/5 Makes it home

[godzilla]

Just picked up a 1971 /5 for my son. This was the first time I have ridden an Airhead. Sweet! I want to keep it! I want one!

[godzilla]

Here is a picture of two BMW's. The K is my ride.

[Isamemon]

looks like a couple of nice bikes
the slash 5 is sweet, looks fairly complete
not knowing your sons age or wrench skills, what a great bike to learn both with

going form a k bike to an iarhead, if you really want one , you might want to jump up a few years and get one with dual disc on the front etc

love my airhead

[godzilla]

Main Son is 24. He has a lot to learn; this is his first bike. We are riding to Florida in about a week so he can take it home.

I'd like to have an old Airhead just to fool around with. I love my K too much to give her up. Actually, I had my eyeballs on that /5 for awhile now. But Main Son wanted one, so I let him have it. Some day I'll get me one in the garage as a ply bike.

It was very different riding the /5 compared to m K. Fun! Felt somehow extra cool tooling along.

[crazydrummerdude]

Felt somehow extra cool tooling along.

Now you know how we Airheads feel!

Extra cool.

[James.A]

Now you know how we Airheads feel!

Extra cool.

You and your son will come to love and admire the simplicity.

[Isamemon]

and remeber with the airheads
tappy valves are happy valves:bolt

[69zeff65]

Main Son is 24. He has a lot to learn; this is his first bike. We are riding to Florida in about a week so he can take it home.

I'd like to have an old Airhead just to fool around with. I love my K too much to give her up. Actually, I had my eyeballs on that /5 for awhile now. But Main Son wanted one, so I let him have it. Some day I'll get me one in the garage as a ply bike.

It was very different riding the /5 compared to m K. Fun! Felt somehow extra cool tooling along.

His first bike? (BMW) I enjoyed a /2 BMW as my first BMMR and got a lesson on life and how to appreciate a lost and forgotten heritage. Thats an absolutly perfect bike for a MAN of 24 that can see past the wheel stands, smoke shows and all the other sport bike stuff out there. I'm in SWFL' still own my 1st /2 and enjoy at least two other /2's along with some of this modern crap. Let him fly, ride it, break it and even push it home if need be. Most of all let him see the importance of earning, maintaining and preserving what you have and how you should never take granted an "easy ride home".

[godzilla]

His first bike? (BMW) I enjoyed a /2 BMW as my first BMMR and got a lesson on life and how to appreciate a lost and forgotten heritage. Thats an absolutly perfect bike for a MAN of 24 that can see past the wheel stands, smoke shows and all the other sport bike stuff out there. I'm in SWFL' still own my 1st /2 and enjoy at least two other /2's along with some of this modern crap. Let him fly, ride it, break it and even push it home if need be. Most of all let him see the importance of earning, maintaining and preserving what you have and how you should never take granted an "easy ride home".

My son never was one to fall prey to peer pressue. He thinks the classic Airheads are cool bikes. He is a Grad student at FSU and a Biology Researcher/Assistant Teacher by trade. He already knows way more thanIn do about his /5 and probably BMW history. I have sent in his MOA application, so you'll probably see him in here soon. I told him he needs to figure out how to jion the Airheads Club.

The /5 runs really well, but needs some paint and rust cleaned off. It hadn't been on hte road since at least 1991.

So the tappy valves are OK, right? And the rather clunky shifting is normal I take it? Remember I am used to an '85 K...

The guy I bought her from got it on basically a mechanics lien. He is an excellant BMW mechanic and he knows old Beemers especially. I trust that he has sold me a good bike. I realize she is old and hasn't tasted the freedom of the highway in many a year. But she starts better than Mrs. Godzilla's Rebel!

We did have one issue. When I went outside to the garage last evening, the Rebel was crying becuase the two Beemers were talking in German and he thought they were laughing at him.

He was probably right!!

[Polarbear]

First items to really LOOK at are the suspension system is old and most probably needs fixed, for a really HUGE improvement. Shocks are still made by several suppliers and the fork springs too, both need to be thrown out and you will see a giant sized improvement of night and day. Not that bad in price either. WATCH that rubber seal, where the speedo cable goes into the tranny. Water will go into the tranny there, so get a good new seal there. AND watch those front brakes, as they are tricky and very good, but they are not as smooth as disks up there. I won't get too far here, but one more thing. Get those steering head bearings greased and set properly and they will go for the life of the bike usually, if not already abused. Grease and adust the swingarm pivots and you have a very road worthy bike, capable of touring anywhere on the planet. There is always more, but these are big items for your safety and happy riding to start with. I've owned many of these and the old Airheads are exceptional, long lived motorbikes and will outlive most of us. There was some real, simple, quality bikes being built in Germany then and I think we will find they will outlast what is coming out of there today. I ride new Beemers too and find my old R100/7 still has a lot to give, regarding touring all over. It still holds its own out there:). Happy rails, Randy"Polarbear":clap :D :drink

[terham]

Check out airheads (http://www.airheads.org/) and /5 united (http://www.5united.net/)for lots of good info on the /5.

