Save my hands, spend my money

[Reopropf]

Here's how I see it as regards my 1983 R65LS with 32,000 miles.  Bike looked good and rode OK...BUT... it's 26 years old and needs some real love.

Here's what you guys say:

Rich: let bike show age with honor

Mike: painting rusting exhaust is bianual event.  Polish the orange and you may find red

Drew: she looks fine, the weather's fine figure it out down the line

Monte:  draw blood at your knuckles with friends Clyne & Haynes and Mac-Pac BMW breakfast buddies

Respecting the above, lets save my hands and spend some stimulus $$.


This girl needs:

major interval service
steering bearings redone
New fork springs and seals
ALL cables/lines and fluids replaced
tank flushed
filters
new headlight bulb
new battery
new macadams
rear shocks
new original muffler
brake pads front/rear (not yet sure about master cylinder)

That is stage 1 which is all about safety and reliability.

So when we go that far, next to consider...

get seat recovered (just received covering from Canada)
replace cracked instrument panel (in hand)
Replace front fairing ( just because)
Replace side battery covers (in hand)
bar-end mirrors on order
REPAINT.  Now here is where change happens;  The Henna red is orange and there is NO getting around that.  Here's where your opinions matter.  Today, to change tomorrow,  I've thought about silver or black powdercoating wheels and doing bike in Polaris silver or a vibrant silver metallic.  Tank bottom MUST remain black to keep that slick look.( Mike, I do understand the bike will NOT be as fast as yours), but I am NOT going to keep and old & orange.  Another idea is to do bike in BMW black metallic with wheels sand blasted to clean alloy with a clear coat applied.   None of these updates turn this machine into a frankenbemer, something I will not let happen.

So give me your chit and chat...

Peter  

[Bob_Roller]

I agree with the 'stage 1' safety items.

How is the foam on your seat, I had mine replaced when the bike was 16 years old (1997), just had the seat recovered last November, and had a thick gel insert added, well worth the money in my opinion .

As far repainting the bike, that's your call, I personally like the Henna red, and white wheels.

My '81 has a clear coat on the paint, is this the case also with newer year bikes.

[nhmaf]

All of your stage 1 items are good choices, and basically reflect what I did with my 82 LS when I first got it, though I  also had to rebuild the front master cylinder and put in new brake lines (stainless steel will give you more stopping power) and didn't have to replace the muffler(s).  I would recommend adding to the list, unless it is part of your "major service" line item, to pull the swingarm back and pop out the gearbox so you can give the transmission splines a thorough clean and regrease (and same with the clutch pushrod/throwout bearing mechanism, too).

I am now working on re-foaming my seat and recovering it, and repainting at least the sidecovers.   First priority is reliability and safety, as you're going to address with your stage one,  THEN deal with the cosmetics !    
I am sure that a non-Henna red bike will still be very pleasant to ride.

If I succeed in getting my wheels to the powder coaters before the national rally in July I'll let ya know how it goes !

[Landlubber]

Try simply glass beading the wheels and clear coat, but remember , if you have them powdercoated, that is the colour they will be for a long time. Left in natural silver is easy and cheap, looks very presentable, and allows colour changes easily if so desired.

[flongr65]

Here is a pic of my R 65 w/ Blk wheels. I go back and forth as to which I prefer, Blk or silver but for sure the Blk wheels create a more agressive stance.

[MrRiden]

Stage 1 is well thought out and could probably be applied as a standard baseline for 25 something year old bikes. Stage two begins to address personal standards which vary and begin to give the bike personality [dogs look like their owners].
  My 2¢ you can never go wrong with classic black and pin stripe. Vibrant silver is a finish I've always liked [some VW use it] but I'm hesitant to apply it to a quarter century old design but hey, it might rock! I agree with your opinion of the tank bottom if you go silver. Wheels should complement whatever color you use and not compete with it [white wheels on a black bike..UGH] Flongr65 has one nice bike. If you paint it like a John Deer tractor I will assume you a buffoon.
If you are replacing the front fairing would you be keeping the Hans Muth Speed Plow or going for an RS style? I'm interested in a fairing top cover to experiment making a carbon fiber covering.
rich

[Yikes]

You definitely have a well thought out plan to get your bike running and looking like you want it, once you decide on colors.  Two things I would recommend to enhance the plain old utility of your bike are the addition of heated hand-grips and some provision for luggage - side cases or just a nice rack.  I added heated grips to my bike and it not only extended the  range of conditions that I can comfortably ride, it's downright theraputic to my half century old hands to run the heated grips, even when it's not really cold.  And if you're going to carry anything, somehow stowing or strapping it to the bike always beats the backpack.  A good set of side cases will also let you stow and lock up your helmet, riding jacket and bike cover wherever you are.

Just my [smiley=2cents.gif] from my limited experience.