Well it happened! I'm done.

[knuckleharley]

4 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

 

BMW has always been at the top on sidecars.......I have had a few friends who owned BMWs but I got to admit I have never ridden one.  My loss I am sure...my son just bought the new Honda Fury...he also has a GSR I think it is, he wants us to take a tour when he gets home.  As for the CB1000 custom, kind words, thanks...it was given to me and just needs a bit of cosmetics and clean up...I understand a very limited production run in 1000cc's and 1983 only  but the actual number I could never seem to find.  

The Germans also made a poor man's BMW called a Zundapp. I had a cousin stationed in Germany in the 50's in the USAF,and he brought one back,I THINK it was a 600cc version,and gave it to 14 year old me. Took my mother all of a micro-second to put a "For Sale" sign on it. Most likely a wise move on her part.

The Soviets also had a BMW they made in the USSR called the "Ural". The history I got on this one is they sent people to Germany to buy new BMW's in every configuration they came in sometime in 1936,crated them up,and shipped them to the USSR,where they were taken apart and cloned for use by the Red Army.

 

They were still being made when I made my second trip to Russia maybe 4 years after the USSR collapsed,and you could buy one new directly from the factory still painted in Red Army green with a big red star on the tanks. You could even get one with a powered sidecar attached to it that had either a wheel or a track. I didn't find this out until just before I left,but immediately made my mind up to buy one immediately on my next trip,and take a ride from Moscow to St.Petersburg,stopping off at all the little villages along the way and seeing the sights. Came down with COPD before I could go back,and haven't been back since. If I can't walk around and see things and talk to people,I have no interest in going.

 

BTW,you can buy a new Ural in the US now. The difference is no more Soviet Green and red stars. They come in two-tone paint jobs now,have modern carbs,and chrome wheels. I have no idea if the side car with the powered tracks is available in the US,but can see where it would be handy in places like Alaska or Canada.

[pflaming]

On our cross country trip three years ago I met this bike at a rest stop. He was in a race from Long Beach, Ca to NYC.  All the bikes were this style, which I do not know. He had broken down in Central Kansas. His wife was bringing parts from Lincoln, NE.  Now that is a GREAT wife. 

[knuckleharley]

2 hours ago, pflaming said:

On our cross country trip three years ago I met this bike at a rest stop. He was in a race from Long Beach, Ca to NYC.  All the bikes were this style, which I do not know. He had broken down in Central Kansas. His wife was bringing parts from Lincoln, NE.  Now that is a GREAT wife. 

They were called "bobbers" back when I was still able to ride.  Dressers stripped down to the basics for weight loss,but still running the big tanks and tires for comfort. Lots of them (most?) have hot cams and the ever-popular S&S carbs like that one. You might be surprised what just a cam and carb change will do for even a dresser,never mind one stripped down to the basics.

[Rosco]

On 7/31/2018 at 7:45 PM, knuckleharley said:

Look in the yellow pages and ask the counter guys at your local NAPA store about restorers/antique car club members in your area. I'd be surprised if you can't find one willing to do the brake work and other minor work like that,or who would even be willing to teach you how or work on them with you. You don't need the car at 6 AM every morning to drive to work,so who cares if it takes you a weekend to do a 3 hour job?

 

This is a hobby,not a contest.

Thanks for reminding me that “this is a hobby, not a contest”.  I need to remove and rebuild/replace my water pump,  but I’m a little hesitant to do the work myself.  But, after watching a couple of videos and reading up on the job in the manual, it seems pretty straightforward.  And, as you say, who cares how long it takes?   It will also be a good learning experience and if I run into problems, this forum (which has been very helpful in the past) is only a click away, and my regular mechanic is just around the corner, too!  

[knuckleharley]

12 minutes ago, Rosco said:

Thanks for reminding me that “this is a hobby, not a contest”.  I need to remove and rebuild/replace my water pump,  but I’m a little hesitant to do the work myself.  But, after watching a couple of videos and reading up on the job in the manual, it seems pretty straightforward.  And, as you say, who cares how long it takes?   It will also be a good learning experience and if I run into problems, this forum (which has been very helpful in the past) is only a click away, and my regular mechanic is just around the corner, too!  

You are welcome.

 

To me the learning experience is a large part of the fun.

 

Once you figure out what the problem was and what to needs be done about it,of course.  The reward is the feeling of accomplishment,which is next to impossible to find with modern cars that have miles of wiring and require thousands of dollars in special tools.

[Rosco]

36 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

You are welcome.

 

To me the learning experience is a large part of the fun.

 

Once you figure out what the problem was and what to needs be done about it,of course.  The reward is the feeling of accomplishment,which is next to impossible to find with modern cars that have miles of wiring and require thousands of dollars in special tools.

As an experienced veteran of these cars, would you have the original water pump rebuilt by a professional (which is what I’m thinking of doing) or install a brand new one (better impeller, no grease fittings, sealed bearings) keeping in mind some of the quality and fit problems with these new parts.  Thanks for your input.

