The real milage

[jvwilliams]

I just bought my first airhead Beemer. Wanted one for a log time, just never got around to it.
I bought an 82 R65 from a fellow on craigslist.  He owns a small independent repair shop and seems like a good guy.
He got the bike from a customer who had it in storage for 13 years and wanted to ride again.  He put new tires and got it going but the old guy decided it was too late for him and the shop owner ended up with the bike.

Here is the question. The "clock" says 13,700 miles but the crud, rust, yeech on the wheels, nooks and crannies says it is older.
Since the odometer only has 5 digits, is there any way to tell if it is on the second (or more) time around?

Thanks!

[donbmw]

Do not of away to tell on speedo. Look at foot peg and see how much wear they have and other items like that. I have and 82 R65 with over 90,000 miles foot pegs and shift rubbers are worn big time.

Don

[Justin B.]

Best bet is to look at wear items, such as the foot-peg rubbers, shifter rubber, rear brake lining, rear wheel splines, etc.  If it truly has only that few miles these items will show little, if any, wear.  If the foot-pegs are rounded off, your rear splines are very skinny, brake shoe lining getting thin, then it's probably safe to say it has considerably more miles.  It wouldn't be unusual for something that has sat this long to leak profusely and gather a considerable amount of rust, corrosion, and other crud...

Look on the bright side, sine the shop didn't scrub it down before selling then what you see is what you got!  I would rather buy a cruddy one (so I know what's up with it) than one somebody scrubbed to hide stuff like this.  Plus, a dirty one usually doesn't cost as much!  

[airhead]

No, but with a bike that age it's pretty well a given that it's most likely on the odo's second time around (at least!!). No real easy way to tell, other than general condition of the bike. I mileage of only 13K would generally be in pretty good condition, unless the way it was 'stored' was less than ideal or it had had a very hard life.

Bill...................;-)

[jvwilliams]

Well at least you guys are restoring my faith in Beemer riders.  I always believed that people who bought these things rode them, and this one probably has 113k miles on it.
On the other hand, the jury is still out.  Although the bike looks like it was never washed since the mid 80's, the "soft parts" do not look excessively worn, and the ride is fairly tight.  The seat is in excellent condition as it the original paint where it hasn't got banged. Doesn't matter much anyway, I love the little thing. It makes me grin to ride it, and pople at traffic lights give that the "What the f*#k is that!" look.

It came with the biggest, ugliest "all clear with huge built in turn signals" windscreen I ever say. Looks like something a European cop would have. It also had the factory hard cases and mounts.  If anyone wants them, let me know.  It all came off in the first 15 minutes.  Since it will never be pretty, I am leaning toward a camo motif.  Maybe the German pattern for that period.

Thanks for your advice

[Ed Miller]

Can we see pics, of the screen too?  If only for the pleasure of gasping in horror?  Sounds like you're having a blast and that's what it's all about!

[MrRiden]

Truth is you may never know! I'm sure tho that after having a look at the brake rotor thickness, input and drive spline condition, and the wear on the generator commutator you'll have a pretty good guess. Original model shocks? Velo starter? all can be clues. Not to say that any / all may have been replaced at some point but a preponderance of original parts would tend to make me favor the lower figure. If your Odometer, specifically, the trip meter is working then I'll vote for low miles. These are notorious for getting rusty and quiting on older bikes. I'll raise my hand here in interest of the luggage. P.M. me and we'll see what you got. To echo the others here pictures of your prize would be great!
rich

[jvwilliams]

Here she is.

[jvwilliams]

And another (with my beautiful truck in the background)

[Ed Miller]

The bike looks better than mine; I would believe the odometer.  Mine only has 55,000 and the paint is wearing off the tank from my knees.

That fairing looks like a wobble waiting to happen, good job on ditching it!

[MrRiden]

Nice find! looks better than mine did when I got it! shocks look original tho hard to tell, The side covers are missing but no big deal. Looks as if you still have the 'fresh air system' connected to the airbox and cylinder head as well. The shield is a real period piece and looking at the mounts for it at the handlebar ends I've not seen one quite like it. Get her cleaned up and go hit the PCH!
rich

[Justin B.]

It doesn't look too bad but the one peg than can almost be seen doesn't look very square so that wouldn't indicate sub 15k in my opinion.  Maybe a better close-up of the pegs?  The shocks kinda look like the Koni shocks we have.

[jvwilliams]

I have been fiddling with it all day, it is a lot of entertainment in a small package.
As with everything else bought off craigslist, the pictures look better than the model.  No matter, it will become beautiful.
The shocks say Koni Holland on them and they are chrome plated.   It has some niggling electrical issues with switched and lighting but the motor purrs with a kitten with a belly full of milk. That and it has a brand new battery and the dunlops have all their whiskers intact.  What has me stumped so far is how to clean the blasted wheels.  I tried my beloved Flitz with a toothbrush and then scotchbrite and the results were underwhelming.  Bead or water blasting?  I would appreciate your recommendations, and by the way, thanks for all your support. (Fallen wheel pic attached)

Jim

[Bob_Roller]

I would say a candidate for plastic media blasting, I myself would not even go after this job by hand polishing !

Your brake rotors don't have the usual deep grooves in them, for a higher mileage bike.

From the looks of the corrosion on the rims, and the fact you reside just north of San Diego, you just might have a lower mileage bike, probably not 13,700 miles, but not 113,700 miles either.

[MrRiden]

Try El Dorado in San Diego. they are mentioned on some of the Hot Rod boards and seem to do sand, shell, plastic, and soda blasting. http://www.eldoradosd.com/
rich