Complete Restoration of BMW R75/5 into Cafe Racer

[Walking Eagle]

I'm no expert on /5's, but have read a LOT of tire threads here, and I can tell you that "fat" isn't always a good idea for these bikes. They may actually handle a lot better with the "mountain-bike" tires that came standard. . .except now the compounds and tire construction are much, much better versus when the /5's were new.

We've now become accustomed to seeing "fat" on the newer bikes to the point where "skinny" just looks plain weird.

Think of the poor squidly astride a new 600cc rocket -- just passed in the twisties by your cafe, going like a striped-assed ape and riding on those itty-bitty tires. Hey, that alone is worth staying with stock sizes!

Walking Eagle

[balkowitsch]

You could post a wanted advertisement on the forum for old original badges, or on the IBMWR , and Adventure Rider forums.
Lot's of fairly obscure stuff shows up in all three locations.

Yeah I thought of that, but if it was not original to the bike, the point of preserving does not have as much meaning. This old reproduction cheap emblem was with the bike we are restoring so it deserves the spotlight, I cherish very much my Porsche original VIN and Emblem off the hood and it will be the same for the bike.

Thanks,
Shane

[balkowitsch]

I'm no expert on /5's, but have read a LOT of tire threads here, and I can tell you that "fat" isn't always a good idea for these bikes. They may actually handle a lot better with the "mountain-bike" tires that came standard. . .except now the compounds and tire construction are much, much better versus when the /5's were new.

We've now become accustomed to seeing "fat" on the newer bikes to the point where "skinny" just looks plain weird.

Think of the poor squidly astride a new 600cc rocket -- just passed in the twisties by your cafe, going like a striped-assed ape and riding on those itty-bitty tires. Hey, that alone is worth staying with stock sizes!

Walking Eagle

Well said and good point.

Thanks,
Shane

[40427]

I have tried fatter tires on both ends of other bikes in the past.

On my race bikes it would slow or speed up the turn in / lean angle a small amount, but on the track any small improvement can be a good thing. The opposite can also occur

IMHO most riders do not even closely approach the traction limits of the OEM recommended sizes of their tires .

Is there an improvement in a bigger size ?

I think it's mostly in the mind of the rider.
A fashion statement for sure

[balkowitsch]

I have tried fatter tires on both ends of other bikes in the past.

On my race bikes it would slow or speed up the turn in / lean angle a small amount, but on the track any small improvement can be a good thing. The opposite can also occur

IMHO most riders do not even closely approach the traction limits of the OEM recommended sizes of their tires .

Is there an improvement in a bigger size ?

I think it's mostly in the mind of the rider.
A fashion statement for sure

Yeah, it is all about size right! I went with wider tires on the Porsche and I really like the look, I have a spare tire upfront in the Porsche on a minilite wheel just like on my car and there is only so much space upfront on the Porsche for a spare so we had to go to a smaller tire up there for a spare, a couple weekends back I put the smaller tire on the back of the car just to see what it looked like and it was goofy to me to say the least but that is all that I was use to seeing. I am going to leave this up to Josh and his decisiion, this is a vintage bike, big beefy tires were not on them back in the day and they do not need to be today if it does not make it handle or perform better.

Remember guys, this is not a track bike, a bike to take trips on the weekends, so I am not going to be pushing it as if on the track.

Thanks,
Shane

[balkowitsch]

Josh did a little synopsis of our progress as late, enjoy!

http://beemersandbits.com/2012/09/it...rs+and+Bits%29

Thanks,
Shane

[balkowitsch]

In an effort to clean everything up a bit and show as little as possible, we have decided to hide the battery under the rear tail. What Josh has come up with is perfect! Click below to see,

http://beemersandbits.com/2012/09/bu...rs+and+Bits%29

Thanks,
Shane

[balkowitsch]

Closeup picture.

[balkowitsch]

Little fabrication work.

[balkowitsch]

Box

[balkowitsch]

After much research, we have determined that we are going to stay with a tire that is very similar in size to the original ones that would have been on the bike, not by brand, but by size. I received the below message from Josh today, so this is what we are going with:

"I am throwing the Battleax BT 45 Bridgestones on your bike. The sizes are close to the stock size tire. Slightly wider by about 5mm in the rear.
the front should be close to identical."

Hope everyone has a great evening, we also have some good news, Josh shipped out all the tins to Bill Hamilton at Hamilton Classics so that he can do the paint! Yeah Ha!

Thanks,
Shane

[Walking Eagle]

Shane, you and Josh nailed it on the front fender. I just took a look at Josh's website, and see where he is "leaving it this way for now. . .(fender)" and IMHO, it looks perfect for the lines of the bike.

Needless to say, the battery "box" fabrication is more jewelry from the jewelry-maker.

You guys ROCK, and I can't wait to see the painted tin.

Keep on keepin' on.

Walking Eagle

[balkowitsch]

Shane, you and Josh nailed it on the front fender. I just took a look at Josh's website, and see where he is "leaving it this way for now. . .(fender)" and IMHO, it looks perfect for the lines of the bike.

Needless to say, the battery "box" fabrication is more jewelry from the jewelry-maker.

You guys ROCK, and I can't wait to see the painted tin.

Keep on keepin' on.

Walking Eagle

Thanks for all the kind words, I have forwarded them to Josh, the boxes with the tins are in route to Bill at Hamilton Classics in Martindale Texas, the historic Porsche K45-286 paint will be applied with our white Porsche Race Stripe! Can't wait!

Thanks,
Shane

[typ181r90]

at least say that you saw these tin types on the vintagent/oily rag. If you go on the vintagent facebook page you can even see a picture of our very own Daryl

[balkowitsch]

at least say that you saw these tin types on the vintagent/oily rag. If you go on the vintagent facebook page you can even see a picture of our very own Daryl

How are you? I talk with Paul all of the time via eMail and via Facebook, he is a great guy. I posted this photograph that you see on Facebook, the actual photographer I identified as Ed Ross just a few minutes ago, it is his amazing photograph. I am the one that posted the photograph for Paul on his Vintagent Page, but the real credit needs to go to Ed Ross who took the photograph in the first place.

Thanks,
Shane

If you want to see more of his work you can find ad at:

http://edrossphotography.com/