It's all in the Geometry

Today I hooked up the sidecar chassis to the bike frame.  Since the sidecar took a hit on the front end I wanted to make sure that nothing else was out of adjustment.  Everything went together with out a fight and the overall geometry looks good so I hope the rig will ride and steer well.

Hear it RUN !!!

That's right....it now RUNS !

See and hear it now! 

http://youtu.be/fS5Rto7_Q9s

All it needed was to freshen up the cylinders, rings and pistons.  New fuel, fuel lines filters and removal of one of the largest mouse nests ever discovered inside the air cleaner box.  (Guinness World Record Pending)  New clean oil and a fresh battery.

Good to be back.

Well the body of the sidecar is well underway.  Need some dolly work but can't find my dollies so I went to work on the bike with a good general cleaning and figure out why no spark.  The points are now working correctly but still no spark and I think it is just because I do not have enough power via the jumper cables so tomorrow I'll make up the battery to bike harness.  I plan to use an automotive battery and locate it in the sidecar trunk.  It looks like the previous owner did the same because some hold down strap clamps were mounted on the floor of the hack.  I plan to install a battery box.  I can make up the cables a little long and trim once the sidecar is remounted.  The sidecar frame is in pretty good shape and needs some general cleaning and rust removal plus touch up painting.  Below are some good photos of the bike with the first wash down completed.  More work planned for tomorrow afternoon.

Yes the rims are very rusty and will be replaced but for now I can move the bike around with them as is.  I'll start steel wooling the bike during the week to get it better looking.  I don't really plan to repaint.  It took 50 years to get the patina just the way it is and I like it.

Back from Mexico and Back to work on my R50

My Mexican Nightmare is over and I'm back to work on my R50.  Took the sidecar body off today and went to get an estimate for repair.  $900. Yes, $900.  He said 2 DAYS of work maybe more.  Ok, so I went home and 35 minutes later had it 70% pulled out and ready to dolly.  He wanted to cut out the metal and replace.  I wanted to just rework what is there.  I'll do some more work later today.  Here are my photos for todays progress.

It's raining so no ride today...but!

But I can always find something to do in the shop with one of the bikes/projects.  I went through the wiring on the R50 conversion bike and put a battery on charge to power up the machine.  While that was charging I lifted the sidecar off the floor with floor jacks and started disassembly.  Some of the hardware came off without too much trouble but others needed to be soaked with oil for a while.  Here are some photos of the sidecar.  Note the hand size hole in the right front, from what I do not know but it must have been a real noise maker when it happened!

So this is want I found

Got everything unloaded and of course the engine would not turn over.  Been sitting since 1993 in a shed.  After playing around I found that the left piston was stuck in the cylinder so with a little help from a block of wood and hammer I got things apart, re honed the cylinder to clean it up, unstuck the piston rings and cleaned it, inspected the inners and made my trip to Bob's BMW for overpriced parts and re assembled.  Inspected the wiring, re wired the ignition coils, polarity was reversed, cleaned the fuel tank, installed new fuel lines and filter, did everything but start the bike.  I have no idea where the previous owner had a battery installed so I plan to set it up the same way as the R100, with a battery in the sidecar.....but since the sidecar is not ready and just put it on the floor and run some cables to the bike wires.....but that is for another day.   Time for some riding on the other rig.

 

 

Cylinder re installed and ready for head.  I don't polish the piston head, just removed the carbon.

That didn't take long!!!!!

Wow, things just keep happening.....A few days ago I bought another rig.  Not just an everyday hack but a BMW R50/2 conversion.  It is powered by a 1973 R75/5 drivetrain and is a common conversion.  This rig has been sitting for about 21 years and is rough, rusty and a little broken up....but...will be my new to me ride.  Once on the road it will be good bye to the R100.  The engine on the R50 was locked up from sitting and moisture entering the left cylinder.  I was able to remove the cylinder and piston, hone the cylinder and clean the piston.  The inners of the engine looked clean so today I will try to reassemble the engine, I just need to pick up a few gaskets this morning.  I hope to turn the engine over and maybe even start it.

The sidecar is a stock BMW hack.  BUT must have hit an unmovable object because it is damaged on the front and will require some heating and hammering to get her straight again.  Like the bike the wheel is rusty, maybe even beyond repair but it does have a spare on the rear deck.  I will post photos later today.

I've been reading up on conversions and it seems this one was done properly.  I picked up the "stuff" in the dead of night and rain.  I had just returned from a 500 mile trip to get a Moto Guzzi up in PA when the owner of this new bike said....tonight or never because I have another offer for in the morning....boom...I left to get the "stuff".  I am saying "stuff" because I was not sure of what I was buying but made the commitment anyway, so, $1500 and a trip to Sterling, VA (in the rain).  With the help of the owner we dragged everything up and on the trailer, still not sure of what I bought because of the darkness.  I know a few pieces are missing but think I have those spares in my shop, 99% of the rig is there and that's all I care about right now.  SO, let's see if I can get it running today....I HOPE!

Here are some photos!

End of Blog

Well time to end my blog.  This bike has been great and I ride it almost every day.  I've been making ready for a trip and it's time to get everything ready to go, so, when I return and if I have something interesting to say or show about my hack I'll start posting again.