Vintage BMW Motorcycle Owners

Jebones wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:53 pm

I have a carb rebuild kit arriving tomorrow and the carb bodies have been cleaned. Next will be to check valve gaps.

Apologies for leading us down a rabbit hole!

Glad that the bean can situation has been cleared up.

Good that you are rebuilding the carbs, as they will benefit from that. One note of caution, when reassembling the choke mechanism. There are a couple of bosses, that stick out, and you might be tempted to use them as leveraging, to unfasten the component. They can snap off fairly easily.

Here is one of the best, and very comprehensive videos, on Bing rebuilding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V-M5L4bK3s

@SDCR Thanks for the tip on the choke tabs. I watched the video and he also pointed that out. Very helpful.

Latest update. Carbs rebuilt and installed and she fired right up. Idling without choke at about 800 RPM. No smoke. I was told this bike sat for in a walkout basement for 15 years! Just ordered some tires and and will be headed to the BMV to get it titled and plates.
Next mechanical issue will be forks and shocks.

Super news! St.

Your welcome.

That’s great that you got it running, with the carb rebuild. Before I did mine, I was a little hesitant, because I was unfamiliar with The Bings. Now, I find them to be very simple, and well designed. When I did mine last spring, I replaced the needle valves and seats, as well as the rubber bellows, along with all gaskets and o rings.

Next question involves front wheel bearings. I purchased a reinforced snowflake wheel and have a few questions regarding the bearings. It has the tapered rollerbearings. I've read some of the threads on replacement. Proper preloading requires different thickness "wedding band" spacers? Same idea as shimming valves on an overhead cam engine?

Is it possible to convert to sealed ball bearings like the later models? I pulled the bearings, but left the outer races in place. They are not worn but have some black staining on the rollers and the outer race. Simply repacking and reusing would most likely lead to early failure.

https://brook.reams.me/
Brooks Airhead Garage has excellent advise and videos on rebuilding Airheads...

raywilson wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 15, 2023 10:21 pm

https://brook.reams.me/
Brooks Airhead Garage has excellent advise and videos on rebuilding Airheads...

That sit is NOT what I needed to see. My original goal was to just do a mechanical refurbish and keep the patina to show the bikes history. Just do a really good cleaning and mechanical refresh. Now after watching a few videos I might have to change course. Thanks A lot!

Honestly, these Airheads are just my style. All nuts and bolts, no plastic,or software and relatively simple robust design. My first love and upbringing was on 1960’s Alfa Romeos. Similar philosophy, Italian style.

Thanks for the link.

I don’t have any experience with the front wheel bearing setup, or I would have chimed in.

However, I do have a soft spot for vintage Alfa’s. Would you please share a couple of pics of yours?

Oh to watch Brook at work, made me spend extra hours on my last restoration to make things look "right".

I do have to admit between him and Boxer two valve. I thing a lot is covered.

Sorry, I haven't rebuilt a wheel in a long time and have forgotten how to set up the bearings. I am hoping that I won't have to anymore, LOL. St.

Brook's video on the wheel bearing cleared it all up (watching it at 2am when I cant sleep), kind of what I was thinking but nice to see it confirmed.
Interesting though he had the wheels powder coated, and some feel the heating during powder coating would weaken the
alloy. (I'm skeptical). Also he heated the hub to insert the race and Snowbum says it's not necessary with the alloy wheels with steel inserts. Many ways to skin a cat.

I will have the new tires professionally installed as the old ones are literally petrified.

I'll post some Alfa pics when I get home.