Look what followed me home...

[SDCRJohn]

So a friend of a friend told me about a 1983 R100 that has been languishing in a neighborhood garage for several years. Owner parked it, battery went flat and that’s how he left it. Still has the same gas in the tank, which smells like gas. Brakes function, bike rolls, and the engine is not stuck. Clutch lever operates.

 

The good;  Everything is there, and engine is free. Has the sexy BMW cafe fairing. Gas tank is still that reddish primer, don’t see any rust. Body work is very straight except, more on that coming up. Has two side stands, one oem, and another very long one, Brown maybe? Tool kit, spare tube, even has that long cable lock, but it stuck in the frame. 47,000 miles. Owner gave me a large box of new spares, BMW oil, filters, fuel treatment And one Bing rebuild kit. I like the greenish, blackish color. Has a pair of BMW aside cases. Bike is eligible for a classic tag, no registration fees after initial app. 
 

The bad; Fairing  has a small scuff, about the size of a quarter. Tires are new lasers, but six years old. Dead battery. Mufflers are solid, but have a some pitting in the chrome.Bought it without hearing it run, as is. 
 

So, being not the most mechanically savvy, any suggestions on what to do first, second etc are very much appreciated.
I am hoping to get this on the road this spring.

[Skywagon]

Should be a fun project. Besides the basics to change ; oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid, final drive,etc….I would change brake lines, fuel lines, remove and clean  pet cocks as I bet they have that red fuel liner in them (my 79 did), spark plugs, and the diaphragm  in each of the carbs. Would not ride on 6 year old tires. They will be hard and slippery

Congrats. Those are great and simple bikes

 

[SDCRJohn]

Thanks David. So the petcock are relatively simple to disassemble? 

[Skywagon]

Yes. If I remember right they just unscrew. They will probably have a kind of cloth filter on top that will have trapped debris. It’s possible those filters could be gone which is no big deal. I love those series of airheads. 

[SDCRJohn]

Great, first thing after I dispose of whatever gas or ? Is left in the tank.

 

I just spent the  afternoon cleaning the painted surfaces, paint looks pretty good.

 

first this game is getting a new battery. The old one is actually a lead acid type. I am hoping that there is a more modern, sealed type that is available.

[TEWKS]

Nice looking machine! 

[Lowndes]

SDCRJohn,

 

GOOD JOB!!  You're gonna like this bike!!

 

First - please believe Skywagon about the TIRES, brake lines, diaphrams, fuel lines, etc.  I wouldn't even ride those tires around the block.  Same with the brake lines.  The other items will just leave you stranded somewhere but OLD TIRES and OLD BRAKE LINES are well known SAFETY problems for YOU and your GORGEOUS "new" bike.

 

You said, "I am hoping that there is a more modern, sealed type that is available."   You're in luck.  The new type of battery is a AGM - Absorptive Glass Matt - and is a sealed type.  They have a few differences and strong advantages over the old lead-acid type.  First of all they require a slightly higher voltage (14.5v compared to 13.5v) to fully charge and you will need an AGM rated battery charger if the bike will be sitting any length of time during the year.  Most major battery makers have AGM, just make sure the dimensions are what fits your bike.  More info on AGM batteries here:  https://www.batteryminders.com/agm-battery-info/

 

Some people are going to the newest Li-On batteries to save a few pounds but the cost is still high.

 

I changed the voltage regulators in the Bosch alternators on my two '99 oilheads but you might not really need to go that far.  https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/product-p/vr-ext.htm 

 

Post more pics as you get into your list of "To Do's"!!

 

 

[Skywagon]

Here is a picture of my last airhead.

[taylor1]

My current

[Rinkydink]

All of the above is good advice. I’d get rid of that gas and redo carbs asap. Odyssey makes a great (not cheap) battery , the PC680. With a quality battery maintainer you’re all set. Change the brake line(s), all fluids, spark plugs, fuel lines, clean petcocks, plus new tires/tubes/rim strips. Lube rear splines while rear wheel is off. Fire her up and see what what she has to say!! Beautiful scoot by the way. Enjoy

[SDCRJohn]

Thanks for all the tips and encouragement. I am looking forward to that first ride, as it’s been at least 20 years since I rode an airhead.

 

the BMW side cases are in very nice shape, but, the owner never locked them. He said he didn’t even know they had locks. So, I don’t have any keys for the side cases. These are the bags with the tiny little key, the ones that are easily lost while you are trying to set up camp at midnight😀. 

So, can anyone suggest a source for these? I hesitate to replace the whole lock assemblies, but I really like to lock the cases onto the bike. Thanks.

[brianh70]

Nice find!  Congratulations!

 

For the case key, I'd recommend contacting a locksmith.  I bet they could come up with something that won't require replacing the whole lock assembly.  Good luck.

[SDCRJohn]

Thanks, 

here is a better pic after I got it off the trailer.

 

[dduelin]

Nice memories of my '81 R100. The first $ repair I had on that bike was a stripped transmission output shaft. Actually I just replaced the transmission with a rebuilt and replaced the output shaft a year later and kept it as a spare gearbox. After that I cleaned and regreased the output shaft every 12,000 miles. After a complete fuel system cleaning I would check and service those splines. It's not that hard to pull the swing arm pivots and then transmission bolts and shift the entire gearbox and rear wheel back about 3/4". This leaves enough room to get to the shaft with an acid brush taped to a flat piece of wood harvested from a paint stir stick. One brush to clean the splines and one brush to apply new moly paste. Snowbum's site still has all those resources I'm sure you can find a pdf of the procedure.

 

 

[SDCRJohn]

Dave,

 

 That sounds like solid technical advice, thanks.

im hoping to get this started in a week or so. Currently awaiting a pair of carb rebuild kits.the more that I take off, the more things I find that need replacing. This bike still has the Pulse intake plumbing, so I plan to strip that out too.

John

 

 

[SDCRJohn]

So, new diaphragms in, new o rings, gaskets in both carbs. All new fuel hoses, and a fresh agm battery. I still have the Pulse air system intact, for now. Tomorrow morning, I’ll button everything els up, put the tank back on, and see if it starts. 

Once i know it runs, I can start to evaluate the overall condition of the bike. That will be the time to change all fluids, get new tires, and buy all the little items that it needs, like the shifter rubber, those plastic wheel like fasteners for the tank hold down and other stuff. 

fingers crossed...

[SDCRJohn]

Very good news. With a minimal amount of effort, i got the R100 to start. I had to fix some corroded spade connections at the main relay, and redo both carbs, but with a fresh battery and fuel, it kicked over, backfired and started. The clutch is not stuck, but I haven’t had a chance to ride it yet.
 

Temps in the 40’s today, so I will give it a shake down run. If it rides OK, next move is to start correcting some of its deficiencies.