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So I've owned my bike for an good 5 years. I got her in some boxes and did a total rebuild. Learned a lot about mechanics and the inner workings of motor bikes.
The only problem I had was a lack of drivers licence. Well that's a lie of course a life without problems is a boring one.
One of the other problems is a lack of funding due to me being a student. But all in all I got my bike together and to the point I could do some highly illegal test driving.
The beast lived and it was time to start with the licence.
After a view months I revised my work on the bike and came to the conclusion that I did a lot for someone who had no previous motorcycle knowledge.
But there were still some flaws I had to mend. Because when I poured the gearbox oil in, the next day it was laying in an nice puddle under the bike.
And the problem with this pre-unit is that you have to remove the engine to remove the gearbox.
So i decided that the BSA A7 project was to be put on the low burner because I came to the conclusion that it would take a while before she would be on the road in an reliable way.
The bike is from '55 so I want it to be as safe as possible.
You must be thinking that either I'm in the complete wrong forum, or just a bit loopy.
But no there is an use for this story...
Because at that time I realised that I wanted an bike that would be more reliable and still affordable. And hit the intwebs,
searching for a view days I found one that looked like it was new for the ridiculous price of 200 euro(200 and a bit in dollars
)
And having some experience in buying second hand cars all sorts of bells and whistles started to go of.
But on the other hand she looks really good. And my enthusiasm at this point was boiling over, so my first thought was lets call the owner!
But there was no number and who new how many people had mailed him?! horrible thought.
So I did some web CSI-ing and found his number and called immediately.
Yay first caller! he aparantly had gotten a few mails about the bike but hadn't had the time to answer them so he granted me first right of viewing!
Double yay!
I asked an neighbour who has an Honda 6 cylinder, some sort of ducati race monster and quite a lot of general motorstuff knowledge if he could company me. And he did.
We went to the guy selling the bike and it was the best buy I ever did.
Apparently it was his first bike, but as the years got on his age and caution grew and he bought a newer version of the bike with abs and so on.
But couldn't get himself to selling his baby. So after a year of not being used his wife wanted space in the garage for two electrical bicycles.
And the choice was made sort of for him I think.
He pulled the bike out of the garage with great care and showed all sorts of improvements and upgrades he made like steel brake lines and the sort.
No flashy gimmicks though just improvements. Also an specially made exaust muffler, but I'm not sure i like that because the more I read about performance here...
enniehoe he tried to start the bike with the warning that it hadn't run in over a year. Indeed after a few times trying the battery died, so I got some jumper cables from my vw t3 van(also awesome)
and hooked it up to his car. It took some time but she started. Yay! My neighbour said that it sounded ok apart from the fact that is was running on 3 cillinders...
at which I reacted by staring stupidly at him as I recall now trying to figure out how the hell he could hear anything in that mess of roaring growls.
But after some encouragement the third cylinder started to do its job and apparently everything sounded quite well, and something was muttered about sowing machines.
The neighbour did a short test drive, as i was in the beginnings of getting my licence and was quite impressed by the bike.
He grumbled that this bike braked better than his 6 cylinder Honda.
At this time I was stoked! than I asked the seller about the low price. And he said that he tried to sell his wife's bike a few years back and couldn't get an reasonable price for it on-line,
so he went to a local vendor and let him sell it. It went for a decent price but after the percentage for the shop he only got 200,- .
And now he needed the bike gone because his new electrical bicycles were parked outside
He said that if I'm getting a low price for the bike I don't want the other party to pay more for it. So really decent guy.
Also when the sale was made under the promise that I have to take great care of her and at least put some new oil and a valve check before touring,
he came running after us with an clymer manual.
Like I said best buy ever!
So we brought her home and now she's mine! Did an oil change and put some carb-cleaning solution in the gas tank.
Checked the important things and concluded she would be safe to drive, but some work had to be done.
The tyres are a bit old but I'll change them in the coming time. Aah I probably should mention the type as some of you must be wondering by now...
So here we are...
It's an '81 gs650gt (no motorcycles were harmed or mistreated in this picture)
Here is an more accurate and realistic representation of the GS:
So that's about it I guess. I could tell you about me, but that's far less interesting.
