Idiot v. Motorbikes, Rounds 3, 4, and 5

[melville]

Out and about for about 50 miles today, most of it with pillion. She'd gotten out on it for a neighborhood ride last summer, before the backrest went on and while it still had the Harley pipes on it. First time out in full gear and able to hear each other over the Senas.

The bike runs great. I took it to 7K rpm for a couple accelerations through the gears (at no time did I exceed posted speed limits ) and it's probably as fast with both of us on it as Ernst is riding solo.

The pillion reports that the backrest makes her feel quite secure. It's quite cozy with both of us on it in full gear + warm layers underneath. We'd been concerned that it would be tight after we'd done a test sit in street clothes. Spooning at speed, indeed!

She has issues with the seat and her ass. Just the same, after I'd heard a bit of this and was coming to a junction where turning right would take us back home, she said "Left! Go left!" I'm thinking solutions might include a sheepskin and some padding underneath. She could do with some height, as she's got some long legs.

Clearance for our feet wasn't a problem, but it's not perfect. I may still try a left peg on the right side.

[melville]

We've gotten out for a few more rides. The seat remains an issue for her and still a bit for me. As this bike has most of the Grandpa Package already, I'm quietly looking for a Russell Day Long. I thought I had one semi-locally, but it was for an RT (or RS or S) with the cowl and I wouldn't have been able to use the Flanders backrest which my pillion says is essential equipment.

Today I did a valve check and head retorque and some other stuff. It's been 200ish miles since the top end went back on. A couple of the valves closed up .001"ish and closed up a bit more after the retorque. No big.

Then I used my new toy, the dialback timing light, to get a proper fix on timing. This one was all digital-tastic and had one mode where you set the timing you were seeking (28 deg BTDC for Edgar) and when you got to full advance it would light up the flywheel at TDC. Essential where the mods on this bike include dual-plugging and a lightened flywheel where most of the timing marks have been obliterated. Idle timing is right around TDC now. I may get obsessed someday and limit the total advance so I can get idle timing at the old S mark.

The motor was warm enough that I went ahead and worked the synchronization. Idle was close and the mixture screws were right on. Off idle it was right-dominant but no longer.

At mellow speeds, like 2Kish rpm around town, the fairing has a thrashy reverb coming from it under acceleration. My pillion digs it: "Ooohh! T-Rex sound!"

[melville]

Moving on toward the Full Grandpa package on Edgar, soon after I decided the bike needed a Russell Day Long saddle for my pillion, one came available. This showed up last night:



The timing was great, as it's in the 60s today and tomorrow but Winter will resume on Sunday.

Well packaged:



And a bit of work had it out, with the stock seat for comparison:



The pad on the stock seat was a semi-successful experiment. More comfortable on her backside, but she lost connection with the bike so less comfortable mentally.

The RDL was set up as a lift-off with a dedicated widget that I haven't seen before:



I like that it doesn't have the stash box in the front of the seat. That box was actually a comfort issue for me, forcing me back on the seat.

Looking good mounted up:



But that grab rail is just Too Damn Shiny. A quick fix with a patinated backrest:



I've sent these pix to my pillion and I expect she'll be here with her gear as soon as she wakes up and opens her phone.

[melville]

And my pillion was totally enthusiastic! She came right over and wiggled into her ATGATT and we went out for a couple hours with a lemonade and snack stop.

RDL Review!

Her ass is happy. So is mine. I'm actually unaware of the seat, it just disappears beneath me. I was always aware of the stock seat.

A few notes--it actually creates some space between us. I'm sitting a bit more forward and she's a bit further back. Therein lies her main issue--the backrest is intruding into her consciousness. So we're going to look at modding the mount to move it a bit rearward.

[gspd]

And my pillion was totally enthusiastic! She came right over and wiggled into her ATGATT and we went out for a couple hours with a lemonade and snack stop.

RDL Review!

Her ass is happy. So is mine. I'm actually unaware of the seat, it just disappears beneath me. I was always aware of the stock seat.

