Greetings from Wigan ...

[chopper_harris]

A quick hello from the land of the one-eyed pie-eaters  

Chopper Harris, been hanging around the Motobins forum for many years, and now on the GabFest.

Been restoring classics for over 30 years, and turned a hobby into a useful second income.
Problem is, when I've finished a nice project, I'm loath to sell it.

Just starting the resto of a 1985 R65 Mono. I bought it two years ago as a cheap parts donor for my R100 RS Mono.

Surprisingly sweet to ride, I didn't have the heart to break it, so it went into the projects queue.

Now at the top of the pile, I'm torn between a standard resto and an old school R69 look.

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Can anyone advise which wire wheels will go onto a mono - I suspect that the R80 R and Mystic are my only realistic option.


Regards to all

Chopper Harris


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This is how she looked on the first day at home :

[not-so-fast-ed]

Welcome aboard Harris.

Thanks for rescuing another "Mono".

I'm no help on what might fit, as I'm too new to learning all there is on these bikes.  I got back on a year ago after a 38 year absence.  

Although I prefer the original look myself, we've got some very creative people on this forum that have built very interesting variations.  I'm sure that they will be glad to share their knowledge if you give them a chance.

 

Let us know what part of Blimey (?) you hail from.  Geography never was my thing.

By the way, I learned to ride on a R69 in Germany back in the 60's.  Still love them.

Best,

Ed

[chopper_harris]

That would be the bottom line on my signature  

Wigan is a small, inconsequential ex-mining town between Manchester and no-where.

Approximately 210 miles North of London, on the West coast.

Here endeth the Geography lesson.

[larstorders]

Hi Chopper.
Thats looking like a good mono from here.
I've never thought about doing a retro mono, could be interesting. However, RSs are jolly nice too.
I used to live just down the road from you in Warrington nearly 20 years ago. I rode an R65 for a while then too.
I do miss the friendly folk up north, but don't miss the weather  

[suecanada]

I've actually been to Wigan...have relatives at Ashton-in-Makefield by the name of Dobbs. We really enjoyed the Wigan Pier display where there was a very large steam engine..and the cotton mills. Spent a fair bit of time researching family background in St. Helens. Fond memories.

I sure hope you stick around our forum here as it would probably be a pretty good assumption that your 30 years of experience will come in really handy!!!!n Welcome!!

[nhmaf]

Welcome !!

More and more of these R65 bikes with RS fairings are turning up from the other side of the pond.  I still think that they look quite nice with them !

Personally I think that it would look pretty good with an R90S style paint job, but I don't know how/if one can easily do that smoke look well without some compressor and air gun equipment.   I would think that the Mystic wheels would probably fit the easiest, but you may also have luck with the wire wheels from the R80/100 GS bikes - though I think that
your mono's front wheel is 18" and I think that the GS/ST front wheels were 19" ?

[trolle]

Welcome aboard!

Having a wife who does not approve of motorcycles in pluralis, I must contend with rebuilding my '84 rs65 aka the wh8la2 once in a while. At present she (the bike, not the wife) is being turned into an RS.

greetings from a wet and for the time of year warm north

[aussie]

Welcome aboard Chopper - no relation to Chopper Reid I trust?

Wigan? That name rings a bell - was there a TV series set there at some stage?

A nice looking bike - I'm rather envious of those with RS fairings.

You sure have a stable full of bikes there.

Cheers

[chopper_harris]

More and more of these R65 bikes with RS fairings are turning up from the other side of the pond.

This conversion was done by the supplying dealer, before delivery to first owner.

The bike pre-dates the re-introduction of the R100 RS Mono (Oct 1986), I guess the owner couldn't afford the naked R80 plus the fairing conversion ?

My R100 RS Mono had been nakedised by a previous owner, so this was a cheap way to get a mint fairing, plus donor electrics and frame parts.

I have sourced a pair of 2nd hand headlamp brackets, and all the parts to create two factory spec airheads

Welcome aboard Chopper - no relation to Chopper Reid I trust?

No - Ron 'Chopper' Harris was a Soccer player with Chelsea in the late 1960's

A notorious 'hard man' from a time when footballers didn't ponce around, or have celebrity wives.

I'm originally from Liverpool, we had Tommy 'Iron Man' Smith (and Leeds United had Norman 'Bite your Ankles' Hunter)

Happy Days  

[scarygary]

hello...

that mono looks the dogs bollocks.. nice!

keep us updated with lots of pics!!

cheers,

Gary

[welshman]

Hello Chopper,another refugee from Moto-Bins.I'm only a few miles from them near Grantham. Glyn.

[chopper_harris]

the forum - yes.  Motobins - Never.

Motorworks every time for me - better stock, nice Northern folks - and trade discount  

[welshman]

I meant a refugee from their website.

[welshman]

or forum even!

[arthurshort]

More and more of these R65 bikes with RS fairings are turning up from the other side of the pond.

This conversion was done by the supplying dealer, before delivery to first owner.

The bike pre-dates the re-introduction of the R100 RS Mono (Oct 1986), I guess the owner couldn't afford the naked R80 plus the fairing conversion ?

My R100 RS Mono had been nakedised by a previous owner, so this was a cheap way to get a mint fairing, plus donor electrics and frame parts.

I have sourced a pair of 2nd hand headlamp brackets, and all the parts to create two factory spec airheads

Welcome aboard Chopper - no relation to Chopper Reid I trust?

No - Ron 'Chopper' Harris was a Soccer player with Chelsea in the late 1960's

A notorious 'hard man' from a time when footballers didn't ponce around, or have celebrity wives.

I'm originally from Liverpool, we had Tommy 'Iron Man' Smith (and Leeds United had Norman 'Bite your Ankles' Hunter)

Happy Days  

Welcome chopper, Nice impressive line of two wheelers you have there. I'm envious! At least you don't have to watch one of those (soccer players and his celebrity wife) prance around. But we do, he's over here in Los angeles, California. Great game that soccer played a little myself. Glad to have you with us.     8-)