view of the trunk:

[Ginger]

Well, this was kind of a big weekend for the Beemer. Mike and I went up to the dealer on Saturday to check out the flea market it was hosting. Phil tipped me off to a set of R1150RT cylinders and pistons which should bolt right up to my R1100. I didn't plan on buying them, but I could really help it. New they retail for just over $1600 - I paid $200. Sure, they're used, but ask yourself if that matters at all. [Note: I also picked up a headlight from an R1200GS which I'll use for the F4].

Phil gave me a take off tire to replace my front... it had a 2 inch wide bald strip. Hey - free - why not?

It all had to come home:



Pistons and cylinders:





And then I changed the final drive and engine oils. No pics of that, it was boring.

I went to put it on the center stand after, though, and this happened:



Fuck. It's supposed to go here:



Well... damnit. I guess that's not bad for 100,000 miles.

[Ginger]

I pulled the gas cap the other week because I wanetd it black. I broke out my Blitz Black, bought some clear engine enamel, and went to town:



I even cleared over the clipboard.



I like it. More blackness to come.