Your son (and you) will love it, they're lots of fun to ride.

[godzilla]

Thanks for the tips.

She seems pretty stable on the road. I dare say that she took bumps better than my K does. Of course I am pushing 150K on my bike and I know she needs a rear shock.

I'll pass these tips on to my boy...

[The_Veg]

Now you know why I gave up my K100 for an airhead a few years ago.

And yes, it's better to hear the valves than to smell them and the gearbox is supposed to be clunky. Shifting is easier if you pre-laod the lever, i.e. gently apply force before you pull the clutch.

[godzilla]

I rode the /5 to work a couple days and had a lot of fun with it. Then Main Son arrived from Florida Tuesday evening. We took a ride. Due to my screw up by taking him to a really nasty uphill stop sign, he dropped the bike, then dropped it again. I profusley apologozed to him as he was begging forgiveness and worried about what damage he did.

There was NO damage at all. The bike is fine.

But he got back on her like a trooper and off we went, continuing on our ride.

The next morning, he got up with me and followed me to work. Then he took off and put in a good, long 3 or 4 hour ride around the countryside. When I finally got a hold of him, he was so happy and excited to be riding.

This morning he met my wife over where we got the /5 and was into a deep conversation with Wilbur, the mechanic on all things Airhead.

The boy is snakebit with riding, having the time of his life. He is a good rider so far, not speeding and being very careful. He is very happy with his bike.

Next up: We take off Sunday morning, heading towards his home in Tallahassee, Florida. I am really looking forward to the ride!

[R100RS]

Godzilla,

Sent you an e-mail. You are lucky. I really enjoy riding with my dad and can't wait to share it with my sons.

[reimerdavid]

My son practically begged me to co sign for him so he could get a 1983 R100RS for his first bike he was 19 now 20. I guess he feel in love with it from it being at our neighbors all the time and when our neighbor said he was selling it he jumped right on it. He loves it I think it is a piece of junk in my opinion.

[godzilla]

My son practically begged me to co sign for him so he could get a 1983 R100RS for his first bike he was 19 now 20. I guess he feel in love with it from it being at our neighbors all the time and when our neighbor said he was selling it he jumped right on it. He loves it I think it is a piece of junk in my opinion.


One man's Junk is another man's treasure. I have no doubt that many would think my son's /5 is junk. But he loves it and that is all that counts.

[godzilla]

Well, my son finally gave up. The /5 was giving him too many 'old bike' problems. The one that has finally done him in is a leaking rear-end drain plug. Apparently it needs a heli-coil or something as it is stripped.

So he decided to get himself another bike and now has an '03 Thumper F650CS.

As I stated when I started this thread a year and a half ago, I wanted to keep the /5, so I am going to buy it back from him. :clap She's sitting at his place in Florida, waiting for me to bring her home and get her back on the road again.

Hey, I am excited! Wish she wasn't that far away!

[Yarddog]

Too bad...guess he figured it was 'junk'...now it becomes your 'treasure', and it's all good!!!

[PHMarvin]

Hi, Godzilla,
If the /5 hadn't been on the road since 1991, I do hope you put new tires on it before taking out for the described rides. If you haven't, I hope you do put new tires and tubes on it brefore riding it to Tallahassee.

[godzilla]

No, my boy really likes the /5; he just doesn't have the time or money to keep fixing it. He needs something more reliable is all.

The bike sat from 1991 until last summer when I bought it. I had my BMW guy fix it up. The tires are new and it ran just fine when we took her from Indiana to Florida. He had the transmission rebuilt and a couple other things broke on him. It's a fine bike. It just needs some TLC and paint.

[67066]

I live in New Albany, In.
Iv,e known Wilbur for years
done buisness with him longer than I can rember
I also have a /5&/7 love those old bikes
In.eddie

[godzilla]

We've probably met or you've probably seen my bikes up there. Remember the old /5 with the ape hangers in his old showroom?

And my K has spent time up there, too. It's the one with the leather fringes on the grips!!!