The Cow is Vertical

[azcycle]

A BIG thank you to Altritter (John) who sent me his old centerstand for the cost of shipping.  Just goes to show you how great this group of folks really are...

So now, she's vertical! The knob on the end of the arm just barely scrapes the non-stock exhaust but it squeaks by.  So now I can get to doing some maintenance (fork seals!)

Super easy to get on and off the stand.  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Your F-in-L certainly was a fiddler!  

It looks like he swapped the fork sliders, to move the calipers onto the front side of the forks.

And he must not have cared for the headlight/instrument mounting arrangement!  Or maybe he got tired of messing with it - the factory welds for the turn signal stalks didn't hold up to many tip-overs...  

But it looks like a great bike.  I love the tires, myself!


Just in case you haven't seen these pictures of my bike in the late 80's:

[azcycle]

wow, I never even noticed the brakes had been moved from back to front.  A "fiddler" ... that's certainly one way of putting it!  According to John, nothing was ever done completely correct from the manufacturer.  Part of the reason we've had such a hard time selling some of his stuff is just because he "modified" it to be better (to him).

Any reason why one way is better than the other?  When I put in new seals, would it be better to switch the sliders back?

About the headlight/turn signals. I have the original headlight/signal mounting frame but as you mentioned, the signal stalks are quite messed up.  He fabricated some custom brackets for the signals.  I still have the speedo and tach (but I think the tach is from a different model... it seems larger). I also have the dashboard plastic surround, but it's cracked/broken.  So I think John just took everything off and put on the custom aftermarket (and too dim) headlight.

I have the original headlight, as well as some other model BMW headlight that measures 7.25" in diameter, but I'm missing the bucket for the 7.25" light.  I'd love to see if the 7.25" light would work, but I need to track down a reasonable bucket for it.

[Semper Gumby]

Graeme,

I think your sliders are OK where they are at unless there is something that makes you think they are not working as well:  Dificulty bleeding the brakes - looks like it should be OK,  driving in the wet -- OK I'm reaching here.

Love the knobbies on the bike.  I think you said they were IRCs?  Where did the front fender come from?  I think you should paint it in Desert Cammo and add a German Machine gun at the passenger position.  You never know when those Jap bikes may come around the corner from behind!!!!  

[montmil]

Graeme,
...I think you should paint it in Desert Cammo and add a German Machine gun at the passenger position.  You never know when those Jap bikes may come around the corner from behind!!!!  

The seat and bags would match perfectly! Muy stealthy.    Bet you'd make a few magazines, too.

Monte

[azcycle]

I like the desert/camo idea.     Maybe I'll switch the sliders... maybe not. The way they're mounted now, the brake hoses have rubbed the paint off the fender and when I go to braided steel lines, I don't want them damaging the fender.  As to the fender... no idea where it came from.  John was the second owner so I'm not sure if it was one of his modifications, or perhaps the 1st owners.

The knobbies are Kenda 270s.  They're only OK, but very inexpensive. As someone mentioned on another moto website... they "feel like riding on gummy bears."  A bit squishy feeling, especially in the corners.

I really like the dual sport look, though.  When I get new tires (soon I hope) I'm going to go with a less aggressive dual sport... perhaps a 70/30 dirt/street rather than these, which are 50/50.

It has a lot of character for sure.  The other day a rider on a chromed-out HD land-yacht pulled up next to me at a red light, and nodded with a big smile.  

He asked "75?"
"No, a 1981."
"No I mean an r75?"
"Ah, no an r65."
"Great bike!  I've got an r1100 and I love it but it just doesn't have the character like that bike does..."

Light turned green, and we parted ways...


The quick Photoshop camo version:

[montmil]

I like it, Graeme! The blackout headlight cover is da bomb. [smiley=thumbup.gif]

Can you do another version with the USArmy's digital camo?

Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

You are pretty good with that Photoshop stuff!

[trolle]

Looks cool. Maybe that's the next look

greetings from a grey, wet and cold north :-(