The making of a Rahier Dakar Replica

[PROTON1]

Hi there Airheads, I'm from Belgium the beer and chocolate country. I started with a buddy the GS-AIRHEADS BELGIUM. Its a club only and exclusively for Twin Valve GS. Please have a look to our site: www.gs-airheads.be
I have 2 x G/S bikes which are restored to better as new condition (no joke!). Now starting on a unique project: A replica Gaston Rahier 85 Dakar Machine. I start of with a real find, a bike made end 88 by a mechanic from Gaston Rahier. He made a bike to the exact geometry of the Rahier 85 bike using the Marzocchi M1, the exact twin rear swing, the exact HPN rear frame and took for the frame a /7 frame where he made the exact reinforcements. The rear shocks are not the WP units as on the Rahier Bike but used the longer stroke Öhlins with double springs. Have a good look at the picture. Now at www.gs-airheads.be there are more pictures. Go to tab ALBUM, then scroll to the Album "the making of a Rahier replica". there are lots of detailed pictures. During this winter the bike will be dismantled and rebuild into a Rahier Replica. I am missing some parts like the Black Twin Exhaust, etc... So if anybody can help with parts, I would be interested. There are some other interesting Albums on this site. Finally of some of you UK GS-Airheads would like to become a member, please do so. Next year we are organising an international (twin valve only) GS tenting weekend and we would love to have some UK GSers with us.

 

[brassmonkey001]

Paging Sycomoto...

 

[Kenny]

Welcome and thanks for the link to your club

 

[sycomoto]

With any luck

Paging Sycomoto...

I might have camille finished in time can someone post a pic of camille for me as I can't on my puta at the mo

 

[sycomoto]

Just had a look

On the site and looks ok. Did notice my Marlboro tank is on there hope you haven't sold it nick

 

[PROTON1]

your Tank

Hi Sycomoto, yes I did agreed with Nick to buy your Tank and will endeavor to pick up the Tank next weekend... Question to you, I read all about your paintjob , great job by the way, If I understood it all right you applied a transparent final coat. Is that a 2pack varnish (as used for Cars with metalised paint) ? In fact my question is, with which varnish can the tank be overcoated to give it a thicker varnish coat. If you think thats not required please say so. Further, I will need to bother you for advice along the rebuild. Besides this Tank, which I agreed to buy from Nick, I am still looking for the original Tank, so if anyone can help me. And other obstacle part will be the original Black exhaust. Well it was a welding job at the time whoever did it (HPN?). Does anyone knows about close matching replicas of these pipes? HPN does pipes, they are similar, but are incredible loud. Any suggestions? And Sycomoto, the GS-AIRHEADS will love it to have you with Camille at our next summer Tenting Weekend (in a village near Brussels). If you take Camille I will try to get the Team Manager of Rahier to pop in. I saw him last sunday on a Fair for classic and Oldtimer Bikes. He is retired now and lives near Liege, but still he is passing his time with everything thats got to do with bikes.

 

[(RIP) Proff]

I think you have more chance of finding OIL in Belgium than finding another genuine Tank like Sycos original [the ally one, not the plastic one you have bought from Nick n] If sycos going next year to your "do" I could be persuaded to attend with my standard 80g/s plus ??? 65g/s or 90s

 

[PROTON1]

for Proff

Hi Proff, would be delighted to have you over with Sycomoto on the GS-Airheads "Tenting Weekend 2012". About finding Oil in Belgium guess you are right but one never knows...incidently, there exist a cave of Ali Baba of Dakar Tanks...its a place one gets wet dreams, but unfortunately they are not selling...not yet...here some pictures of the cave...so proff, one never know...cheers danny

 

[PROTON1]

Hi Kenny

Welcome and thanks for the link to your club

Kenny, could you list www.gs-airheads.be in the Link section of "Clubs". We only started last April and count 30 members, but I think you will agree that we are working towards a quality website, and its one of only 2 Twin Valve GS Clubs in Europe. Thank you for your consideration, cheers danny

 

[(RIP) Proff]

Hi Proff, would be delighted to have you over with Sycomoto on the GS-Airheads "Tenting Weekend 2012". About finding Oil in Belgium guess you are right but one never knows...incidently, there exist a cave of Ali Baba of Dakar Tanks...its a place one gets wet dreams, but unfortunately they are not selling...not yet...here some pictures of the cave...so proff, one never know...cheers danny

That is amazing......

