Beemer in a box

jbcaddy · 07-01-2011, 10:37 PM

well, actually more than one box.

My tale of woe. I've had a 71 R75/5 for years. With partial thanks to brother younger it has been stored in various garages or back porches for way too many years. I tried to revive it quite a while back, only to have the shop change hands and it took threats from a lawyer for me to get the partially dissasembled bike back. the new owners felt I might owe them money even tho they wanted it out of thier shop.it was a pay as you go project and I was paid in full at that stage. with that discouraging event, the poor beast went back into hibernation for many more years. I am embarrased enough to refuse to even try and figure out how long it has been.
Now for the latest stage.
A friend of mine is a semi retired motorcycle mechanic. I had a boat, he wanted a boat. the deal was made and the beemer went to live in a new garage to be rebuilt. next, I found a R100/7 that needed a new home for cheap. it had been in a wreck, but the main peices were there. took them to said friend also. waited while several other projects were finished. watched other projects get started and finished. asked questions, got evasive answers. ect. ect. ect.
Recently I got tired of waiting. Went to gather things up. figured that I could do better on my own and probably just spend dollars rather than boats to get it back on the road. discovered that both motors had been completely dissasembled and the parts were not labeled and were mixed together. I just stared at the shelf for a while in shock and horror.

started gathering up pieces and bringing them home. I guess Chris and Ozzie in Chico will be seeing lots more of me when I get everything together in new boxes. Such fun

I know it would probably be cheaper to just go out and buy another running bike, but I've had it so long and it has never complained once about how I have neglected it. it never even got the least bit jealous about the Ducati's. I owe it to her and myself. It will be a slow process, but at least this time I have a chance to get the project completed.
There's hope for the future, Jan

NitroMax · 07-01-2011, 11:36 PM

Sounds like some adventure, keep us posted with lots of pics

bmweuro · 07-02-2011, 09:01 AM

It will take us a while but we will get you put back together. I love 70-71 R75/5's.

jbcaddy · 07-02-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmweuro

It will take us a while but we will get you put back together. I love 70-71 R75/5's.

thanks, it will take a few more trips before I get all the pieces (i hope I find ALL) in one location. then I'll bring them by for your help in sorting them out. JB

rkjjeep · 07-02-2011, 12:49 PM

and yours can be called a boxer for more than one reason

Hawk Medicine · 07-02-2011, 11:48 PM

What a nightmare....

I feel obligated to say this so: You could save yorself a lot of $$$$ Pain and suffering if you sold off the parts you have (It's no longer a bike. It's parts!) and bought a running bike. There! I said it and it's the truth!

On the other hand, theres a lot of satisfaction in bringing your Airhead back from the grave and you are in good hands. Have at it and post photos!

Bill Harris · 07-03-2011, 03:56 AM

Quote:

You could save yorself a lot of $$$$ Pain and suffering if you sold off the parts you have (It's no longer a bike. It's parts!) and bought a running bike.

And unless he has lots of experience with that bike and is a good wrench, boxes of parts can become incomprehensible. Best to part that bike out, either bit-by-bit or altogether.

jbcaddy · 07-03-2011, 08:45 AM

the bike does have lots of memories connected with it. my cousin, Fred Mallory found it for me many years ago after we returned from a six week 12K mile ride around the US of A. He and Marilyn on thier Beemer and me and wife to be Karen on a 750 Honda. I was envious of the Beemer during the trip and Fred found it just weeks after we got back home. Fred passed away a few years ago and I think about him every time I think about this bike. Fred was more of a big brother to me than just a cousin.
Yes, I know another bike would be cheaper. I could just sell it as parts and forget the whole beemer thing and ride my GranCanyon, or the Ducati, or buy a new Guzzi. yet, with this bike I can always trash my brother for borrowing it and crashing

it on hwy 41 between Oakhurst and Yosemite. I had to get it back on the road myself as he was without funds to pay for the repairs. I will always run this bike with the welded up valve covers from that incedent

I'm sure that between Chris, Ozzie and myself, we will get this collection of parts back on the road. I've kept it much longer than I did the wife,

can't get rid of it now.

NevadaTex · 07-03-2011, 09:08 AM

Fook the cost....preserve the memories. Besides, it's not like you're in a rush to get it back on the road.