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, Rosco said:

As an experienced veteran of these cars, would you have the original water pump rebuilt by a professional (which is what I’m thinking of doing) or install a brand new one (better impeller, no grease fittings, sealed bearings) keeping in mind some of the quality and fit problems with these new parts.  Thanks for your input.

I used to rebuild them a long time ago,but I just buy new ones now and be done with it.  ESPECIALLY with fuel pumps that now have to deal with ethanol in the gas.

 

http://arthurgouldrebuilders.com/

 

I buy mine from this guy. Not cheap,but nobody does it better or uses better parts. I am to the age and physical condition now that I only want to do something once,and even then I want to do it in the comfort of my air-conditioned and heated garage.

 

If you want to learn and experience doing it yourself,there is nothing preventing you from buying a rebuild kit from NAPA or some other parts store after verifying it was made in America,and then rebuilding the old water and/or fuel pumps you just took off,and using them as the spares that ride around in the trunk. If it turns out it spends the rest of your life riding around in the trunk as a spare and never being used,good for you,you won!

 

If it happens that a few years down the road you are broke down hundreds of miles away from home  and need a water pump or a fuel pump to get back home,once again,"Good for you,you WON!"

 

Maybe it is just me,but I have always found it to be a LOT more fun rebuilding an old part at my leisure and not have to worry about getting it rebuilt and back on the car  as soon as possible so I can go for a ride.

Edited August 2, 2018 by knuckleharley

[Rosco]

14 minutes ago, knuckleharley said:

I used to rebuild them a long time ago,but I just buy new ones now and be done with it.  ESPECIALLY with fuel pumps that now have to deal with ethanol in the gas.

 

http://arthurgouldrebuilders.com/

 

I buy mine from this guy. Not cheap,but nobody does it better or uses better parts. I am to the age and physical condition now that I only want to do something once,and even then I want to do it in the comfort of my air-conditioned and heated garage.

I hear ya.  Heated AND air conditioned? I’m jealous!  Jeez, mine’s  just an ordinary single car garage.  Anyway, thanks again for your help - much appreciated!   

[DrDoctor]

 

 .

 

 

Edited September 25, 2018 by DrDoctor

[knuckleharley]

4 minutes ago, DrDoctor said:

   Well, while we’re discussing motorcycles, here’s me on me on my chopper getting ready to leave for my weekly Thursday evening ride and “restaurant run”. I finally/reluctantly sold, due to health. It had an S&S 117” engine, Baker 6-speed overdrive. Daytec hard-tail frame, Fatcats tins, PM wheels, rotors, pulley, upper and lower controls, Avon 250 rear tire, and 90-90 "pizza-wheel" front tire. I made the seat, sissy bar, suicide shifter, nitrous system, auxiliary oil system, and rewired it with toggle switches for the lights, nitrous, and tailpipe flame-thrower. I loved riding it, until several of my riding buddies began being hit by cars. Thx.

117 inches? That must have been sporting.

[DrDoctor]

 .

Edited September 25, 2018 by DrDoctor

[DrDoctor]

Knuckleharley,

 

 

 .

Edited September 25, 2018 by DrDoctor

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, DrDoctor said:

Knuckleharley,

 

 

 

      Again, when you’re right—you’re right!!! While on my way to meet up with my riding buddies for our weekly Thursday evening “restaurant run”, I triggered the nitrous at a traffic light when it turned green, and I wound up carrying the front tire about a foot in the air completely across the intersection. A little latter, while still on my way, I was on a rather deserted rural road, and I triggered the nitrous again—the result: 120+  mph in 6^th gear, and it was still pulling. It almost knocked me off of the seat—thank gawd for the sissy bar. 125 hp without the nitrous, and 150+ with the nitrous. I raced a street rod with over 300 hp, and I was long gone by the time I finally slowed down, and put it into 4^th gear. Summary: crazy powerful, but the most fun you can have while still wearing clothes. Warmest regards, my friend . . . .

 

Just be VERY careful to not punch it unless both it and the road ahead are straight.

[st63]

Sorry to hear it Don, I'd hate to think that we won't see you cruising around anymore in that beautiful old Plymouth! If it makes you feel any better, one of the shift linkage rods on my '50 literally cracked in two the other day...suddenly had no first or reverse!  Sigh....back to work on it....kinda comes with the territory, but when you've got it fixed, there's no better feeling. Hang in there!

[pflaming]

1) a great ride on a quarter horse cutting out an animal from a herd will get you a similar rush,  2) things like this temp me to Don's conclusion. No one hurt and no apparant damage. A cherry picker will lift it back up. 

[MackTheFinger]

On 8/1/2018 at 2:24 PM, pflaming said:

 He had broken down in Central Kansas. His wife was bringing parts from Lincoln, NE.  Now that is a GREAT wife. 

 

 

If your OL won't do that you need a new OL. Mine useta carry my piece for me. ?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Oh Jesus!