The time has come....

[The Bigfella]

G'day folks. A newbie here - from Sydney, Oz.

I've just dragged my old R90S frame out of the basement.... inspired, would you believe, by six weeks riding around Vietnam on a Zinda (China Honda... a whole 107cc's of fun).

Charlie - you've seen her when you called through a while back. She's one from the original shipment of '73 bikes - solid discs, nice old switchgear. I've had her so long, I can't even remember when I bought her. Some time in the late 70's - to replace a Honda 750 that I used to thrash up the Bells Line of Road to just beyond Orange every weekend - having got sick of the hinge in the middle of the Honda's frame. I know I had her for the World's End Rally in '78... so, it was '77 or '78.

I shouldn't be too hard on the Honda - because the R90S nearly spat me off up near Bathurst the first day I had her. Yep, a 200kph speed wobble... using all of two lanes until we got things sorted out. A new valve in the front tyre, straightened forks, new steering head bearings and a change of underwear sorted that little problem out. She'd had a hard life before I got her. I probably wasn't kind to her either - fitting air shocks and a 2>1 exhaust system - neither of which will be used again. Hell, I even gave my tank and other panels to a guy who needed them more than me.... although I ended up with a nice set of R100S tank and panels back.

Speaking of not being nice to her - I've got R100S slugs in her jugs - and the last time I rode her, apart from taking her to 210... I blew her up. We are talking a tad over 30 years ago... Anzac Day 1980... on the Federal Highway. I had a Carerra 3.0 behind me (right behind me).... I dropped to 3rd, screwed the throttle to the stop, dropped down on the tank behind the screen.... and the clutch let go. By the time I sat up and wound the throttle back, I saw an AWFUL lot of revs on the tacho. My brother - who was behind the Porsche - said he missed me by inches. The little old lady I was overtaking hit the brakes - and I had to outbrake her, because a car came the other way.... Anyhow, after a couple of minutes, the clutch cooled down a tad and I got mobile again. Caught and passed the Porsche - but he wouldn't play any more. Checked the pushrods when I got to Canberra and hadn't bent them, but I only made it as far as Young before she clagged. Big ends.

A mate of mine - known to a few around here - Henning - rebuilt the engine and before I could get her back together, I was married and transferred to NZ for a couple of years. I'll admit, it was me that dropped the instruments and broke the glass, but I'd love to get my hands on the scumbag that stole the Dellorto's. Why the centrestand and battery box never made it over to NZ is another mystery. Anyhow... that put paid to the rest of the rebuild back in the early '80s

This is a bike that's probably been on dirt roads on most trips its ever done.... so its no concourse candidate. I'm not overly inclined to rebuild her as stock. I'll probably pick up some new Dellorto's... having been talked out of even thinking fuel injection by my mechanical engineering student son. I'm seriously tempted to do a couple of frame mods... a swing-arm bearing to steering stock strengthening bar on each side... which, of course, means mods to the loops so the engine can come out the bottom. I'm trying to track down tube joiners that allow the loops to remain structural... time will tell, it may end up stock.

As the years have gone by, I've become addicted to decent brakes... and just fitted Brembo brakes to my E34 M5. I don't recall being particularly impressed by the R90S brakes, so that might be something else I'll look at.

I'll drag the camera out and get some shots of the pile of bits sometime soon.

[ME 109]

Gidday Bigfella, welcome to the forum, I was talking to Henning just the other day at the Off Centre Rally at Wanaaring.
He has a sht load of miles on his bike now.

Hennings bike. I think 460,000 miles thereabouts!

[grant81rs]

Gidday Bigfella, interesting read mate and glad to have another Aussie on board....yes some pic would be great when you can.

With the new look site is it me or are there more Aussie rising there heads around here....Great to see!!

[Airbear]

Well, blow me down!
Great to see you here, Bigfella. Welcome aboard, and may I say, it's about fekkin' time you dragged that poor thing out from under the house. I think of that bike quite often, wondering if she will ever see the light of day again.

Given the outrageous number of wooden boat projects that have chosen you and your chaotic lifestyle I was kind of giving up hope. This post has cheered me up immensely.

Now that you have listed a few of the terrible things you have done to the bike as a young fool, perhaps it is time to consider her age. In human years she is like an elderly aunt, perhaps with happy memories of a bit of wildness in her younger years (it was the 70s after all) but now deserving of some quieter Autumn years. She will take you up the Bells Line again with grace and style with the missus on the back (the bike played a part in your courting days IIRC). You will be able to crank her over just as far in the twisties, blow away your cobwebs as well as her own and she will get you there and back …. I could go on. This is just my view. You will of course do as you wish.

The practicalities – there are going to be a lot of things you will need, and prolly a bit of advice about all sorts of things. You have come to the right place for advice. This place is a wonderful resource. I'll email you some contacts for new and used parts and useful links shortly. At the moment Brunhilde is just coming back together with a renewed drive train so Hans and I can go to the snow for a bit of adventuring in a couple of days.

I'm really pleased to see you here mate, and look forward to returning your generosity one day. I owe you a bunch of beers.

ps: Some background for others on the forum. I met The Bigfella on a forum dedicated to wooden boats. He is about 17 feet tall, or appears that way from my perspective as a person of ‘sensible’ height. He has some lovely wooden boats.

[The Bigfella]

Well, I guess its only fair and right that I post a shot of the bike that's inspired me to do the rebuild....



What a machine eh? Sure attracts the women....

[Zombie Master]

Welcome! Sounds like a project, take your time and get it right. Love those old style switches!

[SteveD]

Welcome bigfella. 17 ft tall hey? I expect you'll need a footrest lowering kit for that 90S!

For some inspiration, get yourself a coffee and peruse Indian's excellent build from rust of his R90S. Open, then click on "My Bike".

http://www.indian.no/

[The Bigfella]

Thanks guys. That link to Indians resto is brilliant. I was looking at the driveshaft today and stuffing around, failing to get my pullers to fit. I had started to think about making a tool (you wouldn't believe how many BMW E34 5 Series car tools I've made) - but his is just lovely... cable ties and all.

[George Ryals]

Find yourself a donor Moto Guzzi frame for the frame connectoers to allow dropping the engine out the bottom. Duplicating the concept would be easy. I think Vansen's web site shows some frame connectors in great detail.



Vansen's web link http://www.rockerboxer.com/frame_2.html Scroll down to the bottom of this page.

[Airbear]

And while you are in the Rocker Boxer site, spend some time looking through the galleries - Boxers at Large.
This one is a personal favourite, but I am biased towards the /6 for some strange reason. Enjoy.