Project bike advice

lewisjohn · May 29, 2011

I have owned a 1200GSA for the last 5 years,my first BMW,I have now decided i need a project bike to work on in the evenings to keep me sane.I really like the look of some of the PD replicas on this forum.I am an Engineer by trade so can turn my hand to most things mechanical (except electrics).
The advice i am after is which donor bike should i be looking for,i am not aiming to build an exact copy of a PD bike,just something to do a bit of green laning etc.It will be a long term project,i have access to a well stocked machine shop, so am aiming to build something a bit special over the next few years,any advice would be gratefully recived

bumpmuncher · May 29, 2011

XT 500

HTH

Benjamin M · May 30, 2011

bumpmuncher said:
XT 500

....

HTH

Yes

Beemerboff · May 30, 2011

In Oz the R65s sell for a lot less than the others, particularly the GSs, and would be a good spot to start with for a green laner.

They generally have better forks and brakes , and lower gearing.

They have sufficient power for the purpose, you will just be running about 500 revs higher than a larger bike.

Getting spoked wheels to fit might be a problem, but with a decent machine shop almost anything is possible.

The stroke is shorter than the other bikes , but apart from that most other bits interchange with the lerger bike so not a big prooblem with parts.

lewisjohn · Jul 17, 2011

Project

lewisjohn said:
I have owned a 1200GSA for the last 5 years,my first BMW,I have now decided i need a project bike to work on in the evenings to keep me sane.I really like the look of some of the PD replicas on this forum.I am an Engineer by trade so can turn my hand to most things mechanical (except electrics).
The advice i am after is which donor bike should i be looking for,i am not aiming to build an exact copy of a PD bike,just something to do a bit of green laning etc.It will be a long term project,i have access to a well stocked machine shop, so am aiming to build something a bit special over the next few years,any advice would be gratefully recived

Looks like i have my project,just picked up a 1985 R80 RT been standing a few years,but all there,I have been looking at some of the airhead specials for inspiration,definately going to be a GS of some sort.comes with panniers etc,lot of bits will be up for grabs when i start stripping the bike,I don`t know what would be regarded as a bargain,but i paid £325,does that sound about right,any advice,opinions gratefully recieved,photos to follow when i pick up the bike

DrFarkoff · Jul 17, 2011

one of first jobs drain the gearbox and see if you have a lot of water in there?? It runs in thru the speedo cable boot when they get old and dozed they don't keep the water out. I always snug a small cable tie around the upper part of the boot and fill the boot with vaseline

If the clutch arm doesn't move freely at the gearbox end don;t force it in case you break a lug off the casing

What is inside tank and inside carbs like?

Is shock shaft rusted

I'm sure there'll be more info shortly but I presume at 1985 she'll be a mono so what I feel is the better electrics

P.S. £325 is a bit of a steal if it is "half Decent"

metropolis2k · Jul 17, 2011

bumpmuncher said:
XT 500

HTH

What a beauty. I've got an '85 Tenere (french blue) but that's going to stay stock rather than becoming a PD replica.

I'd be tempted to look at the XT600 over 500 purely based on cost and availability of parts. Would work out much cheaper!

For something more modern you can pretty much take any green laner and stick a big tank (and fairing if you want although it might just make crashing more expensive). A DRZ-400 might be a decent option.

Steptoe · Jul 17, 2011

Beemerboff said:
In Oz the R65s sell for a lot less than the others, particularly the GSs, and would be a good spot to start with for a green laner.

They generally have better forks and brakes , and lower gearing.

.

