P r o j e c t "s"

[TINK]

Another Ebay find! A pair of turn signals for $32 shipped to my door. New, turn signals are still just $25 each, after shipping, a new pair cost about $60. So, in the end I get a good-as-new set of used units for half price. I’m happy.


Blog link > http://www.photosbytink.com/bmw/


TINK

[TINK]

http://www.irvseaverbmw.com/

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that I can walk into my local BMW dealer and give them a list of rubber parts for a 32 year old motorcycle and the parts guy says “Yep, we got everything in stock”. Only BMW would be so loyal to its brand that they would continue to support a THIRTY TWO YEAR OLD motorcycle design. Now that’s nothing short of amazing.


Blog Link > http://www.photosbytink.com/bmw/


TINK

[fishkens]

Originally Posted by TINK

Yes, I see the later air box now.

TINK

The forks, calipers, alternator case and front cover are different on the post '79 (80?) too.

Originally Posted by dragoon

Yeah, we don't like to be the step child.

And I don't have the attention span to follow links.

p.s. But I will for this.

[Airhead Wrangler]

Originally Posted by TINK

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that I can walk into my local BMW dealer and give them a list of rubber parts for a 32 year old motorcycle and the parts guy says “Yep, we got everything in stock”.

It's because those same parts were probably used on 15 different models. Hell, they might still be using them on current models. The 'parts guys' around here can speak to it better than I can, but there are a good number of parts that were used on a whole range of models spanning multiple decades. Those germans got as much mileage as they could out of a lot of things. Swingarm pivot pins come to mind. Driveshaft boots. Final drive bearings and shims. The same huge custom final drive bearing was used in BMW final drives from 1981 until 2005. I'm sure there are other even more extreme examples.

[squish]

Originally Posted by TINK

Am I the only one that finds it amazing that I can walk into my local BMW dealer and give them a list of rubber parts for a 32 year old motorcycle and the parts guy says “Yep, we got everything in stock”. Only BMW would be so loyal to its brand that they would continue to support a THIRTY TWO YEAR OLD motorcycle design. Now that’s nothing short of amazing.

I remember when you could do that with Brand H as well.

It's one of the big reason, even though I'm the first to gripe about the cost
That I still have airheads in my garage.

When I was rebuilding my GS I was shocked to find that I could get a new wiring harness.

I was even more shocked to find that it's was made the same year I bought it.

Meaning that not only was BMW willing to stock parts for 18 year bikes, but they were still making (Or having made) parts for 18 year old bikes.

[TINK]

Originally Posted by Airhead Wrangler

It's because those same parts were probably used on 15 different models. Hell, they might still be using them on current models. The 'parts guys' around here can speak to it better than I can, but there are a good number of parts that were used on a whole range of models spanning multiple decades. Those germans got as much mileage as they could out of a lot of things. Swingarm pivot pins come to mind. Driveshaft boots. Final drive bearings and shims. The same huge custom final drive bearing was used in BMW final drives from 1981 until 2005. I'm sure there are other even more extreme examples.

And that's what I find amazing about BMW in this age of full model redesign every two to three years. There's no way any manufacturer can to keep up it's parts inventory with this constant obsession with continual redesigning models for the sake of just being the newest next big thing. It's refreshing to know that BMW continues to respect its heritage and retains some sense of self when so many of the other motorcycle companies are caught up in a continual battle with itself against being left behind on "The Next Big Thing".
TINK

[Lornce]

Cool bike.


What's that yellow car in the garage?

[simonboxeproject]

Thanks Lornce,

The car is my Lotus Elise S1, Had it for some years now, but limited to how much tinkering you can do to it hence the bike project, the nice thing about the bike is all the work is there to see and not hidden under a load of fiberglass.
Oh and the other good bike point is you dont have to sit in the traffic jams as much, (but you can get a bit cold and wet)

[Rob Farmer]

Those Elise's are a lot of fun in a small package. Incredible handling.

Love the top gear review :-

Rarely achieved mix of track cred and lusty looks. You can scare the pants off your girlfriend and then get a glimpse of said pants while she's struggling to get out.

[TINK]

I knew I would have to upgrade the suspension, both front and rear, as the original BMW OEM shocks were in bad shape. At thirty two years of age, normal wear and tear had left them with zero dampening affect. On the ride home I knew they were junk as I cruised along enjoying the “Buick like” ride of the deceased rear shocks.

My initial research led me to “the usual suspects”; Works, Race Tech, Progressive. All fine shocks that I had used on bike builds of the past. But really, this is classic BMW Airhead, and modern shocks, as good as they are, do not provide that classic BMW look. Back in the day, KONI was “the” aftermarket replacement shock of choice for the discriminating BMW owner who wanted to ride his BMW at a rapid pace.

I happened upon a pair of original KONI 7610-1298 new old stock in the original box on eBay. Bidding started at $100, went to $125, and then sat there for the next 4 days. I logged on 2 minutes before the auction closed to find the bidding had pushed the price up to $275, ouch. I still though it would be cool to have actual “KONI” shocks, so I bid $285, do’h. Then 20 seconds before the auction closed a bid for $290… I fire back with $295, but, was second in line at $295 and did not win, rats!

TINK
PROJECT S > http://www.photosbytink.com/bmw/

[TINK]

That’s okay, I went ahead and ordered a brand new set of IKON (KONI with the “I” moved to the front) 7610-1298 (same part number at KONI used) for $414 from IKON USA http://www.ikonsuspensionusa.com/servlet/StoreFront Dave Garner.

I’m really better off with a freshly manufactured set of IKON than a 15 year old set of KONI’s, that would likely need to be broken down and serviced before I installed them on the bike.

IKON shocks are the old KONI shocks, right down to the same part number. IKON bought the entire KONI motorcycle business and makes KONI tooled IKON shocks in Australia. There are so true to the original, you can buy IKON guts and use them to rebuild your old KONI’s, what I would have likely had to do to the eBay KONI’s, had I won the bid.

TINK
PROJECT S > http://www.photosbytink.com/bmw/

[TINK]

Here they are! They’re beautiful! Can’t wait to put them on and go for a ride… Hmmm, that will be some time from now. My intention is to go through and bike and check everything mechanical before I put her back on the road again. What they call in the airline service business a Heavy Check. So for now, the IKON’s stay in the box on the shelf next to my brand new BMW OEM R90S fairing.

TINK
PROJECT S > http://www.photosbytink.com/bmw/

Jeebus. I didn't know that they cost that much these days. Reckon I'll keep mine buffed up real good. They are great shocks.

[TINK]

Jasper ST4, What part of WA do you live?
Grew up in Seattle, Green Lake, Lincoln High...
TINK

Originally Posted by TINK

Jasper ST4, What part of WA do you live?
Grew up in Seattle, Green Lake, Lincoln High...
TINK

I'm more near the bottom of the Puggit Sound, since 1982.