The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: montmil on January 22, 2014, 05:39:16 PM
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Got an invite to visit a long-time friend of the Marque so took the opportunity to ride the R100S and show it off. I was outclassed...
Paul has been involved with Airhead BMWs for a few decades -joined MOA the year the organization was formed- and was prepping his highly modified "sled" for his annual late-February gathering of the clan in Big Bend National Park, Texas. This huge desert landscape borders Mexico and is larger than the State of Rhode Island -1252 sq mi vs 1215 sq mi. It's home to rattlesnakes, horned toads, scorching heat, banditos con pistoles, and the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off. Plus the occasional crowd of insane motorcyclists that find pleasure in 100+mph speeds on gravel, single track trails. BTW, emergency services can be hours away...even by air.
Paul's lengthened wheelbase trail runner still carried the dust from last year's adventure. After a week in the Bend, I noticed his air filter was completely wasted. The bike wears it's scars but still makes grown men whimper if they try to keep pace.
The bike has a custom built swing arm to handle the lengthened drive shaft. All the required bits were designed and machined by Paul and a couple of his certifiable cohorts.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul4_zpsd2868433.jpg&hash=f2e3297f7c8528c1ad8eef3ec08cbe8ceeaafc24) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul4_zpsd2868433.jpg.html)
The front triple clamps are modified to accept the hefty fork legs sourced from a different branded bike. Diamond-plate aluminum is welded to the rocker covers as a safety precaution. Both sides show their wounds and worth.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul7_zpsce0a7161.jpg&hash=e8f2da9383a4e2846b2e8c7c4b61e501725cabf2) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul7_zpsce0a7161.jpg.html)
Custom lengthened driveshaft along with a completely new swingarm and a cable-operated rear brake. Vinyl booties cover the full length of the twin shocks. Shorty, spark arrestor mufflers barely control the exhaust note.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul5_zps15ceb1a4.jpg&hash=d33510b3b4744511a7f163fa0cc80342d5e3cfaf) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul5_zps15ceb1a4.jpg.html)
The tasty, red sidehack rig began life as a R50/5 but now has an R90/6 engine with a Jawa car. The British Avon fairing neatly matches the lines of the Jawa. Looks factory.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul1_zps0c915c3d.jpg&hash=44f34b67b5a003d4cfb33bf5413f9e6fbb22d441) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul1_zps0c915c3d.jpg.html)
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul3_zps996b9a94.jpg&hash=be4c068c83a2d71d7f401351a12f4c5d59c0c5e0) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul3_zps996b9a94.jpg.html)
Kermit usually rides in the side car. Paul says the local college girls wave at him. Him may be Kermit...I'm thinking.
There's also a lovely R100RT squeezed in along with two complete Airhead engines, another Airhead rebuild with parts awaiting assembly, spare wheels and thousands of Airhead pieces parts n' bits squirreled away.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FPaul8_zpsf38c1206.jpg&hash=90e01c15a7c69dcc7f50b34937b91aa9a3b955aa) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/Paul8_zpsf38c1206.jpg.html)
As I was gearing up to leave, Paul told me, "If you need any parts, lemme know." What was it that Terminator said? "I'll be Bach."
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That is certainly the sort of guy you want to stay friends with!
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Wow, what a great day that must have been!
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Nice!
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Nice Monte, nice. Would that be an RT masquerading as a RS perhaps?
So as a Bend competitor, is he aiming towards the Dakar? We need more BMs entering. I think there was only one entered this year and the trend was towards smaller capacity engines.
Cheers, Burt.
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Nice Monte, nice. Would that be an RT masquerading as a RS perhaps?
So as a Bend competitor, is he aiming towards the Dakar? We need more BMs entering. I think there was only one entered this year and the trend was towards smaller capacity engines.
Cheers, Burt.
Could be almost anything, Burt. ;) Paul has a nasty habit that any bike in his possession gets altered, modified, mix n' matched until it could be identified as a half-dozen different models.
The silver bike began life as a 1978 R100S but is wearing 1981 silver body work as the bike was set up with a standard touring seat, Luftmeister fairing and Krauser bags.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2F78Sw81bodywork_zps71eaf2a6.jpg&hash=23ba6becc88510c97b1178c95aa07bd02cad3fa3) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/78Sw81bodywork_zps71eaf2a6.jpg.html)
The red metallic chassis FrankenBike is a made-up 'S' using a 1983 motor, trans and electrical system within a modified 1973 LWB /5 frame. The original red fuel tank had a rust issue and the silver tank was a freebie.
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FPaul%2520Lehrer%2520BMW%2FRedR100S_zps414922ab.jpg&hash=85519597f8aedc7e7a36ede45ad444ebd1e48982) (http://s196.photobucket.com/user/montmil/media/Paul%20Lehrer%20BMW/RedR100S_zps414922ab.jpg.html)
As to the Big Bend adventures, unfortunately both Paul and another friend of mine in town that's also a member of the "Bend Banditos" with a similar desert sled Airhead, have been benched by their respective medicos and banned from high-speed adventures due to age-related issues. OK to camp and putt-putt around Terlingua but anything outta first gear is pretty much verboten.
:'(