a LS is coming home

[wilcom]

Going to get a bike today (400 miles). Snagged it off Face Book. Sight unseen, so we'll see if it's a Prize.... or..... a Pig!,,,for a $1000US I had to take a shot at it...……… He said it needs a Battery and the Carb leaks...…….Does that might mean it will start and run? ( I didn't take the time to ask)

Wish me lucki

[DonC]

Wilcom, looks pretty good and the price is right! Does the cat come with it??

[wilcom]

Does the cat come with it??

If the cat's included, he'll feel right at home here!

[BPT]

I saw that, I was wondering if someone here would snag it.  Not sure how you could go wrong at that price.   I'll be curious to know how it ends up.
Glad it was you, good luck.

[wilcom]

Glad it was you, good luck.

Thanks BPT. His post was only 4 minutes old when I pounced.  Figured at the worst I could part it out and get most of my seed back plus have a ton of spares left over. At best though, I wanted another bike so my sons could go riding with me. I'm going to cultivate a younger group of friends,  my peer group have either hung up their leather jackets or died.

Never thought much about it,  but sure  enough, ya live long enough you can run out of friends

[Tony Smith]

Joe I am so glad you got that one. I saw the post almost as soon as it went up and it did idly cross my mind to buy it and then find somewhere to keep it while I organised shipping to Australia.

It would have worked too, around $AU1500 to ship from West Coast USA to East Coast Australia, say around another $500 to cover contingencies. Given that in the photo the bike looks like it is worth about $AU5k there was some headroom. Unfortunately by the time I got a quote on shipping it had gone. As I said, I am so glad it was to you.

[wilcom]

Unfortunately by the time I got a quote on shipping it had gone. As I said, I am so glad it was to you.

Tony, pictures can be very deceiving, but on the bright side, he thought enough of the bike to put a lock on the rotor.

I will be happy as a clam if I pull on the front brake and have good feel!!!

[ged in oz]

Nice score Joe! I noticed the FB post as well, but not much good on the other side of the planet, but I did marvel at someone selling an LS at 1000 bux. And it even looks pretty tidy to boot!

I hope it scrubs up and checks out ok but it’s certainly a better starting point then where I was in February, that’s for sure and it’s even cheaper as well!

[skippyc]

Looking forward to see how you get it running.

[wilcom]

I will be happy as a clam if I pull on the front brake and have good feel!!!

I drove and collected the bike today. See obligatory picture below showing said bike setting next to my red LS

Wouldn't you just know it, the only thing I'm disappointed about is the front brake was locked up and had to crack the bleeders to get it to free up. Must be a self-fulfilling prophecy'

It's the real deal. a honest to goodness R65LS built 12/1982 with a clean title. It's been idle for some time as the Road Rider tires are 8 years old and show as if new.

It has the tire pump in place, tool tray, the inner fairing trim pieces are still there and not broken, but the darn tabs are. Steel braided brake lines and a battery tender hook up. Looked like it lived a nice life somewhere before it set out in the weather this past year,

This fellow has never touched it, bought it to fix up and never did anything with it. He said  when he bought it the fuel lines were leaking(pouring) but it did start and run.

The paint code on the fender was still intact. It started life as a Polaris white/silver bike. The history of why it is black has been lost. 

I'll order some fuel line and a battery and see if I can get the engine to make noise next week, but for now after 850 mile bike collection in the last 23 hours, I'm going to find my cat and take a nap.

[wilcom]

The paint code on the fender was still intact. It started life as a Polaris white/silver bike. The history of why it is black has been lost.

Why it is Black...…………..I may have some insight as to why the bike was painted black. I wiped off the tank this morning and looked it over. There are NO signs that the tank has been repainted. The strips look "factory" and no blemishes what so ever, other than a few light scratches that 35 years have added.

Could very well of had something happen to the original tank, rust or dropped an anvil on it?  When he snagged the new black tank( with two color pinstrips) He painted the rest of the bike to match the tank rather than spray such an obviously nice tank. Just a guess

[BPT]

Was the LS only offered in silver and red?  Your theory sounds plausible, since I guess any R65 tank would fit.  I think the LS didn't come with pinstripes, correct?

[wilcom]

Was the LS only offered in silver and red?  Your theory sounds plausible, since I guess any R65 tank would fit.  I think the LS didn't come with pinstripes, correct?

The R65LS came in Henna Red and Polaris Metallic and no pin stripe.   I'm not sure which years had the white wheels with Henna Red.  I thought it was the introduction year that had white wheels but I have never found it in print

[Bob_Roller]

You made a great deal, like you said, the parts are worth more than that .

A parts bike is a great advantage for trouble shooting .

[wilcom]

I got the first wave of parts ordered. Battery and fuel line from Amazon. The new seat cover is coming from Motobins. This is only my second time ordering anything from Motobins and I was duly impressed. about 5 clicks and 30 seconds and I had my LS  seat cover ordered. Very efficient website !

While I was awaiting parts I decided to drain the fuel( year old I expect). Decided to try and charge the battery and discovered it was a genuine BMW  Gel battery. It also had a genuine BMW air filter( the PO was no "Cheap Charlie")

With the tank off all the wiring looked as it should,  all the lil ty wraps in place. Looked totally unmolested with hammer and tong.

The Carbs looked very clean and I suspect they had been off and cleaned not all that many miles ago. I took them off and squirted cleaner in all the ports and orifices, got squirts coming out all the right places. I was carful NOT to adjust any thing as I figured it was" running when parked". Pulled the plugs and cleaned them off, they were a little sooty. The battery had enough charge to roll the unplugged motor over until the oil light went off.  So far so good.

You know I had to...….. I was too close not to see if the motor would make noise! hehe

I filled the bowls, as I had cut the old fuel lines. Gave it some choke and spun it over. Took the choke off and spun it again and it fired up and would idle before I turned it off. Yeee Hawww

Video  of first start up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAYMXOwi3aE

Maybe tomorrow I will check the rest of the fluids and attack that front brake that was locked up when I put it on the trailer..