I saved a /5 yesterday...

[Gumbeaux]

[flux_capacitor]

Thanks for the comments and glad y'all like the art. I'll take a pic of the actual shirt so you can see and then, just once, I will post how you can get one (don't want this thread to become spam).

I may very well call on the local airhead contingent for help at some point so be careful what you wish for! (I spent time in Louisville, though, so at least you know I'd supply good bourbon!)

Nope... not THAT Elvis (now THAT would be a COOL story). THIS Elvis was just some old dude that like shooting deer, lol.

Still haven't had the chance to take any good pics, but they are coming!

[kwb210]

I just picked up a 1973 LWB R75/5, fairly well taken care of but still needs some care. I don't plan on ANY "pretty" work, just make the mechanicals near perfect. Clean and re-grease the steering head bearings, service the wheel bearings (just did that on a 37,000 mile /6 and found them to be totally dry, so a god idea to service) I might replace the coils with a green coil form Motorrad Electrick and new plug wires (would that be an up-grade from 40 year old stuff), then pull tranny and service the splines plus check out any rear main seal leaks, then as long as the swing arm is off I will pull the bearings and freshen up the 40 year old hardened grease and that means you have to replace the $6.00 seals. That pretty much makes for a reliable runner. Of course adjust the valves, ALL fluid changes and new crush washers. That will give you a bike to ride to most rallies and events and get you back home. I plan on running my /5 to the Salem Rally this summer, she looks like a 1973 bike (Craig Vetter fairing and an 8 Track player) but mechanically she will be a solid runner. Oh, one more thing I will be doing is replacing the positive starter wire, starter to battery, a new wire should reduce the volts required to start her up and I also sent off the starter to Motorrad Electrick for a rebuilt. Opps, another item(s) I replaces is the starter relay $10 and the voltage regulator, I think about $27. The idea there was to get rid of 40 year old electrics. My main goal is to have a very reliable runner that still looks like it did in the 70's. Not a restoration, more of a restro-rection, yeah, that sounds good. Very much unlike it operator...
Have fun getting her ready.
Kurt

[FriedDuck]

Nice bike! I looked all over at Barber for Wes's booth to get one of the shirts but never saw it (not like it's easy to get lost in it all in the swap meet eh?)

Can't wait to see how this one goes.

[mark1305]

Hey Flux, Nice find!

Now you have to start attending the Old's Cool Spring & Fall Rallies.

Hhmm... sems like we have one coming up in late April.

[Boojum]

Originally Posted by mark1305

Hey Flux, Nice find!

Now you have to start attending the Old's Cool Spring & Fall Rallies.

Hhmm... sems like we have one coming up in late April.

That's right Flux,........ Get Elvis ready for a ride to the Blue Ridge in late April.....


Boojum

[flux_capacitor]

Good advice, Kurt, thanks for that post. I am thinking similar thoughts.

Jeff, stay tuned, I will post up details about the shirt. Yeah, his booth at Barber was hard to spot, but so was everything down at the swap meet. It always amazes me how much total CRAP is down there. Funny enough I have never seen money exchange hands at any of those booths EXCEPT at Wes' for shirts .

Mark and Boojum, long time no see, fellas. Hope all has been well with y'all. The April rally sounds doable with some luck. I'll have to go find the thread. You know TWO is opening back up...

[Bill Harris]

stay tuned, I will post up details about the shirt

Good deal. I recall reading about that T-shirt artwork before Barber's and then getting completely overwhelmed and fergittin' 'bout it.

Do post. I'm thinking a link to a thread in Vendors will be OK???

--Bill

[flux_capacitor]

Good idea, Bill. I started a thread in vendors.

If you guys want shirts, check out this thread.

Today was crappy out but next sunny day we have I'm gonna pull Elvis outside and take some good 'before' pics so you guys can see what I'm about to deal with!

Boojum, where are the details for the rally? I can't seem to find them.

[flux_capacitor]

Ok I finally had time and decent weather at the same time to take a few pics. In no particular order, this is what I'm dealing with:

[flux_capacitor]

[bpeckm]

Sweet bike, wearing the patina well.... looks pet-friendly too! (they are Always good judges of character!!)....



quick take: looks like the jugs have been pulled (red rtv seeps...) I think I would pull the heads for a quick look into the jugs, change the fluids, clean and wirebrush what you can (get the chokes hooked back up) and take some rides....

[disston]

Agreed. The jugs have been off at some point.

Do what mechanics are needed like fixing leaks and threads. A spline lube might be in order and this job is a good way to get at some of the harder to reach systems for checking. If there is oil on the shelf under the trans it may be from the engine rear oil seal. This job and checking the clutch wear can be done when the rear oil seal is done.

Often neglected in these discussions of where to proceed with the resurrection of an older machine is the wheel bearings. The wheels will come off and the bearings removed to check their condition and if replaced then they will be clean and properly adjusted. The same bearings are in the swing arm.

All possible directions of course. The machine will tell you what it needs, of course.

A very nice original condition bike, good patina. It is original only once. Please do not restore, repaint, if possible. Fix and repair. Ride it. Keep the original paint. No repaint is every worth as much as what you have there.

[Sutherngintelmen]

Very cool looking bike . I'd be tempted to drop the pan too, depending on plug tell and condition of drained oil.

[MikeTheMechanic]

Great bike!

Here you can see the restoration process of an R25.

http://www.moto.gr/forums/showthread.php?t=127533