Movie Trailer - Some BMW Content

[20774]

This might be a fun job!!

[cehlbeck]

Some BMW content? Look to me like the motorcycle is the supporting actor/actress.

[Weasel]

Looks cool...for all the wrong reasons.

[MOTORRADMIKE]

Do you really have to go through all that to start an airhead?

[bullet]

If only I had video camera 3 years ago...

[20774]

Do you really have to go through all that to start an airhead?

That's not an Airhead...it's a /2, either an R60 or R50 from between 1955 and 1969. Yes, you have to tickle the carbs...his way in the video is not how you do it...they need to be held down typically for 2-4 seconds, not just stabbed at a couple of times. There are more steps that are probably not shown on the video. But yes, it takes a "ritual" to start a /2. Part of the fun!!

[terham]

I'd pay to see this.

[jeepinbanditrider]

I'll watch it. Looks better than half the crap out there right now.

I could think of worse ways to live than traveling around via bike/sidecar drinking with new friends and the "other" things you saw in the vid

[lkchris]

That's not an Airhead...it's a /2, either an R60 or R50 from between 1955 and 1969. Yes, you have to tickle the carbs...his way in the video is not how you do it...they need to be held down typically for 2-4 seconds, not just stabbed at a couple of times. There are more steps that are probably not shown on the video. But yes, it takes a "ritual" to start a /2. Part of the fun!!

Yes, to cold start a gasoline engine a rich mixture is required.

"Ticklers" is one method and as described maybe should be called tricklers as apparently holding down the control simply allows raw fuel to pour through the carb.

Bings on later Airheads had enricheners, which used engine vacuum to draw extra fuel through special jets.

Most USA car carburetors had accelerator pumps and the act of setting the fast idle cam (foot to floor once or more before starting) pumps in the required extra fuel. Plus, the air restriction of the choke set simultaneously with the fast idle causes increased vacuum so extra fuel continues to be drawn through the normal jets.

The tickler method is clearly the most "manual" method and it fails to provide any extra fuel after finishing the initial push. Good thing the "intake manifold" is really short on motorcycles.

I think it's safe to say no BMW has ever had an actual "choke," i.e. an air restriction associated with cold starting--this despite the label on the control on some '80s and '90s versions. On the airheads, this control operates the enricheners and no air restriction and on the K-bikes and Oilheads this control is simply a fast idle--extra fuel is provided electronically according to temperature sensor. A fast idle control is obviously not an air restriction but instead the opposite. A fast idle, i.e. a little extra throttle, is required when cold starting all engines including the Airheads, too, and on those that's accomplished by you rotating the throttle a bit. Fun indeed!

[Lee]

That's not an Airhead...it's a /2,

Are /2s not considered an airhead ???

[Pat Carol]

I am going to see this movie. Looks like my plan for retirement!

PC

[20774]

Are /2s not considered an airhead ???

I had this "discussion" with a guy on the Airheads email list...he chastised me for indicating my R25/2 is not an Airhead! In common parlance, an Airhead is a Type 247 engine built for model years 1970 through 1995. Technically, any bike built prior to 1995 (leaving out the Oilheads and K-Bikes of the time) could be considered an Airhead because it was cooled by air. Heck, any UJM motorcycle that doesn't have a radiator, even Harley's, could be considered Airheads. Personally, I think that's taking it too far. Airheads.org exists strictly for the Type 247 engine...we don't generally discuss any other types of bikes on that list.

That was my take...that's why we have Airheads, Oilhead, Camhead/Hexheads sections on the forums...there's a general acceptance of the loose grouping of these various engine types.

[cehlbeck]

That's not an Airhead...it's a /2, either an R60 or R50 from between 1955 and 1969. Yes, you have to tickle the carbs...his way in the video is not how you do it...they need to be held down typically for 2-4 seconds, not just stabbed at a couple of times. There are more steps that are probably not shown on the video. But yes, it takes a "ritual" to start a /2. Part of the fun!!

I found their Facebook page and they had a story about the motorcycle.
The said it got its "start" as a 1960 R60. It has a Triumph front wheel and fender. A Harley Davidson headlight. A Harley Davidson Sportster gas tank. BMW switches. They went on to name the seat, tail light and sidecar, but I forget those.

[jeepinbanditrider]

A sportster gas tank? How'd he make it between fuel stop out in the west when you have to stop for gas every 75 miles

[Ken F]

........had a movie crew following him?

Ken