Another air head, another project!

[BigyellowGS]

I said I had enough projects.. I said I dont have the time.. I said "yes please" when I saw this almost complete R80RT come up for sale locally (and cheap).

So.. Air head project no.2 is kicking off once it arrives in my garage later this week.

It's got 36k on the clock... but has been stood a little un-loved for some time. So.. first on the list is to see if I can get it running.. and how many parts need fixing/replacing!

Then.. well.. I'm in two minds.. fix it up to a good standard and just use it.. Or more likely (knowing me).. Cafe racer project (not a great fan of the big fairing).. I even have the perfect set of up-swept pipes which were fitted to my R80 GS bitza.. Thats going to be wearing a nice shiney new two>one high level system (when I finish bending and welding it up)

Happy days

 

[Benjamin M]

I saw this up for sale as well. It really was cheap huh, but I decided a little too much for me.

Good luck with it all anyway, and keep us all updated.

 

[BigyellowGS]

Cheap maybe the wrong word.. But for me it made sense at the price I paid as I have a garage full of airhead parts left over from my last two projects. which I figure I can use to get this one back on the road without spending much more at all.

Going to be a busy weekend...

 

[BigyellowGS]

Bike has arrived! Hmmmm....

Righto.. well the bike arrived as promised this afternoon.

I spent a couple of hours taking bits off and poking about.. And I'm reasonably happy for the money. There are of course things that will have to be done.

Carbs need stripping and cleaning and the intake rubbers need replacing.
Starter motor needs some work (where the wires screw to the motor the threads gone so you cant tighten the nut up).
Some of the wiring has seen better days (but it all works )
and there is a litle bit of damage to the case where the driveshaft joins the gearbox.. nothing major but I might take the box out and repalce the rear case just because I have a spare.
Oh and the front brakes need completly stripping and sorting out.

but after a couple of hours tinkering I can say.. it turns over fine and has good compression, has sparks at the plugs, lights all work (which was a shock) and the forks dont leak

Oh.. and I've already removed the fairing and replaced a few odds and ends:

 

[FERRET]

Certainly looks nicer without the fairing!

 

[Benjamin M]

I quite like the fairing on the whole. Better than nothing.


What are you going to do with it anyway, anything specific?

 

[BigyellowGS]

Benjamin M - What are you going to do with it anyway, anything specific?

The fairing or the bike?

The fairing.. well.. it's not in the best of condition but another Tosser has expressed interest in it for a few beer tokens so it might be going off to help with his project.

The bike.. I'm intending to build a cafe racer, but as you can see currently I'm just using parts I have to get it built up and running (it's been off the road since 1998). Once I know everything works as it should I'm going to fit a dunstall seat unit I have kicking about, alloy mudguards, clip ons and the upswept pipes I had on my bitza until recently...

 

[Padmei]

Good stuff
What year is this bike -1988?

Any known major probs with them?

bmw fan but noob

 

[BigyellowGS]

Hello Padmei.. welcome to the world of airheads!

This bikes from 1982.. (Y reg over here).. So it's got the better brembo brakes (a god send after the ATE brakes on my other bike)

As with any older bike you get some problems.. have a look at this thread:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=211109

But generally the ones I've had experience of are good solid machines and are pretty simple to work on. That said.. like any other old bike they are open to abuse/age related scars so be carefull what you buy.. Or buy cheeap and rebuild to your own hearts content

Also dont be afriad to ask for advise on here.. This site has got many airhead guru's whos knowledge far exceeds mine.. And their help/advise is priceless!

 

[BigyellowGS]

Update:
Finally had a bit of time to tinker with this one some more.. It does turn over but on inspection it looked like water had made its way in via the carbs (they were not connected up and it had been stood outside). So I've stripped the top ends only to find that the barrells are marked with big crusty rings where the pistons were sat and the l/h one is very badly pitted (the pistons were pretty horrid too). the cylinder heads were also pretty knackered:

So a few questions for those more knowledgable (ie have at least some idea) :
Is it possible to rebore cylinders on a 1981 R80? If so how can I tell if it's been done before? I've looked at the pistons but even with vigorous cleaning cant see any size markings on the tops (or is it the numbers underneath that tell you)?
Cylinder heads.. as they are full of crud/rusty valves (they move but look seriously past it) etc.. Is it worth trying to get them rebuilt or should I just start hunting for a set of s/hand ones?

Moneys REALLY tight right now (even contemplated selling the bitza.. then slapped myself and just got on with ignoring the issue ) so if the projects going to go any further it will need to be done as cheap as possible (ie cheap enough the missus doesn't twig.. lol).

Other than the top end woes everything else seems straight and serviceable.. I'm going to paint the frame/swing arm etc dark silver (as I have a load of MGB LE paint left from painting a GT's wing for a mate).. The red tank/panels are in pretty good nick so they can stay red.. forks, wheels and brakes are all okay..
I'm also thinking cafe racer as I have a suitable set of clips ons, some universal alloy mudguards and those triumph bonnie silencers I had on the bitza for a while... might not be in the same leage as some of the cafe's you see but at least it gets the old girl back on the road.

any thoughts/inputs will be most welcome..

 

[Benjamin M]

They are Nikasil barrels presumably, which can't be rebored AFAIK. Someone was telling me a while back that there is a way to make localised repairs to Nikasil bores, though it sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

On the plus side you should be able to pick up some good R80 barrels fairly cheap. Ebay 'cetera..

Best of luck

 

[Rob Farmer]

heads, Barrels, Pistons.

I was putting an R80 engine together but decided to do it as a 100 instead so the 80 parts are surplus to requirement. Got a pair of bead blasted Barrels and pistons to go with them along with a pair of heads or have a just spare A code Barrel.

 

[BigyellowGS]

Why is it you always seem to hold the answer to my project needs Rob? Pm sent.

 

[Rob Farmer]

Why is it you always seem to hold the answer to my project needs Rob? Pm sent.

Because I've got more parts than you can shake a stick at

I'm having a big clear out at the minute so anything that hasn't been used or has sat around for a while has either been dumped, sold or given away.

 

[Voyager]

Rob,

Do you have a spare pair of 100 heads ??

I'm thinking of going back to single plugs on my 100GS.

Regards.

Bob.

 

[BigyellowGS]

Evening all.. As my project 924 is now gone I'm switching back to my R80 project.. Spent today digging everything out and sorting through the good, not so good and to be replaced bits.. And have come up with a list of parts needed to be replaced or were missing to begin with...

See wanted add:
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=253699

I'm still thinking cafe racer.. But as I'm on a budget I'm going to concentrate on getting it back together running and tidy. Admittedly I'll be building in some cafe bits straight away as I already have a set of bonnie silencers and some alloy mudguards... But the clip ons, cut down seat and rear sets may have to wait.

As I put it together I'll take some pics.. And most likely have to ask advice as I muck thing up or get stuck.. watch this space.

 

[steve in nz]

RS fairing

look it is even a close colour match http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Parts-for-sale/Fairing/auction-347635070.htm

freight may be a bit expensive though

 

[BigyellowGS]

Hmmm RS fairing.. Was more going for a classic cafe style and I'm guesisng you would be right about the postage from NZ.

 

[pete.keys]

Rob,

Do you have a spare pair of 100 heads ??

I'm thinking of going back to single plugs on my 100GS.

Regards.

Bob.

I may have - I'm looking for a pair of late R80 heads so if you spot a pair of these we could do an exchange.

cheers

-Pete