In memory of Jim Adams - an R60/5 build diary

Oh, contraire! Two strokes are the coolest things that ever graced the face of this planet. I would LOVE to have an RZ350! Did you see the photos of my KTM 550 on the first page? That was an absolute monster, and one of my favorite bikes that I ever owned. There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING like the smell, sound, and feel of a two stroke!

RZ350's are some of the coolest bikes out there, and it's going to make an awesome track bike. Your project is TOTALLY worthy of a build thread!

You make a good argument sir...I will think about it
I think I am more afraid of the pressure it will put on me to finish!

Ahhh... the pressure is good for you! I'd probably never have even removed the fairing if it weren't for some good peer pressure from inmates like you!

BD, this is a great thread and that tank is gorgeous, you should get you a t-shirt here to go along with it, maybe for you'd he customize it with the "in memory of..."

Cheers!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=805903

Thanks for the link, DCrider! That's one of the coolest shirts I've ever seen, I'm certainly going to need a couple of them to wear when I'm (finally) out riding the R60!

Unfortunately, no updates yet. STILL waiting on the spokes to show up at my BMW shop so they can lace the rims and hubs. It's been over 2 months now. It's always the things that you don't account for that end up getting you in the end!

You want me to badger your local BMW shop for ya? SPOKES AND RIMS, SPOKES AND RIMS, SPOKES AND RIMS!!!

lol

Actually, yes!

The sad thing is, had I known it would take THIS long for him to get stainless spokes in, I could have ordered them myself from my source and had them within a week!

Oh well, hindsight 20/20, and all that......

Stay the course, backdrifter! I'm learning all sorts of things from you about my new (to me!) 1975 r60/6! And, I have a friend who just bought a 1973 R75/5 - I've pointed him to your thread.

Here's something I can tell you about: My bike came with the full Wixom kit - fairing, bags and trunk. The fairing turns my bike into a quivering mess when I hit about 50 mph... scary! Are you going to use it?

Subscribed!

Thanks for the support!

No, I don't plan to use the Wixom fairing. Partially because I've always like bikes without fairings more (wind in the hair, or helmet, in my case, and all that), and partially because I think it completely ruins the lines of the bike. I'm glad to hear that it also makes the bike handle poorly - that just confirms my decision!

I do plan to keep it though, and while I opted not to pay to have it painted right now, I eventually would like to have it painted and convert it into a lamp or wall light for a bar or rec room (that I currently don't have). I think it would be a pretty cool memento hung up on the wall!

Thanks!

ok that's it! What's the number to this BMW stealership? If them spokes and rims aren't done yet, I am gonna give them a piece of whatever is left of my mind

I'd be inclined to tell the dealer that unless they can guarantee delivery within two weeks that you're cancelling the order.

A very good thing that you are doing here, on many levels. You are creating a family heirloom.

Thanks, gents!

No wheels yet, and I agree... A two week turn around that turns into three months is entirely too long. I'm going to call on Monday and tell him that I am planning to pick them up by the end of next week, done or not. Time to move forward one way or another!

Great posts, the bike is looking like it will be gorgeous when it is done. I have a 71 R60/5 that I ride daily to work and it is an amazing bike you will love it when you fire her up. I am also in the St. Louis area if you ever want to get together compare notes/some of the suppliers that you have been using as I start to tear into mine. Mine is still fairly original and I will upload some pics soon. The one main mod that I would recommend is to do an upgrade to the key switch. You can find an adapter kit here http://www.rockypointcycle.com/p-bmw8_electrics-9650.html the install takes about 15 minutes and you don't have to worry as much about your key disconnecting (mine did once on the freeway) and it takes more than a nail to steal it now. Hope all is well looking forward to some more posts!

Great read! Gives me the motivation to restore my R75/5! Subscribed!

Thanks for all of the comments! As is typical, I let myself get derailed. You may remember that a local shop was going to order some spokes for me and lace up the freshly powder coated rims and hubs. They estimated this would take 2 weeks. That was in May. I finally picked everything up (unassembled - no change from when I dropped them off!) about a month ago. I just now placed what I am hoping will be my last large-scale parts order. It included spokes, wheel bearings, swingarm pivot nuts (I stripped one of mine), among many other odds and ends.

So no worthwhile updates now, but look for changes and progress in the near future.

Sweeeeeeet!

Hi KLRUSERIOUS? !

Good to hear from you again, friend!

Fantastic thread. I just brought a /5 home and hope to do something this thorough someday, with some personal touches.