 

[PROTON1]

Camille for Sycomoto

I might have camille finished in time can someone post a pic of camille for me as I can't on my puta at the mo

Hereby done Sycomoto, I will try do do my restoration as good as your jobbie with Camille, but will be a challenge. Brilliant work mate , congrats

 

[brassmonkey001]

Hi Proff, would be delighted to have you over with Sycomoto on the GS-Airheads "Tenting Weekend 2012". About finding Oil in Belgium guess you are right but one never knows...incidently, there exist a cave of Ali Baba of Dakar Tanks...its a place one gets wet dreams, but unfortunately they are not selling...not yet...here some pictures of the cave...so proff, one never know...cheers danny

Oh my lord...


You do realise that if we come over you are going to have to take us to this cave of delights?

 

[Canuck]

I would love to buy an old house and barn, then upon digging around in said barn, find a room containing all off those bikes and parts... that is beautiful. I'm slightly more drawn to the used stuff than that new hpn tank however. WOuld love that le point tank...

 

[sycomoto]

That's not

I would love to buy an old house and barn, then upon digging around in said barn, find a room containing all off those bikes and parts... that is beautiful. I'm slightly more drawn to the used stuff than that new hpn tank however. WOuld love that le point tank...

A hpn tank dear boy, that is a spare 85 tank, the real deal, they would have had spares should one get busted.

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Hi Proff, would be delighted to have you over with Sycomoto on the GS-Airheads "Tenting Weekend 2012". About finding Oil in Belgium guess you are right but one never knows...incidently, there exist a cave of Ali Baba of Dakar Tanks...its a place one gets wet dreams, but unfortunately they are not selling...not yet...here some pictures of the cave...so proff, one never know...cheers danny

Oh lordy, I may have just had a... moment...

 

[Canuck]

A hpn tank dear boy, that is a spare 85 tank, the real deal, they would have had spares should one get busted.

That Le Point decaled (if that is even a word) tank laying on the ground is an hpn tank (second up from bottom)? I'm talking about the rough looking one

 

[team3xh]

I know that cave, it is in southern Germany

 

[sycomoto]

Erm maybe not

That Le Point decaled (if that is even a word) tank laying on the ground is an hpn tank (second up from bottom)? I'm talking about the rough looking one

Hpn didn't build any of the tanks, early ones were built by a guy in the uk. The le point bikes weren't hpn either as with the 84 bike they were built by ecuiral motors in Paris with scheck prepared engines. I think hpn bought some of the early bikes to help them build the 85 Marlboro bikes. The tank on the floor is a very early one as it has the air filter built into the tank I do find it abit sad to see all that history just sitting there collecting dust, oh well maybe if I win the lotto I can make them a silly offer for the lot

 

[PROTON1]

Team3xh is correct

Yes Team3xh resolved the mystery, photes were indeed taken at HPN Seibersdorf. Its correct that HPN made none of the early Dakar Tanks. I do know that the Ecureuil Team tanks were made in France by a French craftsman. Ecureuil did preparethe bikes as sycomoto said with Scheck prepared engines. The 1985 was the first HPN powered bike. The 1984 and 1985 Tank was once produced as a Replica by MOTO FORMS , a company in Lyon. There were 2 versions a fiberglass and Kevlar Tank. Most sold were fiberglass and they all got a problem when painted. The Fiberglass got soaked after a while by the fuel and the paint bubbled up. The price in 1988-1992 was 2100 French Francs, so about 400 Euro or 300£ in our money. Now these replica Tanks are very much sought after. MOTO FORMS also made large Tanks and Fairings for other makes. HPN is selling nothing of that old stuff, many people tried allready... The Team Leader of Gaston Rahier (84 and 85) was René Vanderheyden. He is pensioned now and lives near Liège in Belgium. I will visit him in a few weeks and sure he is a man that can possibly answer lots of questions.

 

[Canuck]

I do find it abit sad to see all that history just sitting there collecting dust, oh well maybe if I win the lotto I can make them a silly offer for the lot

If you do I'll definately take of the le point bikes... which ever one fits that tank... I've seen a few photos and think that... apart from yours of course... to be the best looking bike I've ever seen.