I'm starting a new thread for my first build for all to enjoy. Since I can remember I've had a love for old airhead cafe racers. In my mind, a perfect blend of muscle and style. Strong elegance. The theme of my first build is New Vintage. Every single gasket, bearing and seal replaced along the way. I want people to do a triple-take when looking at my bike parked on the street. Two parts custom cafe racer, two parts vintage motorcycle is the recipe. Living in Alaska, the selection and grade of available airheads is different than the lower 48. I found a perfect candidate from an old German family just 10 miles from where I live. Turns out the 80 year old father used to own the BMW motorcycle dealership in town years prior. I knew immediately I had fallen into a treasure chest of old bikes and knowledge when there were 4 connex containers on the property used to store old bikes. I couldn't be luckier. Here's what I left with: 1974 R90 with full touring equipment. I could see the bike I wanted to build under those luggage boxes and enormous fairing. I rode the bike for a few weeks before beginning my build. It was a ton of fun. Heavy and smooth. I'm not a big Harley guy so it was great to already turn heads in my small town just based upon the vintage of the bike....not the window shaking sound qualities of the Harleys. Here's what 17 beers looks like:
I can dismantle like an animal but its the other part that always gets me. It took just a week to get the powder coating and bead blasting complete. It's amazing what a few pizzas and Bush Ice does for the priority of your project. I went with blacked-out spokes to emphasize the paint job on the think and tail.
Boxer Metal fender eliminator kit. Great product. Boxer Cafe battery relocation kit. I ground the original battery box brackets off the frame. Tarrozi rear sets Hagon classic shocks I'm not 100% on the shark fin turn signals. May go with something different and more streamlined. Logo swing arm caps. What a great touch!
This is my original mock-up using Boxer Metal's top clamp. I loved the rat-rod feel of the drilled holes but I wanted something flatter. Something that would not de-emphasize the length of the bike and the clip-on bars to follow. I lost sleep over what to do next. I heavily considered running without gauges but eventually decided I'd like the data from an Acewell...I just didn't want it sitting on top of the bike like a pimple on a 7th graders forehead. More beers later I called my buddy at the machine shop and proceeded to pump him full of cheep booze at the local watering hole. This was the result: I get the data an Acewell offers but the flat-top look I desired. Thank goodness for beer.
Looking at the before, and after photos, you should be ashamed!!! You have ruined a classic, that can never be returned to it's pristine state! Just look at the ugly useless, tasteless POS you have created!!! Oh wait, yours is the lovely tasteful two tone one?!? The one with the terrific looking brown leather seat? Never mind..... Beautiful work Sir!
Thanks House. I'm pleasantly surprised. I thought I'd have a 3:1 ratio of compliments vs. complaints. My 61 stays as-is and is a hoot to drive while wearing bomber goggles. Chicks dig the old dirty single (motorcycle)
I was going to ask what parts were involved with the dual disc conversion, but I see it was done before you got the bike. ..and didn't anyone ever tell you; those '74s will kill ya! I have four, so I'm just waiting.. Yours is f'ing beautiful.
Since this photo I've shortened and colored the horn bracket. It sits 1.5" higher now and is much less distracting.
I'll be moving the plate to the right side and inboard of the shock - a copy of Bill42's bracket...genius.
Super clean tail wiring. Quick disconnects for tail light & a Lithium Iron battery at 3.1 pounds! Spendy but worth the weight reduction.