A few notes--it actually creates some space between us. I'm sitting a bit more forward and she's a bit further back. Therein lies her main issue--the backrest is intruding into her consciousness. So we're going to look at modding the mount to move it a bit rearward.

While you're at it, you might want to add one of these. It keeps 'em on their best behaviour.

[melville]

And my pillion was totally enthusiastic! She came right over and wiggled into her ATGATT and we went out for a couple hours with a lemonade and snack stop.

RDL Review!

Her ass is happy. So is mine. I'm actually unaware of the seat, it just disappears beneath me. I was always aware of the stock seat.

A few notes--it actually creates some space between us. I'm sitting a bit more forward and she's a bit further back. Therein lies her main issue--the backrest is intruding into her consciousness. So we're going to look at modding the mount to move it a bit rearward.

While you're at it, you might want to add one of these. It keeps 'em on their best behaviour.

No problem there. She's the best pillion I've ever had. She's taller than me and might outweigh me (I am NOT asking) but just disappears once she's on the bike. She'll rub my back on longer trips.

I got us Sena comms Xmas before last and I do not regret it.

[gspd]

No problem there. She's the best pillion I've ever had...

Krystin was the best pillion I ever had.

best pillion.jpeg (199.1 KiB) Viewed 1450 times

I fixed that by marrying her and got her riding her own bike...

the cure.jpeg (251.97 KiB) Viewed 1450 times

Now we travel all over together:

together.jpeg (199.62 KiB) Viewed 1450 times

I must be a good teacher: only 4 (minor) crashes and one speeding ticket (130k in a 100k zone) in her first 80,000km solo riding.

[melville]

Well done!

My pillion has no interest in piloting, although she did insist on sitting in the pilot's seat on the RDL to see if it was any different.

I tried to get her to make moto noises: "Like this, darling--TICKETY TICKETY TICKETY!"

[jackonz]

So you've seen the Hate My Neighbor thread. The bikes are now in my possession. You've probably also seen Ernst and Eigo (yes, Eigo still not done!), now it's time to dick with three more Airheads:



From left to right, they are:

5. 1975 R75/6, not very complete. Just a month younger than Ernst, 600ish serial numbers difference.

4. 1979 R100RS, almost complete. Possibly a few parts missing in the intake tract.

3. 1979 R100/7, very complete.

Both R100s have interesting period mods. They both have San Jose BMW upper triple clamps, fork braces, and shocks. The RS has a reinforced swingarm. The /7 has air caps on the fork.

The /7 has some mods to the motor. Lockhart cooler and twin plugging are the obvious ones. There were some notes regarding the heads found under the seat along with the old registrations. It looks like they were modded at 28,000 miles to deal with a light pinging complaint. They may have been ported and polished.

I expect I'll be starting with the /7 this winter, after Ernst gets his heads back on. I'm calling the /7 Edgar.

Here he is:



When I first saw the tiny pix on my phone, I thought 'Windjammer' but I don't think that's the case. Here are a couple views from inside:



That little knob is a headlight angle adjuster.



It also has a gaiter flap and there's enough room inside that the turn signal posts clear. Most fairings need them removed or bent out of the way.

Here's the cooler:



Anyway, thanks for checking this out. I expect things to move at my usual glacial pace. I hope to be touching wrenches to Edgar soon after the new year.

Hi, Nice collection you have there, I have a question re the San Jose upper triple clamp's you have on 2 of your bikes, do you know of any other modifications that have to be done to install these as in headlight brackets and so on, I am in the process of refurbishing a 1978 R80/7 and the steel top clamp looks cheap and nasty.

Cheers

[melville]

HI Phil!

Yes, the headlight ears need to be shortened.

Here's how our own jjwithers handled it:

https://beemersandbits.com/2011/07/san- ... eparation/

I think the figure is 18mm.

No headlight ears on the RS! The headlight has its own mount on the headtube and does not turn with the forks.