New from the Salish Sea (and a few other places)

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Hey everyone!

New here.  I don't actually have a motor-cicle at the moment but will be picking one up either this weekend or next.  The last one I had was back in 1989 and was a 81 Honda 550 four. Ever since selling it I've been pining for another bike.  Now with the baby out of the house and off to college I can join the ranks of all the other statistics.

For the last few years I've been pondering over what bike to get vs what I could afford.  Harleys aren't really my style nor could I afford one anyway. Hondas are... well Hondas and I'm not interested in cookie cutter machines and crotch rockets.

When I was a kid I was around a lot of Harley bikers but in 1969 one of my uncles had what I believe to be an R75/5.  The image I have of him and his bike always stuck with me and every time I see an airhead my eyes start to glaze over.

Last weekend I was visiting a friend on another island and after trying out some of his home made spirits he asked me if I was interested in a bike?  I doubted it would be anything I would be interested in let alone afford but agreed to check it out anyway.  When we got out to his back yard he pulled an old mouldy wet carpet off what appear to be a bike but to my amazement it wasn't merely a bike but an old airhead!  He said that he'd sell it to me for $1600 and it that included panniers and spare parts.  And then, after two years of sitting underneath an old carpet, with a couple of key turns and throttle twists it fired right up with a little cough and smoke but cleared right away.  How the hell could I pass up this opportunity?!  That said I was a little dubious of what might be wrong with it.  He said that I might have to rebuild the forks and seal the petcock but that was all that he knew that was wrong with it.  He might even knock a couple hundred off if I help him install a used diesel engine into a sail boat he's rebuilding and then sail with him back up to his island.  Now I'm just waiting on a friend to write me a cheque for a short time loan.

I'm not yet sure if this '87 is an import or one of the very few that were manufactured for the North American market but hope the latter for the sake of the HP differences.  Regardless, I'm buying it anyway.  I am also really happy about the year because of the frame size.

I am totally stoked about the project and to be riding again!  I will surly be making updates along the way as I will most definitely be needing advice.

Cheers to all!

[montmil]

What islands? Is it warm there right now? Exactly where are you located on this third rock?

When you get the Beemer home, post the VIN number and we'll give you a site or two that will provide your bike's birthday. 1987? A mono-shocker it must be.
   Heck, if it's running, that's half the battle! Fork seals are simple as is a petcock rebuild. Any way, you'll want to flush out the tank and inspect it for rust or liner degradation as a maintenance job.

Good luck. Hope you get the bike.

Monte

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Thanks Monte!

I will post up the VIN as soon as I get it and it's definitely a monoshock.  I will also check the tank liner. I saw a video of a disintegrated liner clogging all of the fuel lines (what a mess)

I wish it was warm now but this morning it around 19 deg F.  

The long story:
I live in a group of islands called by the aboriginal people, "Stó:lÇ" which are the waters from the southern part of the Inside Passage (Canada) down to the Puget Sound (US). I officially live south of the boarder but my island is north of the 54th parallel north and north east of Victoria, BC. If I sound cryptic it's because it's a mix of islands in both Canadian and American controlled waters but with an exception of tourist, who often feel as though they were in another country, most of us consider ourselves islanders first.

In English: I live on Orcas Island in US controlled waters which is a slurry of waterways and islands including the "Strait of Georgia, Strait of Juan de Fuca, Rosario Strait, Haro Strait, Presidents Channel, Obstruction Pass, Stuart Channel, Swanson Channel, Satellite Channel, Plumper Sound, San Juan Archipelago, Gulf Islands," and so on. Canadians simply call it all "The Gulf" while many American mainlanders who haven't a clue and call it all the "San Juan Islands" (which would infer that the US controls everything including the Canadian controlled islands) which is like calling the British Isles "England" or vise versa. Both countries recognize it all as the "Salish Sea" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salish_Sea) after the Coast Salish people who lived, hunted, and fished here. This was their "world."  The two biggest islands on each side are Orcas and San Juan (US) and (sans Vancouver Island) Salt Spring and Galiano (CA).  

[montmil]

Well, that certainly clears that up! [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Who will you pay when you snag your first R65 speeding ticket? [smiley=evil.gif]

Once again, welcome to the herd.

Monte

[Boxer_Bolshie]

I should add that I am familiar to boxers since I have been a Subiholic for the last many years.  Last summer I rebuilt my '04 Outback's engine adding many performance mods along the way.  It started out as a 160hp wagon to a 225hp firecracker.  I also dropped a JDM engine into my wife's Baru after the original engine died.


