BMW update

Ok, I admit, I'm guilty. I did take the BMW for a ride after all. Didn't want to just start the engine, I wanted it to get up to temperature. It was more than a bit tricky because of all the snow this winter they're running out of salt and that means that the snow hasn't been cleared. It still was fun though :)

Also changed the frame braces. I used exhaust clamps to clamp them onto the frame because it's illegal over here to make structural changes to the frame. But I decided to weld some brackets onto the frame and bolt the braces onto those. Didn't have the time to finish the job completely, but it already looks a lot better than the exhaust clamps in my opinion.

Smoking gun

The saying goes: When there's smoke, there's a fire. Problem was: the only fire there was, was in the right hand cylinder. Took cleaning of the left sparkplug to get the left cylinder to join in too. But she's alive again!

Had hoped to take it for a ride. I really need that after last weeks exams, but it has snowed. Again. I'm starting to really hate snow.

faculteit fysische geografie Universiteit Utrecht

I've got exams, so there's not going to be many build updates. Besides, it's snowing again and the forecasts aren't promising anyhting better.

During my breaks from studying I like to surf the net (much of the studying is on the computer. One of the exams will be in Excel. I HATE Excel). On one of my favorite fora ADVrider I came across a topic about Nimbus: A Danish motorcycle brand form the past, manly known for their very cool engine set up; inline engines.

One of the replies in this topics mentions a journey that two guys form Norway are making on their 1937(!!) Nimbus sidecars. No supporting 4wd's, no supporting doctors and twice the distance of Long Way Round. How cool is that?

This is their website and this is their blog.

 

I'm jealous.... Some day, I'll make a similar journey...

Moved the side stand

It's not in the way anymore now. Besides: I think it looks better this way and it's lighter.

Photo's are a little off, sorry, forgot to reset the lighting. :)

Finished the gear shifter

Pretty happy with the result. It's all working as it's supposed to work and all that for just a few euro's in materials. Still need to move the sidestand forward though, it's obstructing my downshifting :)

Made it uglier today

I had to... The bike needs a license plate. The smaller the bike, the uglier the license plate. I tried to 'hide' it as much as possible. This is the result:

Also started with a heel plate (is that the right name for it in English?). I used stainless steel that I gave a brushed look:

I like the brushed look, don't like the shape of the heel part though. I'll need to make a new one that looks better.

Forward controls

Over the years I've been getting a lot of questions about the forward controlles of our CX500 chopper. The gear lever is located in an unusual spot on a CX500 and is facing backwards. So the normal set up for forward controlles on other bikes won't work on a CX. I decided to make a quick drawing with google sketchup (free 3D drawing programme). If you're interested in the file so you can see see it in 3D, just mail me and I'll send it to you. I'm not very good with computers, so the drawing is very schematic, but I think it's pretty clear.



In green: The welded on pieces of threaded iron to bolt the forward controls onto the engine.

In red: The hinches.

In blue: The Schifter axle of the engine.

 

Installed another part

See, it fit's. Didn't even take much work to make it fit. It's not very weatherproof though, so I de-installed it for the time being until the bike is finished.

Also found some mesh to finish the rear end of the bike with.

While I'm at the subject of thanking people:

I think I haven't mentioned this on this blog before, but I've been looking for a long time to find a way to slide forks of the BMW up through the triple tree. Klaus-Peter (KPel8 on ADVrider) gave me this:

With a bit of machining it's possible to make this out of it:

(this is his bike).

Klaus-Peter: If you're reading this: Thanks again. I found someone who can machine this for me, it will be done somewhere in February.

He insisted that he didn't want me to pay for it. The only thing he wanted is to meet me sometime so I could see his BMW caferacer in real life and he could see mine. I hope we'll meet when the weather get's better.

And I hope I can someday repay people like Ron and Klaus-Peter. People like them show that the world isn't only about greed as it sometimes seems to be.

Here are dome photo's of Klaus-Peter's BMW:

Back to the Suzuki: I just made a bracket for the rearset on the left side. Now I just really need to get warm again....

Thank you Ron!

Why? For this:

He gave me two really nice looking rear shocks, a pipe and a bunch of stainless steel and only let me pay a little for the pipe. He also had to drive don to the train station twice for me since the dutch railway company f*cked up. Again. As usual. Sometimes I get the impression that don't even want to try to do something right. The NS are just lame...

And this is what the shocks look like on the bike:

Also fitted one of the rearsets. Don't worry about the sidestand, I'm going to move it forward. I'm in the process of shortening one set of forks, so the front will get just a little lower than this without having to slide the forks trough the triple tree.

Only spend a short while outside. It's an unusually cold and snowy winter so far. Not ideal for grinding and welding outside...

The BMW story part III

For part II see: http://bmwcafe.blogspot.com/

Temperatures outside have gone down, snow is falling and my body temperature is still over 37. So no bike building for me. Time enough to write some more about the BMW though.

After stripping all the unnecessarily parts of the bike it became obvious that the guy who had sold the bike to me hadn't been completely honoust about the shape the bike was in.....

Discovered more later during the build. It was a disappointment, but not entirely unexpected. I just fixed what needed fixing and continued building. The next thing I needed was a fuel tank. I preferred an aluminum tank, so I ordered a used one.

As you can see: not a big success. Luckily the shop where I bought it (great source for cafe parts in Holland: Rocket) let me send it back and gave me my money back. Including the shipping money!

So I had to look for a new tank. Found a great one at the swapmarket of Hardenberg. Also found an exhaust there and a saddle for the Virago. To get some ideas I tried that saddle and the seat of the CX cafe:

The CX seat didn't work for me. I liked the Virago saddle, but it wasn't what I wanted either. So I set out to make my own seat. Made a frame of an bicycle carrier I found in someone elses the waste. Yes, I have no shame.

Covered the frame with perforated aluminium.

Having a seat meant I could sit on the bike. That meant I could ride it. So time for the first test ride:

Loved it. 

More on the beemer next time!

Yay or nay?

I slightely prefer the bike with the fairing, my girlfriend just doesn't know. It's hard to decide form the photo's, in reality it looks slightely better.

It was nice having her out of the shed and hear her run again. I know most of you like this bike the least of the bikes I've build, but I love it. It just has it's own character, riding it or looking at it.

Gelukkig nieuwjaar!

Which is Dutch for happy new year. 

I'm not off to a good start: my farther in law's Christmas gift was some kind of virus. Feeling pretty miserable, so I didn't get anything done on the bikes today, unfortunately.