Complete Restoration of BMW R75/5 into Cafe Racer

[balkowitsch]

OK , now sonny you listen up here !

The first thing you do is get rid of those stupid sticks.
Best thing i did after retirement !
( they bring no satisfaction to your life and cost a fortune to keep in tune with the other ball chasers) A terrible waste of a good day that could have been spent riding, chasing a little ball around in the country side.

Get yourself enrolled in a basic rider course at the local MSF or Community College that offers rider training . With all you have put in to this adventure , you need to at least give the experience a chance.
Quit making excuses and get a leg over

I forgot to address you point about getting rid of the sticks, here is a picture of my golf green in my back yard, I installed it over 12 years ago when we first moved into the house, has sports lighting also so we can play golf at night. I hold an annual golf tournament here called the Olde Man Pius Invitational, named after my grandfather. I have had as many as 42 golfers and 150 spectators at my house for this little event. It is a great time, good friend and family, good food and drink. This year it is scheduled for August 25th. I just have not had much time lately to be playing but I have to get practicing, I have not won my own tournament yet, but maybe this year will be the year. We had a tough year for the bent grass green, no snow cover killed off about 90% of my green so this picture is from a couple weeks back and you can still see the rough areas but after much seed, topdressing and water she is coming back and will be in tournament form by July.

Thanks,
Shane

[40427]

Hmm, a few modifications to the landscape and i can see something really more useful

Either an MX track or a flat track

[balkowitsch]

Hmm, a few modifications to the landscape and i can see something really more useful

Either an MX track or a flat track

Yeah I will get on that right away, you are a funny man, thanks for all the comments and making me smile, have a great day.

Sincerely,
Shane

[8ninety8]

Keep the sticks, its another great part of retirement. Walk don't ride around the course. It's part of keeping physically fit. Also helps depth perception. And, if you've got an old set of Pings, all the better. Now git that bike together, should take about one weekend. Also, start riding a bicycle around, gets the brain around the two wheel inner ear.

[balkowitsch]

Keep the sticks, its another great part of retirement. Walk don't ride around the course. It's part of keeping physically fit. Also helps depth perception. And, if you've got an old set of Pings, all the better. Now git that bike together, should take about one weekend. Also, start riding a bicycle around, gets the brain around the two wheel inner ear.

How are you? I will tell Josh you think we have about another 7 days or so until we should be done with the bike, ha ha. I have already put it in my head that I will not take possession of the bike until Spring 2013 and I promise all you guys that are worried, I will take the appropriate classes and make sure I am comfortable on the bike before riding. I am not spending all this time and energy on a project and let it kill me on the road, but I appreciate all the concern.

Thanks,
Shane

[balkowitsch]

Josh finished stamping the I.D. plate on the front of the bike, he says the "1" is a little bit lower than it should be but he is a perfectionist and I told him, being a little askew shows that the damn thing was stamped by hand and not by machine, adds character, I don't sweat things like that, but knowing him and his attention to detail it is killing him.

Thanks,
Shane

[RINTY]

...my business has been crazy...balkowitsch

This is good to hear, in these uncertain times.

[balkowitsch]

Another closeup of the ID Plate. Josh did a little tech session on the process as well if anyone is interested:

http://beemersandbits.com/2012/06/at...rame-id-plate/

Thanks,
Shane

[RINTY]

So are you keeping the original plate in the bike's document binder?

[balkowitsch]

So are you keeping the original plate in the bike's document binder?

How are you? I have something planned for the original, like on the Porsche, I had my original hood emblem and my VIN plate, both in poor condition, so we replaced them and I took them and had them encased in acrylic for safe keeping, here is the picture of what I did for the Porsche and I will do the same for the BMW.

Thanks,
Shane

[20774]

Shane -

I saw the mention of Bill Hamilton out of Martindale, Texas. Are you aware that there is a BMW motorcycle shop and salvage yard also in Martindale, Texas? Small world...and a very small town!!

[balkowitsch]

Shane -

I saw the mention of Bill Hamilton out of Martindale, Texas. Are you aware that there is a BMW motorcycle shop and salvage yard also in Martindale, Texas? Small world...and a very small town!!

How are you? I did not know that, what is kind of funny is that Bill teaches Motorcycle Safety Classes in that area and he had gotten rid of his Harley some years ago and after I told him about my BMW that I was restoring as a sister bike to the car, he found a BMW, see photograph below and purchased it as his daily driver.

Thanks,
Shane

PS: See the garage door in the backdrop, that is the stall where my Porsche was built. He lives in the old Martindale Schoolhouse from the early 1900's that he has restored, amazing property.

[20774]

Point A is Martindale Motorworks; Point B is the location of Bill's shop. I guess you have to click to see the larger map.


View Larger Map

[balkowitsch]

Point A is Martindale Motorworks; Point B is the location of Bill's shop. I guess you have to click to see the larger map.


View Larger Map

Well Bill only has a 4 minute trip to get parts for his bike, cool.

Thanks,
Shane

[RINTY]

...had them encased in acrylic...

Great idea.