Take your time and enjoy the process of the rebuild. Hell, you may surprise yourself and actually get it running.

bmweuro · 07-03-2011, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NevadaTex

Fook the cost....preserve the memories. Besides, it's not like you're in a rush to get it back on the road.

Take your time and enjoy the process of the rebuild. Hell, you may surprise yourself and actually get it running.

I'm going to help him as much as I can. It will be a fun project over time.

Bill Harris · 07-03-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

the bike does have lots of memories connected with it. my cousin, Fred Mallory found it for me many years ago...

If it has memories and a history, then go for it. There are some things that mere money can't buy!

camgregus · 07-03-2011, 12:15 PM

Great story, keep us filled in on the saga....

Hawk Medicine · 07-03-2011, 12:23 PM

Wait a minute....

what youre showing us and what youre describier are vastly different. You have a rolling chassis, so the works 1/2 done before you turn a wrench!

Since the short block is still intact, rebuilding that bike should be pretty straightforward. My bet is that the only hinderence to reassembling it will be your ability to write checks and budget your spare time.

Oh.... And if thats a /5, it has a /6 front end on it. Who added the disk brake?

elite-less · 07-03-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mymindsok

Wait a minute....

what youre showing us and what youre describier are vastly different. You have a rolling chassis, so the works 1/2 done before you turn a wrench!

Since the short block is still intact, rebuilding that bike should be pretty straightforward. My bet is that the only hinderence to reassembling it will be your ability to write checks and budget your spare time.

Oh.... And if thats a /5, it has a /6 front end on it. Who added the disk brake?

Sorry about the confusion. That was a story about my friends similar experience, not the OP's. Nuked it to alleviate further confusion.

wmax351 · 07-03-2011, 02:35 PM

I'm almost done with building an airhead from a box of parts. a '71 R75/5, with a toaster tank. Arrived at my house in a dude's wrangler in a bunch of boxes. Some of the major work had already been done (rebuilt and sodablasted heads, new pistons 1st over, bored and sodablasted jugs, powdercoating the (bent) frame, etc.) and i did the rest. Its been a great project. Would have been cheaper to just buy a running bike, but in the end, I end up with what amounts to a brand new R75/5 that I know everything was done on.

07-01-2011, 10:37 PM	#1
jbcaddy ^OP Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Oroville & Placerville, California U.S.ofA. Oddometer: 939	Beemer in a box well, actually more than one box. My tale of woe. I've had a 71 R75/5 for years. With partial thanks to brother younger it has been stored in various garages or back porches for way too many years. I tried to revive it quite a while back, only to have the shop change hands and it took threats from a lawyer for me to get the partially dissasembled bike back. the new owners felt I might owe them money even tho they wanted it out of thier shop.it was a pay as you go project and I was paid in full at that stage. with that discouraging event, the poor beast went back into hibernation for many more years. I am embarrased enough to refuse to even try and figure out how long it has been. Now for the latest stage. A friend of mine is a semi retired motorcycle mechanic. I had a boat, he wanted a boat. the deal was made and the beemer went to live in a new garage to be rebuilt. next, I found a R100/7 that needed a new home for cheap. it had been in a wreck, but the main peices were there. took them to said friend also. waited while several other projects were finished. watched other projects get started and finished. asked questions, got evasive answers. ect. ect. ect. Recently I got tired of waiting. Went to gather things up. figured that I could do better on my own and probably just spend dollars rather than boats to get it back on the road. discovered that both motors had been completely dissasembled and the parts were not labeled and were mixed together. I just stared at the shelf for a while in shock and horror. started gathering up pieces and bringing them home. I guess Chris and Ozzie in Chico will be seeing lots more of me when I get everything together in new boxes. Such fun I know it would probably be cheaper to just go out and buy another running bike, but I've had it so long and it has never complained once about how I have neglected it. it never even got the least bit jealous about the Ducati's. I owe it to her and myself. It will be a slow process, but at least this time I have a chance to get the project completed. There's hope for the future, Jan

07-01-2011, 11:36 PM	#2
NitroMax Studly Adventurer Joined: May 2010 Location: Netherlands, Europe Oddometer: 566	Sounds like some adventure, keep us posted with lots of pics __________________ 1300cc 217Nm/207Hp NOS-injected VMax (1985) 500 cc 1950 BSA chopper (1983) 750 cc CB750 chopper ( 1990) 1200 cc Z1000 dragbike (1976) 300 cc MZ transporthack (1989) winterhack 900 cc BMW R 90/6 hack ( 1976) summerhack 750 cc BMW K 75 RT ( 1993 ) daily driver Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter ( Mark Twain )

