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Carb jetting for '59 R60

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Bikesmith01
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:55 pm

Carb jetting for '59 R60

Post by Bikesmith01 »

Hi Everybody,
I'm Jon. I'm new here. I acquired a 1959 R60 so recently that I don't even have it yet. It's still en route from Boston. I'm really excited about diving in and fixing it up. I'm familiar with both older and newer vehicles than the R60, but this will be my first time working on a bike from the 50s.
Among (many) other things I'm planning to tear apart and familiarize myself with, I'm thinking about the carburetors. Specifically, jetting for altitude. I live at about 6,000 feet (1800 meters), and I expect the bike will spend most of it's time at this altitude and higher. Some of my favorite rides take me above 8,500 feet (2500m). So I've rejetted all of my carbureted vehicles for the altitude. I expect I'll want to do the same for the R60.
Do any of you have any experience with this? Am I right in thinking that jetting for altitude will be more or less a necessity? Any recommendation on jets, or sources for jets?
Thank you in advance for any advise you may have!
-Jon
******************************************************************
Jon the Bikesmith
1959 BMW R60
1940 Royal Enfield WD-C/O
1942 Chevy 3/4-ton special Flatbed
1985 BMW K100RS
******************************************************************

Lincoln
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:36 am

Re: Carb jetting for '59 R60

Post by Lincoln »

Here's a chart from Bench Mark Works on the specs for your carbs, just so you can check what's on the bike now:

http://www.benchmarkworks.com/articles/tech/carb2.html

And here's how you can figure what you need to do to rejet your carbs to compensate for altitude:

http://www.benchmarkworks.com/articles/tech/carb2.html

You can also experiment with adjusting the clip position on the jet needle. Moving the clip up on the jet will lower the needle and so lower the fuel to air ratio in mid-throttle ranges.

I run my 1967 R69S at ~7000 feet and a bit above here in northern New Mexico with 125 main jets. Stock is 135. I haven't changed the clip positions, though a knowledgeable friend suggested that that's all he's ever done, leaving the main jets stock, and he did a speed record at Bonneville on an R50, which is at 5000 feet. The bike runs fine, though the back ends of my mufflers are still a bit sooty, so maybe I should change the clip positions.

Hope this helps.
Lincoln--Ann Arbor & Taos
1967 R69S, original owner; 1978 R100S; 2001 R1150GS; 2002 R1150RT

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Bikesmith01
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:55 pm

Re: Carb jetting for '59 R60

Post by Bikesmith01 »

That's VERY helpful. Thank you! However, the two links are the same. Was the second one supposed to be different?
******************************************************************
Jon the Bikesmith
1959 BMW R60
1940 Royal Enfield WD-C/O
1942 Chevy 3/4-ton special Flatbed
1985 BMW K100RS
******************************************************************

Lincoln
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 12:36 am

Re: Carb jetting for '59 R60

Post by Lincoln »

Sorry for the doubling of the one URL. Here's the other one which I meant to send:

https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tech/carbjet
Lincoln--Ann Arbor & Taos
1967 R69S, original owner; 1978 R100S; 2001 R1150GS; 2002 R1150RT

jnclem
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:56 pm
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Carb jetting for '59 R60

Post by jnclem »

For what it's worth, I live at 8000’ and regularly ride my 58 R60 to well above 10,000’. It had 110s in it when I brought it up from Montana (4000’). I have a set of 105’s that I planned to put in, but so far the plugs look absolutely perfect, so I’m going to leave the 110’s in it.

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