Plus they also have a proper top yolk, instead of a thin steel plate.

lewisjohn · Jul 20, 2011

Project

lewisjohn said:
I have owned a 1200GSA for the last 5 years,my first BMW,I have now decided i need a project bike to work on in the evenings to keep me sane.I really like the look of some of the PD replicas on this forum.I am an Engineer by trade so can turn my hand to most things mechanical (except electrics).
The advice i am after is which donor bike should i be looking for,i am not aiming to build an exact copy of a PD bike,just something to do a bit of green laning etc.It will be a long term project,i have access to a well stocked machine shop, so am aiming to build something a bit special over the next few years,any advice would be gratefully recived

Finally got the bike home,think i have found a bargain,gearbox rebuilt three years ago,Odyssey battery,started and runs sweetly,started stripping it tonight,more photos to follow

John

BigyellowGS · Jul 28, 2011

Hmm this seems familiar....

my bitza started as this:

And is pretty much like this (minus the big tank as thats been sold) she now has the std blue R80RT unit on as I found the bigger tank hit my knees when I stood up off road.

Sadly though I'm going to have to sell her as I've had one of those well known "changes in circumstances".... hey ho.

lewisjohn · Aug 4, 2011

lewisjohn said:
Finally got the bike home,think i have found a bargain,gearbox rebuilt three years ago,Odyssey battery,started and runs sweetly,started stripping it tonight,more photos to follow

John

Project coming on nicely.Forks and front wheel fitted today,going to extend swingarm and driveshaft next week,then will be looking at frame bracing

John

MickDB1 · Aug 4, 2011

Hope yer have a long inside leg
with the blocks yerve fitted under the center stand it gonna be a tall un
I know it dont matter if yer good enough a rider
Keep posting please = I would love to make one
Quite like the white bike - glad you got rid of that tank :clap

Kenny · Aug 5, 2011

.... and a nice Triumph lurking under the dust sheet

BigyellowGS · Aug 5, 2011

Kenny ".... and a nice Triumph lurking under the dust sheet"

oooo.. one of the original and best 900 speed triples! lovely.

I had a 900 trident for about 5 years and did nearly 60k on it, I loved it but always lusted after the speed triple.

MattW · Aug 5, 2011

lewisjohn said:
going to extend swingarm and driveshaft next week

You make that sound easy

Enjoying seeing this progress :thumb2

lewisjohn · Aug 10, 2011

MattW said:
You make that sound easy

Enjoying seeing this progress

Half way through the swingarm conversion,75mm aluminium extension piece,4 off Unbrako socket head bolts,I have split the drive shaft,but need to pick up a 20mm Unbrako bolt to make the driveshaft extension.I am also thinking of getting a price from the company that does my gear cutting for making an extended splined end of the cush drive.If reasonable i will look for another driveshaft and give it a go.

John

lewisjohn · Aug 11, 2011

Swingarm extension

lewisjohn said:
Half way through the swingarm conversion,75mm aluminium extension piece,4 off Unbrako socket head bolts,I have split the drive shaft,but need to pick up a 20mm Unbrako bolt to make the driveshaft extension.I am also thinking of getting a price from the company that does my gear cutting for making an extended splined end of the cush drive.If reasonable i will look for another driveshaft and give it a go.

John

Aluminium extension piece now ready to fit,driveshaft split,just need to machine insert and weld.

MattW · Aug 11, 2011

Looking good.

Just my sort of thread :thumb2

lewisjohn · Sep 25, 2011

Project bike update

Project coming along slowly but surely,swingarm extension finished,paralever GS rear wheel arrived yesterday,the tried and tested way of fitting this wheel to an R80RT bevel box is to machine the hub and offset the rim.I have come up with another option,the only reason to machine the hub is to allow the brake shoes to sit centrally on the drum,i am looking at making new extended pivot pin for the shoes to sit on and an extended cam to actuate the shoes.The gap between the hub and bevel box will be filled by a machined alloy ring,either bonded or Tig welded to the hub.If it does not work i will then try the usual method.

lewisjohn · Oct 1, 2011

Lewisjohns`project bike

Latest update on my project.I have removed the brake shoe pivot pin from the hub,straightforward machining job to make a longer stepped pin.Actuating shaft will be extended using the same method as the driveshaft,looking for a suitable piece of aluminium tube to machine the hub extension.Photos to follow

Project bike advice

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