Lester wheels + vetter air dam What are they worth

herman maire · 06-04-2012, 09:02 AM

I have a set of lester wheels and vetter air damn from my R75/7 that I really want to get rid of. What is a fair price to ask?
The lester wheels need new bearings and I lost the bearing covers ( standard bmw item) .

The Vetter really needs to go!!!

bmweuro · 06-04-2012, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herman maire

I have a set of lester wheels and vetter air damn from my R75/7 that I really want to get rid of. What is a fair price to ask?
The lester wheels need new bearings and I lost the bearing covers ( standard bmw item) .

The Vetter really needs to go!!!

Complete Lesters range from $400-$600 and I'm not sure what a Vetter air damn is.

daveoneshot · 06-04-2012, 10:29 AM

Nice set of Lesters get good money......but, I was told a long time ago by Joe Katz, a true BMW guru from Florida, to get rid of mine, as they had bearing problems with them. So, without question, I did. I'm sure other Airhead riders will
not agree, but that's my story.

Garbln · 06-04-2012, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveoneshot

Nice set of Lesters get good money......but, I was told a long time ago by Joe Katz, a true BMW guru from Florida, to get rid of mine, as they had bearing problems with them. So, without question, I did. I'm sure other Airhead riders will
not agree, but that's my story.

I've heard the bearing thing about lesters for years too. However thru chance I have two 76 /6's that came to me with lesters installed with a fair amount of miles on them and no problems. I think the real problem at the time when they first started installing them was improper installation. You had to set the bearing shims correctly or you would have problems. That being said I have never actually met anyone that claimed to ever have problems with a set of lesters. I'm sure some had problems or the story wouldn't have been so wide spread. I'm still running mine on one bike and I switched to stock spokes on the other just cuz I think it looks better. Again I think proper installation is the key. I really have no real preference for ether, each has good and bad points.

groop · 06-04-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garbln

I've heard the bearing thing about lesters for years too. However thru chance I have two 76 /6's that came to me with lesters installed with a fair amount of miles on them and no problems. I think the real problem at the time when they first started installing them was improper installation. You had to set the bearing shims correctly or you would have problems. That being said I have never actually met anyone that claimed to ever have problems with a set of lesters. I'm sure some had problems or the story wouldn't have been so wide spread. I'm still running mine on one bike and I switched to stock spokes on the other just cuz I think it looks better. Again I think proper installation is the key. I really have no real preference for ether, each has good and bad points.

^^^ my new-to-me 100s came with Lesters and I think they were dealer additions in 1977. I figured if they haven't failed in 35 years, they're probably going to be OK. I just installed new tires last week and inspected the bearings and everything was OK. Although they look cool, I might be tempted to put spoked wheels on it at some point

groop · 06-04-2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmweuro

Complete Lesters range from $400-$600 .

Really?

supershaft · 06-04-2012, 02:36 PM

That's the price I would guess too. The Lester bearing issue is well known. Nothing wrong with the wheels. People installed them without adjusting the bearings. The bearing spacer always came too long so you could shorten it for the correct preload. Failing to do that got you loose bearings and a wobbly bike. A friend of mine called his Lester equipped bike his R90TS until he finally adjusted the bearings. TS stood for Tank Slapper. I would run Lesters tubeless if they were mine. That same friend did as well as a lot of others that I know of. Way safer. Easier to change tires and cheaper for no tube. Easier to repair most punctures. Win/Win IMO.

vernon dent · 06-04-2012, 02:37 PM

lesters are a lot more common for airhead bmw's than japanese counterparts. i think $400.00 is about top end for the bmw fit ones. now if you had a pair for say, a kawasaki h2, or sohc honda four, $600ish to the right buyer dying for a set.

Hawk Medicine · 06-04-2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by axis power

lesters are a lot more common for airhead bmw's than japanese counterparts. i think $400.00 is about top end for the bmw fit ones. now if you had a pair for say, a kawasaki h2, or sohc honda four, $600ish to the right buyer dying for a set.

Uhm... You might be correct but I've been screwing around with a 80 era Kawi that came stock with wheels that are the best copy of a Lester that I've ever seen and the bike was free! Matter of fact, the front wheel carries the same size tire as an Airhead. Who'da thought it...

OTOH, with Vintage BMW farkle prices rising so quickly, I'd think that Lesters would be going up too. My set is near mint needing only a repaint and I got em a few years ago (After a long search.) for $375 and a tank of gas. These days, I wouldnt turn around and sell em for $400! OTOH, I might consider trading em for a set of nice wires but then again, maybe not...!

That fairing is probably worthless unless you need a garden planter. Most guys have trouble giving em away.

PS: The easiest way to fix a set of Lester bearings, is to swap in a set of BMW bearings and the BMW spacer. Worked for me anyway.

herman maire · 06-07-2012, 05:45 AM

Thanks for the replys.

