R65 Resurrection

[TomHoldom]

Thanks Barry,
I've got the DOT refs here; the front is 497, which must be 49th week of 1997, and the rear 499 being the end of 1999........

[MrTall100]

Yes Tony, wooden would be a good description on how the lever feels especially with the SS lines fitted.

Having spent a small fortune on the brakes inc replacing the calliper seals and lines it will have to do for a while. It’s never going to be a daily ride.

Leaving old fluid in them sitting for years is what probably kills them as not been on the road since 2008.

[Barry]

Thanks Barry,
I've got the DOT refs here; the front is 497, which must be 49th week of 1997, and the rear 499 being the end of 1999........

You'll want to change them then !

I had those 3 digit codes on my 79 when I bought it at 28 years old and only 6000 miles.  The problem with the 3 digit codes was you couldn't tell which decade they dated from. The front was so rock hard it was obviously original and I replaced it immediately but the rear looked good with no cracks and had so much tread left I initially thought it was a later tyre and rode on it for several thousand miles. When it refused to wear out I changed that as well. 

[TomHoldom]

ok. These seem reasonably priced in France - d'you think they'll be ok?
Rear Tyre
Metzeler ME77 - CLASSIC
SIZE: 4.00 -18 64H

Front Tyre
Metzeler ME22 - CLASSIC
SIZE: 3.25-18 59P reinf.

[TomHoldom]

Any tips on getting the last bolt undone to get my calipers apart?

[Tony Smith]

Put them back on the bike and then jump on that extension bar you have there, after first soaking it with a 50/50 mix of Acetone and ATF for a few days.

A bit of heat would probably help the process too.

Replace bolts with Stainless Steel ones and use anti-seize on them.

[davidpdx]

I didn't see that anyone had mentioned new tires. When I bought my bike it had 10 year old tires on it with less than 1000 miles on them. The bike was so squirrelly that I though that I had forgotten how to ride a motorbike. New tires and shocks made a world of difference. Lesson learned, tread depth is not the only thing to check. The month and year of manufacture is stamped on the side of the tire if you look long enough.

[Justin B.]

Yeah, tires are close to the top of my list of things to change on a "new" bike.  The last three used motorcycles I've had had a head-shake at about 40 mph that was "fixed" with new tires...

[TomHoldom]

anyone care to comment on these as replacements?
Rear Tyre
Metzeler ME77 - CLASSIC
SIZE: 4.00 -18 64H

Front Tyre
Metzeler ME22 - CLASSIC
SIZE: 3.25-18 59P reinf.

[davidpdx]

Metzelers are spendy tires but I have ridden on bad asphalt in rainy near freezing temp and they have never gone out from under me so I am pretty much sold. The old rock and roll song "the brakes are good, the tires fair" kind of doesn't make it on two wheels. But I still like the song.

[TomHoldom]

Oil filter change.
I'm just fitting my replacement oil filter and have 2 spare washers from the motobins kit - see photos - are these necessarily required?

[Aethelric]

I'll be interested too.  I could not find a place for the big metal "shim" either.  Nothing like that came out of the old one.

[TomHoldom]

also replacing washers to the various sumps.
replacements are copper with a rounded profile, and originals are flat edged aluminium - see photo.
Am I doing the right thing?

Got  a torque setting for the gearbox sump, but nothing given for the engine oil (which is an allen key, so difficult any way to hook up to my torque wrench....) Not too tight a suppose?

[Barry]

I'm sure the copper crush washers will be fine. 

BMW's spec for the sump plug torque is something like 22ftlbs which I consider dangerously high. I go very light with 10 ftlbs for all the fill and drain plugs except the drive shaft which gets a bit less and I've never had one leak or fall out.  You could probably safely go a little higher than 10 but I wouldn't dare use 22 ftlbs. I'd be interested to hear what others use.

[Bob_Roller]

The large metal washer, commonly called a shim, goes into the oil filter cavity, it sits on the edge of the sleeve in the filter area .
As far as tightening the various fill and drain lugs, you need a light touch with the wrenches, etc ...
You'll find out real quick, that steel fasteners and aluminum threads can become a disaster if over tightened .