If there are questions I'll gladly answer them.
best of warm feelings from The Netherlands
Pim. (that's my name )
The only problem I had was a lack of drivers licence. Well that's a lie of course a life without problems is a boring one.
One of the other problems is a lack of funding due to me being a student. But all in all I got my bike together and to the point I could do some highly illegal test driving.
The beast lived and it was time to start with the licence.
After a view months I revised my work on the bike and came to the conclusion that I did a lot for someone who had no previous motorcycle knowledge.
But there were still some flaws I had to mend. Because when I poured the gearbox oil in, the next day it was laying in an nice puddle under the bike.
And the problem with this pre-unit is that you have to remove the engine to remove the gearbox.
So i decided that the BSA A7 project was to be put on the low burner because I came to the conclusion that it would take a while before she would be on the road in an reliable way.
The bike is from '55 so I want it to be as safe as possible.
You must be thinking that either I'm in the complete wrong forum, or just a bit loopy.
But no there is an use for this story...
Because at that time I realised that I wanted an bike that would be more reliable and still affordable. And hit the intwebs,
searching for a view days I found one that looked like it was new for the ridiculous price of 200 euro(200 and a bit in dollars
) And having some experience in buying second hand cars all sorts of bells and whistles started to go of.
But on the other hand she looks really good. And my enthusiasm at this point was boiling over, so my first thought was lets call the owner!
But there was no number and who new how many people had mailed him?! horrible thought.
So I did some web CSI-ing and found his number and called immediately.
Yay first caller! he aparantly had gotten a few mails about the bike but hadn't had the time to answer them so he granted me first right of viewing!
Double yay!
I asked an neighbour who has an Honda 6 cylinder, some sort of ducati race monster and quite a lot of general motorstuff knowledge if he could company me. And he did.
We went to the guy selling the bike and it was the best buy I ever did.
Apparently it was his first bike, but as the years got on his age and caution grew and he bought a newer version of the bike with abs and so on.
But couldn't get himself to selling his baby. So after a year of not being used his wife wanted space in the garage for two electrical bicycles.
And the choice was made sort of for him I think.
He pulled the bike out of the garage with great care and showed all sorts of improvements and upgrades he made like steel brake lines and the sort.
No flashy gimmicks though just improvements. Also an specially made exaust muffler, but I'm not sure i like that because the more I read about performance here...
enniehoe he tried to start the bike with the warning that it hadn't run in over a year. Indeed after a few times trying the battery died, so I got some jumper cables from my vw t3 van(also awesome
) and hooked it up to his car. It took some time but she started. Yay! My neighbour said that it sounded ok apart from the fact that is was running on 3 cillinders...
at which I reacted by staring stupidly at him as I recall now trying to figure out how the hell he could hear anything in that mess of roaring growls.
But after some encouragement the third cylinder started to do its job and apparently everything sounded quite well, and something was muttered about sowing machines.
The neighbour did a short test drive, as i was in the beginnings of getting my licence and was quite impressed by the bike.
He grumbled that this bike braked better than his 6 cylinder Honda.
At this time I was stoked! than I asked the seller about the low price. And he said that he tried to sell his wife's bike a few years back and couldn't get an reasonable price for it on-line,
so he went to a local vendor and let him sell it. It went for a decent price but after the percentage for the shop he only got 200,- .
And now he needed the bike gone because his new electrical bicycles were parked outside
He said that if I'm getting a low price for the bike I don't want the other party to pay more for it. So really decent guy.
Also when the sale was made under the promise that I have to take great care of her and at least put some new oil and a valve check before touring,
he came running after us with an clymer manual.
Like I said best buy ever!
So we brought her home and now she's mine! Did an oil change and put some carb-cleaning solution in the gas tank.
Checked the important things and concluded she would be safe to drive, but some work had to be done.
The tyres are a bit old but I'll change them in the coming time. Aah I probably should mention the type as some of you must be wondering by now...
So here we are...
It's an '81 gs650gt (no motorcycles were harmed or mistreated in this picture)
Here is an more accurate and realistic representation of the GS:
So that's about it I guess. I could tell you about me, but that's far less interesting.
If there are questions I'll gladly answer them.
best of warm feelings from The Netherlands
Pim. (that's my name
)
All the beer (gear?) all the time!
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