BEFORE:






AFTER:

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Well, that certainly clears that up! [smiley=dankk2.gif]

Who will you pay when you snag your first R65 speeding ticket? [smiley=evil.gif]

Once again, welcome to the herd.

Monte

Thanks for the warm welcome!  I'm not worried about a ticket on the island since I am good friends with most of the guys here (I use to be a firefighter) but on the mainland.... I'll just have to get a bracket for my radar/laser detector  

[Dave 2]

Welcome and thanks for the history lesson. I didn't know anything about  your home area being named the Salish Sea. If you can do that work on your Subaru you should be very comfortable working on your Beemer. In my youth I spent a few months in BC touring on my R60/5, what a beautiful province. Good luck with your R65, just remember they don't float D2

[darrylri]

Welcome!  When I lived in the Seattle area more than a decade ago, we did indeed all call those the San Juan Islands.  

I think that once you get the R65 going, you'll really enjoy the first-on, first-off, no waiting policy that Washington state has for motorcycles on the ferries!  

I certainly did, and that was the only thing that made going out to "the islands" feasible on a nice summer day.  If you drove a car, you'd wait hours to get out to Orcas, and then pretty much get right back in line to come back.  

[suecanada]

I very much enjoyed reading your explanation of your home territory!! Welcome! You do live in an area envied by many from both sides of the border I am sure. So just today I welcome a Cape Towner and a Salish Sea resident....this is getting to be a really interesting mix of asylum members!!

[Melena]

Welcome!  And thanks for that explanation.   I knew some of that was Canada and some US.  What a wonderful area to live.  Another West Coaster.   8-)  A bit farther north than me though (an understatement for sure).  When you get tired of riding the island you've got lots of great riding in Washington.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of this bike in different areas of Orcas Island.  

[Lucky_Lou]

Welcome to the herd... sounds like a nice part of the world, good luck with the bike do you have any reasonable roads to test it out on? i have no idea of the size of your island paradise.
Nice that you managed to drop a JDAM without killing anyone [smiley=beehive.gif] lol.
Lou

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Got the airhead tonight tell ya'll more tomorrow!

[Boxer_Bolshie]

So here's the new news.  

I rode a couple of miles from the sellers house in Friday Harbour to the ferry landing and drove on once the boat got in.  It was only 26 deg F so only my fingers froze.  Once back to Orcas I parked the bike at the landing in one of the parking areas and then picked it up today in the snow!!!

BUT it's home now and MINE!  ALL MINE!

Oh and I made a mistake about the bike.  It's NOT a monoshock after all which I had previously thought (so much going on the past few days). My friend also made a mistake but his was on the year.  It's a 1984 and based on the VIN (WB101436403E6388010) the engine was built in September 1984 but I'm okay with that.  It also gave me $100 off the bike.

Will post pics in the next day or so.

Hey I'm a R65 owner!  

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Oh and it came with parts and accessories:
Set of BMW hard touring panniers (one needs clasps)
Set of new header nuts
New BMW header nut wrench
Set of head gaskets
Set of new BMW pedal covers
Used set of fork reflectors
Four new filters
Misc nuts and bolts
Half helmet

[Boxer_Bolshie]

Am building my todo list:

Short list:
-Rebuild left carburetor and install new seals and gaskets as it was leaking when I first saw the bike but now it's not(?).  I can't believe that it would "resolve" it's self... could it?
-All fluids flushed and replaced incl filters
-I ordered a set of crash bars (I could need these soon)
-Pickup some clasps for the left touring pannier and seals for both
-Front brake pads (really worn)
-Ordered rear box rack

Long list:
Besides complete rebuild & restoration incl powder coated frame parts
-Upgrade shocks (front and rear)
-Find double front brake disc retrofit kit
-Upgrade brake calipers
-Install 120mm rear tire (we have LOTS of gravel roads out here)
-OEM Buy rear box (or bigger)
-Find spoke wheelset (I'm a cyclist and so like these much more than the cast aluminum)
-Corbin double seat with Yak hair bum warmer (keeps the wife comfy when she lets me drive)
-Fairing (so far I haven't been too impressed by the selection)
-SS exhaust (got these on my big boxer and know how well they improve performance and economy)
-Heated handlebar grips
-Fog lights (already have some PIAA 520s and 520s available)
-Microwave oven (for frozen burritos on those longer trips to America)
-Viper Gatling gun (for the Harley's in my life and in the way)
-Investigating the possibility to retrofitting my spare Subaru boxer four cyldr...
JK on the Gatling guns. My body guards take care of them