07-02-2011, 09:01 AM	#3
bmweuro Mad Scientist Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Chico, California Oddometer: 2,935	It will take us a while but we will get you put back together. I love 70-71 R75/5's. __________________ BOXER Metal BMW Biker Scum BMW Mad Scientist! VBMWMO #7770, BMW MOA #48694 & Airhead BMW Club #600

07-02-2011, 11:48 PM	#6
Hawk Medicine Coyote's Brother Joined: Jun 2008 Location: NOR CAL Oddometer: 3,299	What a nightmare.... I feel obligated to say this so: You could save yorself a lot of $$$$ Pain and suffering if you sold off the parts you have (It's no longer a bike. It's parts!) and bought a running bike. There! I said it and it's the truth! On the other hand, theres a lot of satisfaction in bringing your Airhead back from the grave and you are in good hands. Have at it and post photos! __________________ Hawkdude Hate rots the pocket that carries it.

07-03-2011, 09:08 AM	#9
NevadaTex Adventurer Joined: Mar 2004 Oddometer: 79	It ain't ALL about the money. Fook the cost....preserve the memories. Besides, it's not like you're in a rush to get it back on the road. Take your time and enjoy the process of the rebuild. Hell, you may surprise yourself and actually get it running. __________________ NevadaTex 1985 BMW R80 2005 F650 Dakar

07-02-2011, 12:49 PM	#5
rkjjeep Studly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Oddometer: 523	and yours can be called a boxer for more than one reason

07-03-2011, 08:45 AM	#8
jbcaddy ^OP Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Oroville & Placerville, California U.S.ofA. Oddometer: 939	the bike does have lots of memories connected with it. my cousin, Fred Mallory found it for me many years ago after we returned from a six week 12K mile ride around the US of A. He and Marilyn on thier Beemer and me and wife to be Karen on a 750 Honda. I was envious of the Beemer during the trip and Fred found it just weeks after we got back home. Fred passed away a few years ago and I think about him every time I think about this bike. Fred was more of a big brother to me than just a cousin. Yes, I know another bike would be cheaper. I could just sell it as parts and forget the whole beemer thing and ride my GranCanyon, or the Ducati, or buy a new Guzzi. yet, with this bike I can always trash my brother for borrowing it and crashing it on hwy 41 between Oakhurst and Yosemite. I had to get it back on the road myself as he was without funds to pay for the repairs. I will always run this bike with the welded up valve covers from that incedent I'm sure that between Chris, Ozzie and myself, we will get this collection of parts back on the road. I've kept it much longer than I did the wife, can't get rid of it now.

07-03-2011, 12:15 PM	#12
camgregus riding gently now Joined: Feb 2006 Location: on the banks of the mighty mississippi, AR side Oddometer: 2,945	Great story, keep us filled in on the saga.... __________________ got to get it on the good foot

07-03-2011, 12:23 PM	#13
Hawk Medicine Coyote's Brother Joined: Jun 2008 Location: NOR CAL Oddometer: 3,299	Wait a minute.... what youre showing us and what youre describier are vastly different. You have a rolling chassis, so the works 1/2 done before you turn a wrench! Since the short block is still intact, rebuilding that bike should be pretty straightforward. My bet is that the only hinderence to reassembling it will be your ability to write checks and budget your spare time. Oh.... And if thats a /5, it has a /6 front end on it. Who added the disk brake? __________________ Hawkdude Hate rots the pocket that carries it.

07-03-2011, 02:35 PM	#15
wmax351 Studly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Marin County and Berkeley, CA Oddometer: 740	I'm almost done with building an airhead from a box of parts. a '71 R75/5, with a toaster tank. Arrived at my house in a dude's wrangler in a bunch of boxes. Some of the major work had already been done (rebuilt and sodablasted heads, new pistons 1st over, bored and sodablasted jugs, powdercoating the (bent) frame, etc.) and i did the rest. Its been a great project. Would have been cheaper to just buy a running bike, but in the end, I end up with what amounts to a brand new R75/5 that I know everything was done on.

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