1989 BMW R100GS-Paris Dakar Restoration
 

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I know I could add, as others have done, numerous images throughout a thread but a simple link to the Photobucket albums saves space. I began the rebuild about two months ago having bought the bike six years ago and it's progressing pretty well. It rode it briefly at the time but it leaked and rattled a fair bit so I put it away until time and money permitted me to rebuild her. I am only slowed by my nitpicking tinkering which I actually enjoy. I can spend hours tinkering with something most people would deal with in minutes.

My aim with the bike is to keep her roughly as she left Spandau but with a few deviations. I read about other riders greatly modifying a GS with Japanese front forks, massive tanks and mega-expensive rear shock absorbers but I've gone a slightly different route. The frame was re-inforced with fillets as shown. Nothing too drastic but for a bit of peace-of-mind and the frame powdercoated in gloss silver. I prefer light colours as dropped bolts/washers/split pins and oil leaks are much easier to locate. I did think of rebuilding the engine myself but I handed it over to local BMW guru Jim Cray who seems to have worked wonders with the engine. Twin plugged and with new rings, seals, bearings, timing chain, tensioners..........and lots lots more, the engine work was very expensive, but the end result will be an almost new bike and I've never owned a new bike before. Almost every fastener is stainless steel, and each one polished to a high standard on my little lathe. I am presently working on the brake and clutch lever assemblies - the brake master cylinder had been leaking badly during it's six YEAR dry storage and took a while to clean up and repaint with satin black paint. I am going to have a go at rebuilding the alloy wheels, polishing the rims, bead blasting the hubs and rebuilding with stainless steel spokes. I got astronomic quotes of £900 and £450 which made my mind up to DIY.

I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel although she won't be completed by the Donnington event.

Well the latest with the restoration is that I'm within a few weeks of finishing it. After giving a great deal of thought about rebuilding the wheels, I can see just why they are a pain for wheel builders. These are now in the hands of Hagons of Hainault, Essex, and should be ready in a couple of weeks. Again I got hefty quotes for painting the mudguards and side panels (plastic) but this time I did do them myself and the finish is excellent and probably cost me about £50 in aerosols paint, flexible primer and clear lacquor.

Today I refitted the oil cooler in the 'high' position but needed a kit from BAMW (£89) to do it. Motorworks are charging £89 for a single oil line!The kit consists of the bracket, the longer oil lines in braided stainless steel and various socket headed cap screws and washers. It was pretty straightforward although the German to English translation left a lot to be desired. I've been left with two long cable ties I haven't found a use for. The horn wires need extending as the horn will have to be relocated to one of the crashbar bolts.

Once I get the wheels back, it'll be time to add all of the fluids, add some petrol and see if she'll start.

Wow, what an amazing process. I am envious of your patience. The bike is a beauty.

I am fortunate as I'm retired, have a well equipped and spacious workshop, already bought the PD six years ago so was in dry storage, and have thought long and hard about how I was going to undergo the rebuild. Really much of what I've done is to assemble the bike with experts such as Jim Cray the engine builder, the powdercoaters from Dartford, and Hagons the wheelbuilders actually doing the hard work. Anyway what else is there to spend the State Pension on ;-)

PS Edmonton in Alberta or North London?beer

Paris Dakar 1st start - YouTube

She goes!