Remember, this blog is now Shed Built Bikes!

Don't forget, this blog has been moved to Shed Built Bikes

BMW scrambler part II

Janus' BMW Scrambler

Janus just finished his BMW Scrambler project and wanted some photo's. Conditions were far from ideal, but you'll get a good impression of his bike.

I like it!

Aihead bean can: Lubricating the timing weights.

My Beemer has been running a bit irregular at idle lately. It would usually idle too high (1300-1500 rpm), which after a while would drop to rpm's as low as 800.  A short google search revealed that sticky timing weights might be the problem.

The part responsible for the timing on an airhead sits behind the front engine cover:

You see why the call it the 'Bean Can':

The bean can has a little hatch on the top which you can remove with a thin screwdriver, exposing the weights:

And than it's just a simple matter of lubricating them with an oil that's friendly to the plastic parts inside the bean can.

Note 1: You set the timing of an airhead by rotating the bean can. So it's advisable to mark the exact position of the bean can before you remove it so you can put it back exactly the same way. I would also advise you to check the timing afterwards. I have a strobe light, so I can check it dynamically. It only takes a few minutes this way.

Note 2: Don't forget to disconnect the battery before removing the front engine cover. Contact with the diode board of this cover while the battery is connected, might cause expensive damage to the diode board.

I took the BMW for a short ride afterwards and the improvement is significant. Idle rpm is now nice and stable.

Look what the mailman brought: Lowside Syndicate No 7!

Fresh from the mailbox: Lowside Syndicate Magazine number 7, featuring my BMW! 

I'm really happy with that, it's a very cool magazine. Very tasteful photography and some great stories/profiles. And I'm not just saying that because I am in it.

Sorry for the crappy cellphone photos. If I scanned them so you could read it, it would feel like (and probably would be) copyright infringement. Just buy the magazine ;)

Issue 8 is just out, so if you get the chance: grab it at a local distributer or order it from their website.

I also got a Acewell speedo cable/sensor. Note: it is the cable for a ACE-2853, it will not fit on the ACE-4453 without some (easy) work. The connectors are different, so I cut the connector of the magnet-sensor that came with the Acewell 4453 unit and connected it to the wires of the sensor. I tested it and it works fine.

The mailman brought me a present

So.... What is it?

It's my brand new Acewell ACE-4453-AB!!!

I've had the Acewell 2853 on my BMW and I LOVE that unit, it is fantastic. It is all you need in one, small housing. It has a tacho, a speedo, all the idiot lights and cool functions as maximum speed, maximum RPM, 2 trip distances, gear shift warning etc... etc....

The Acewell 2853 on my BMW 

So I really, really wanted one for the CB that so far has only been sporting a simple speedometer. When Acewell brought out the even classier looking 44XX series, I definitely wanted one. It is not for sale in the Netherlands (yet?), so I got it straight of Acewell. I later found out you can also order it at Dime City.

I left the plastic on the screen for protection, that is what makes the screen look a bit pale, but it isn't. It looks fantastic, very well put together.

I just assumed it would be similar to the 2853, except form the cool  rev counter part. I was wrong. I just finished reading the manual. It's AMAZING! Here we go:

It has:

-   All the cool gadgets the 2853 has (rev counter (digital), speedo, maximum speed, ODO meter, 2 trip meters, average speed, riding time, total riding time, RPM warning indicator (shift light), clock, fuel meter and all the idiot lights. 

- Rev counter (with a needle)

- Oil temperature meter

- Air temperature meter

- 50 laptimers

- Laptimer remote (for on the handlebars)

-  "fuel gauge off mode" (I missed that a little bit on the 2853, since none of my bikes have a fuel sensor)

- adjustable background lighting color

- a way more elaborate display that allows for much more information at once than the 2853 display

- a voltage meter (I am very, very happy with that. Anyone with a Honda will be ;))

In short: I am going to love this thing even more than the 2853! Can't wait to install it on the CB. I hope the weather will clear the asalt of the roads soon, so I can test it.

    

Bill Costello's BMW

Just over a year ago I posted a fantastic video on a bike restoration, made by New Yorker Bill Costello. Bill contacted me last week via this blog an was so kind to send me some more photo's and info on the bike.

The bike is a 1958 R50, 500cc and 26 HP. Bill's farther bought the bike when it was only 2 years old. Bill's father was involved in a pretty bad accident in 1969 and was never allowed to ride the bike again, so it just sat in the garage. When Bill's farther passed away, Bill decided to completely restore the bike. These words don't do the restoration justice, again, just watch the video.

I hope Bill can pass this bike on to his children and they to their children. This bike is worth way more than just money. I'll stop writing about it, just enjoy these photo's:

And the helmet his wife gave him for Christmas:

You can contact Bill via his Youtube channel.

Lowside syndicate magazine

I just received word that there's some space reserved for my BMW in Lowside Syndicate Magazine's latest issue: Issue 7!

They had asked me for photo's a few months back, so I had a good look around on their website and really liked what a saw. They seem to want to distinguish them selfs from other magazines by the use of very classy, high quality material. So it's a great, great honor for me.

My copy is on the way, be sure to get your copy at the Lowside Syndicate website, or get it from the guys at Dime City Cycles!

BMW walkaround

I was going through my videos and I realized I've never posted this one..... Hope the weather will be like that again soon!!

The last one of last week's shoot.

BMW cafe racer

BMW/CB 750 caferacer: video

I am gathering old (and newer) video footage of my bikes to make a short video. Biggest problem for me while making video's: Chosing appropriate background music. Suggestions are welcome :)

Spotted: BMW cafe racer

I saw this bike on a local ride. Didn't have a pen and paper with me, so I'll go back someday to stick a note on it asking if I can take better photo's some time.

I really like them 'I'm being used' patina of the bike.

My BMW Cafe racer

I took the opportunity (dry roads) to try and see what remote flashing a black bike in the dark would look like. Well, it looks like this:

Great 70's motorcycle safety video

Via motor-forum

No words needed

Via ADVrider

Evening ride

Beemer cafe (a very nice one)

Via Do The Ton

The season is pretty much over

Autumn has begun. That means that the BMW probably won't see daylight until spring (unless we get a couple of days with dry roads. The BMW needs dry roads with the velocity stacks) and the CB will only be used when necessary. Weather-wise it wasn't the best season ever, but bike-wise it was. I was very happy to have both the BMW and the CB at my disposal. Nice.

again via ADV-rider