My R90S Project - Airhead Archeology

markjackson

markjackson

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I know it's sad and nerdy, but hopefully I'm in the right place for some understanding and empathy as I share my pleasure in a little airhead archeology :comfort

Having bought the funny looking unit, in metal flake blue with late 81 R100 cases and forks, and got her home, I was exited to reveal the frame number and confirm that it matched the logbook as a genuine 90S, and then had little time (other than a little ride up to Helmsley) to do much more.

I like reading about history (and watching Lucy Worsley on telly ;) ) so spent a few hours at the weekend inspecting my purchase and reading through the paperwork that came with her.

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One lovely thing was digging through the layers of Motobins invoices, MoT certs and tax discs from the present day back to 1984, revealing how life changed for the inhabitants of HLH503N as she moved from Dorchester in Dorset to Kesgrave near Ipswich and uncovering the tragedy of when she lost her Dellortos for a pair of Bings in 2005. I've now got the main bits to put that right:thumb2

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More Flat-Twin time-team tomorrow:)
 
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Plastic topped instead of ally. The purists will cringe!



Being as he's in Florida at the minute I'll give that a :thumb2
 
I can still see this thread from Florida :rob

My youngest boy is insisting I stop up till midnight, so he can buy me my first Birthday drink :thumb
 
Looks like an interesting project Mark and Happy Birthday Proff :beerjug:
 
Rob Farmer said:
Plastic topped instead of ally. The purists will cringe!



Being as he's in Florida at the minute I'll give that a :thumb2
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It's OK…


As his birthday present I've got these to give me the ally tops :)

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A nice find in the garage trench was getting a camera phone into a position looking between the head and barrel to reveal this…

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which means I have R90S heads, but without further excavation I didn't know their condition (other than it ran).
 
A productive dig in the Motobins receipts area dated 2003 showed that the heads had received new guides back then, and although this is 11 years, it's only 4000 miles.

There was also new {standard bore} 90S rings fitted at the same time….

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, so it looks like the top end is a keeper, once I fit the right intake stubs and add these lovely things :)

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And my R90S cases from ebay.de (albeit from a machine a year later, so the 76 variety) were cleaned up to a lovely standard by Tiger Blast near Shipton, just north of York, and Motorworks had new 76 style front covers, so I've got the basis for a pretty bottom end :)

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I still need a timing cover, air box shells and starter cover tho.
 
Devon said:
Looks like an interesting project Mark and Happy Birthday Proff :beerjug:
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Thanks Andy, and don't worry, I'm not neglecting the Kalahari while lavishing attention on the 90. She received some very nice comments and was definitely prettiest GS at the UKGSER ride out from Squires last Saturday :)
 
markjackson said:
Thanks Andy, and don't worry, I'm not neglecting the Kalahari while lavishing attention on the 90. She received some very nice comments and was definitely prettiest GS at the UKGSER ride out from Squires last Saturday :)
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Seems like you have been well and truly bitten by the airhead bug Mark :D :beerjug:
 
Mark,

How are you going to clean the beads out if all of the blind oil ways and gallery's? Were they bead or vapour blasted?
 
Rob Farmer said:
Mark,

How are you going to clean the beads out if all of the blind oil ways and gallery's? Were they bead or vapour blasted?
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It was vapour blasting. I'm planning on repeating my fastidious process from the bonnie engine… rinse out with gallons of water, then wash with plenty of fairy liquid and brushes to 'suspend' any media left, and flush with power washer, then repeat with toothbrush or pipe cleaners for the crevices, before a final rinse with loads more water.

The chap that blasted it also has an ultrasonic bath, so that's another option if I have any residual concerns.

I'll still be worried tho!:blast
 
You need to heat the crankcase and get the three blanks out of the oil ways which are loctited in as well as the oil filter bypass in the bottom of the oil filter canister, then you can clean it out properly. DAMHIK!
 
Arkwright said:
You need to heat the crankcase and get the three blanks out of the oil ways which are loctited in as well as the oil filter bypass in the bottom of the oil filter canister, then you can clean it out properly. DAMHIK!
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He's 100% right you know, used to be standard procedure in the 70's if you'd had any chance at all of any nasty shit going into oilways. Still got the remainder of a pack of pipe cleaners bought for just the job you are describing
I've never had a problem getting them back in either, freezer overnight, casing warmed with missus's airdryer, pair of dental forceps, piece of gaffa tape on screwdriver head...= no marks and jobs a doddle...

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/oilsketch.htm


Oh, and thanks for the Birthday wishes...... much appreciated :thumb
 
markjackson said:
Cheers fellas:thumb2

Is this the two penny sized ones in the back of the case, but which other?
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The other one is on the front of the crankcase.

If you break the ring over the oil filter bypass, pm me, I tell you how to make one.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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