The original owner of my R75/7 rode around North America and all over South America and the bike was optioned with the
Lester wheels . He never had a problem with them and they are still in really nice condition, no scrapes or anything. They just need to be cleaned, a good polish and some paint.

If anybody is interested in buying the Lester wheels or has some parts to trade , I need a lot of items . To start, I need a nice set of manifolds and mufflers .

As for the Vetter, if anybody is interested, you can have it, just pay shipping . It seems a shame to throw it out, its still a really nicely made item and definitely serves a purpose.

jbcaddy · 06-08-2012, 09:58 AM

lots of Lesters on early Goldwings also. As to the Vetter, most people try to give them away and cannot find a taker untill after it has gone into the dumpster. it is only when there are no free ones to be found that you find somebody that wants one. The one I have is being parted out. the headlight adjuster is going to France and the turn signals are going to Oklahoma. what is left is getting cut up and put into the dumpster.

disston · 06-08-2012, 10:34 AM

Back when my friend Lapp still had his repair shop in Alexandria, Va. He had 8 or 10 Vetters and other barn door type fairings sitting outside next to the trash. Anybody was free to help themselves to a complete fairing or parts any time they wished. The trash men didn't even want them. If the windshield is any good somebody might want it for a spare but they are generally hard to give away.

It's a shame really. In their day they served their purpose and many of us appreciated them for miles of dryer protection.

06-04-2012, 09:02 AM	#1
herman maire ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2010 Location: canada Oddometer: 154	Lester wheels + vetter air dam What are they worth I have a set of lester wheels and vetter air damn from my R75/7 that I really want to get rid of. What is a fair price to ask? The lester wheels need new bearings and I lost the bearing covers ( standard bmw item) . The Vetter really needs to go!!! __________________ R100GS R75/7 KTM 950 ( slowly looking)

06-04-2012, 02:37 PM	#8
vernon dent Studly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2010 Location: apparently halfway to motorcycle hell Oddometer: 565	lesters are a lot more common for airhead bmw's than japanese counterparts. i think $400.00 is about top end for the bmw fit ones. now if you had a pair for say, a kawasaki h2, or sohc honda four, $600ish to the right buyer dying for a set. __________________ I only ride 'em. I don't know what makes 'em work. Oddball

06-07-2012, 05:45 AM	#10
herman maire ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2010 Location: canada Oddometer: 154	Thanks for the replys. The original owner of my R75/7 rode around North America and all over South America and the bike was optioned with the Lester wheels . He never had a problem with them and they are still in really nice condition, no scrapes or anything. They just need to be cleaned, a good polish and some paint. If anybody is interested in buying the Lester wheels or has some parts to trade , I need a lot of items . To start, I need a nice set of manifolds and mufflers . As for the Vetter, if anybody is interested, you can have it, just pay shipping . It seems a shame to throw it out, its still a really nicely made item and definitely serves a purpose. __________________ R100GS R75/7 KTM 950 ( slowly looking)

06-08-2012, 10:34 AM	#12
disston ShadeTreeExpert Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Silver Spring, Md Oddometer: 5,211	Back when my friend Lapp still had his repair shop in Alexandria, Va. He had 8 or 10 Vetters and other barn door type fairings sitting outside next to the trash. Anybody was free to help themselves to a complete fairing or parts any time they wished. The trash men didn't even want them. If the windshield is any good somebody might want it for a spare but they are generally hard to give away. It's a shame really. In their day they served their purpose and many of us appreciated them for miles of dryer protection. __________________ Never memorize something you can look up. ---Albert Einstein

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06-04-2012, 10:29 AM	#3
daveoneshot Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2010 Location: Vermont Oddometer: 258	Nice set of Lesters get good money......but, I was told a long time ago by Joe Katz, a true BMW guru from Florida, to get rid of mine, as they had bearing problems with them. So, without question, I did. I'm sure other Airhead riders will not agree, but that's my story.

06-04-2012, 02:36 PM	#7
supershaft because I can Joined: Sep 2010 Location: San Francisco Bay area Oddometer: 6,200	That's the price I would guess too. The Lester bearing issue is well known. Nothing wrong with the wheels. People installed them without adjusting the bearings. The bearing spacer always came too long so you could shorten it for the correct preload. Failing to do that got you loose bearings and a wobbly bike. A friend of mine called his Lester equipped bike his R90TS until he finally adjusted the bearings. TS stood for Tank Slapper. I would run Lesters tubeless if they were mine. That same friend did as well as a lot of others that I know of. Way safer. Easier to change tires and cheaper for no tube. Easier to repair most punctures. Win/Win IMO.

06-08-2012, 09:58 AM	#11
jbcaddy Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Oroville & Placerville, California U.S.ofA. Oddometer: 952	lots of Lesters on early Goldwings also. As to the Vetter, most people try to give them away and cannot find a taker untill after it has gone into the dumpster. it is only when there are no free ones to be found that you find somebody that wants one. The one I have is being parted out. the headlight adjuster is going to France and the turn signals are going to Oklahoma. what is left is getting cut up and put into the dumpster.