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Old Dirty R69 - From Basket to Bike

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kingcowie
Posts: 63
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2020 1:29 pm
Location: Wollongong

Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by kingcowie »

Great Read, Thanks for posting.

Regards Shane
Shane
Wollongong, Australia
Tooo many projects —— oh well
53 R25/3 Project
57 R26 Project
62 R50/2 Restored
64 R50/2 Project
67 R69S Original
71 R75/5 Original
77 R100RS Project

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malmac
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Location: Toowoomba, Australia.
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Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by malmac »

Interesting read and it is amazing to see what is happening behind closed doors.

I also like the choice you made to do the mechanicals and for the time being delay the cosmetics.
Makes your bike great to ride and with some of it's life story showing.

Mal
mal - R69s
Toowoomba- Australia

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goaarongo
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:40 pm

Long road to carburation

Post by goaarongo »

I've mentioned a few times in this story that my carbs were pretty rough. My ambition and enthusiasm lead me to buy almost every rebuild part available, including some oversized slides. This put me in purgatory for a while, as cutting the inside of the carb is no small feat. I posted separately here to pole for a service somewhere stateside that does this to no avail. Eventually, I defaulted back to refitting my original slides and was moderately successful with this approach. I am still pondering on improvements here, but I was at least able to get something I could move forward with. I took almost no photos because my eyes were on the prize of getting this thing to run...

Image
Last edited by goaarongo on Mon Jun 21, 2021 6:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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goaarongo
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:40 pm

Shakedown!

Post by goaarongo »

I'll be honest and admit that the 1st time the thing fired - it startled me. What an exciting moment though.
I gave the whole bike a "tighten up" and rechecked all the fasteners I left half loose. I put a fresh charge on the battery and checked fluids, air pressure, cable tensions, etc. I ran the bike twice in the garage to do some initial carb tweaks and eyeball for any leaks or flames.

Image

Idle vid: https://youtu.be/qU0EHluqXzo

On the 3rd run, I had a reasonable idle and decent throttle response, so what the hell, why not take it up and down the block? I made 3 rides on Sunday, adding a gear and a few more blocks to each excursion and then fidgeting with carbs and timing each time. Still lots of tuning to do, but damn it if the thing isn't alive!

Image

Image

Happy holidays yall.
Last edited by goaarongo on Sat Dec 26, 2020 2:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

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schrader7032
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Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by schrader7032 »

Nice sounding engine! So, where are the bars from? It looks like they're an attempt to make them like high US bars. Was that cross over piece added in at some point?
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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Micha
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Re: Long road to carburation

Post by Micha »

goaarongo wrote:
Mon Dec 21, 2020 6:58 pm
I've mentioned a few times in this story that my carbs were pretty rough. My ambition and enthusiasm lead me to buy almost every rebuild part available, including some oversized slides that are available. This put me in purgatory for a while, as cutting the inside of the carb is no small feat. I posted separately here to pole for a service somewhere stateside that does this to no avail. Eventually, I defaulted back to refitting my original slides and was moderately successful with this approach. I am still pondering on improvements here, but I was at least able to get something I could move forward with. I took almost no photos because my eyes were on the prize of getting this thing to run...

Image
Good morning.
You threw me back a few years 8-) At the time my motor did not work well and I checked the ignition, the carbs, plugs etc with no results. I finally disassembled the carbs, heavily smeared the slides with some heavy grease and what a wonder - the engine worked smoothly and nicely (until the grease disassembled from the fuel and all went back to stutter again). This is the horrifying point we all know and fear so well, that it's time to re-make the carbs... I remember that I bored out the carbs body and installed stainless sleeves as brass collapsed while trying to press in. Floats where as good as new (PO bought them thinking he will solve the issue). I recall some very strange and weared threads (7 mm?) over there, so went to the industrial zone to a factory that was making all kind of special mounting for weapons and so (a friend worked there) and he lent me the correct tap.
Wish you good luck!
Michael Steinmann
R51/3 1952
Engine Nr. 529466

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wa1nca
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Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by wa1nca »

schrader7032 wrote:
Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:33 pm
Nice sounding engine! So, where are the bars from? It looks like they're an attempt to make them like high US bars. Was that cross over piece added in at some point?
I have the same bars on my r51/3
Will check with Roger to see if he purchased them or they were added at a later date before he drove it from California to New England
Tommy
Attachments
DSC04269.JPG
Tommy Byrnes
54 R51/3, 55 R50/Velorex 560 sidecar, 64 R27, 68 R69US, 75 R75/6
Ashfield, Ma
USA

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schrader7032
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Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by schrader7032 »

Maybe it's a pre /2 type of thing. Vech has this picture of various bars he offers...the standard US bars is at the bottom:

http://www.benchmarkworks.com/onlinesto ... o/bars.jpg

Maybe Flanders, Butler & Smith?
Kurt in S.A.
'78 R100/7 '69 R69S '52 R25/2
Fast. Neat. Average. Friendly. Good. Good.

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CWRoady
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Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by CWRoady »

Congrats!!!
Chris
1955 R50 / 1973 R75/5 / 1974 R90/6 Hack / 2015 RT
Yard Art 1968 +/- Hodaka & SACHS

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goaarongo
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Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:40 pm

Re: Old dirty r69 - from basket to bike.

Post by goaarongo »

I wish I had more detail on the bars. All I can say is they were in the box when I got the project. I assumed they were aftermarket, but they definitely look period correct and they are well made. If the handlebar risers are any indication, I'd say they've been on the bike at least 50 years... :D

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