[stormtrooper]

Hey everyone, my name is Mark...I am from Lexington, NC...I am excited to be part of Caferacer.net...I want you guys, and girls, to know that I am very new to this...I have owned two bikes in my life...the first was an '03 BMW 1200 Phoenix...I loved her very much...I had to give her up for reasons that I don't want to discuss right now...Luckily, I was able to find another one, albeit, an older one, who excites me in other ways...A 1978 BMW R100/7...I purchased her from a French gentleman in DC for around $1500...I really feel that I got a real bargain...She runs like a top...He was in the process of transforming her into a cafe style racer...At the moment, I cannot send you any pictures...I am on night shift, but I will get some pics to you shortly...They will, more than likely, help in some of the questions that I have...First question: She has turn signals that are mounted on the end of the bars. I have to have at least one mirror on her, here in the state of NC, to be road-worthy...do you guys have any suggestions? There are two holes on both the left and right switches that look like they may accept mirrors...I'm not sure...I would like some that look good on her...Second question: All I have for a seat is about 1" to 2" of foam...I like riding hard, but this could be a problem...what do you suggest, for completing the seat? Pictures to come in the next few days that will, hopefully, show you what I mean...Lastly, and this bothers me, beside the oil fill dipstick, there is an open hole that has no plug in it, whatsoever...I can see a "belt" turning inside the hole when she is running...Is this hole supposed to be "plugged"??? Is this where I add fluid of some sort??? Again, I am not motorcycle mechanically inclined...Any help would be much appreciated...I am trying to get her road-worthy, but to also make sure that I am doing the things that I need to do to keep her happy and satisfied...I want her for life...She has been well-taken for and I want to make sure that I continue to do what she needs...From what I have read, you guys, and girls, seem to enjoy more of the Japanese type of bikes...When you see my "German" lady, you will know that I am with you...Mark

 

[stormtrooper]

 

[JackC]

Nice looking bike. I am thinking of selling my sporty and getting a beemer.

Please use paragraphs in your longer posts, makes them much easier to read.

Geeto will be on you about those clubman bars......

 

[stormtrooper]

Point well taken JackC...thanks for the compliment

Geeto gonna rip me a new one?

 

[coolatula]

Make sure a get a shop manual and READ it. This will help you quite a bit. Don't know anything about BMWs,but I do know they make cool looking Cafe style bikes and that includes yours.

 

[OC Steve]

Welcome, Stormtrooper!

quote:Originally posted by stormtrooper

First question: She has turn signals that are mounted on the end of the bars. I have to have at least one mirror on her, here in the state of NC, to be road-worthy...do you guys have any suggestions? There are two holes on both the left and right switches that look like they may accept mirrors...

Yes, those holes are for mirrors. I'd just put some of these on it: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-...017QQitemZ270241030178QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

quote:Originally posted by stormtrooper
Second question: All I have for a seat is about 1" to 2" of foam...I like riding hard, but this could be a problem...what do you suggest, for completing the seat?

I'd put about 3/4" thick neoprene pad on there. Foam N'More has a website you can order from. www.foamandfoam.com

quote:Originally posted by stormtrooper
Lastly, and this bothers me, beside the oil fill dipstick, there is an open hole that has no plug in it, whatsoever...I can see a "belt" turning inside the hole when she is running...Is this hole supposed to be "plugged"??? Is this where I add fluid of some sort???

Not to worry. That hole is supposed to be open. What you are seeing in there is the flywheel. Don't put any fluid in there.

 

[stormtrooper]

Thanks much coolatula...do you recommend any certain manual?

 

[stormtrooper]

Thanks Steve...fortunately, I called the closest BMW dealer and he told me the same about the hole...I'm getting ready to check out your mirror and foam links...you guys are great!!!

 

[stormtrooper]

I just had a close call...my racer isn't legal, yet...I've been itching to drive it.

I live in the back-country, so I decided to take her out for a very short spin...

I drove her up to the local VFD I(about a mile away)...

Low and behold, there's a Davidson Co. Sheriff's car sitting behind the station...I didn't look to see if anyone was in it...

I turned her around a flew! home as fast as she could...I was pretty immpressed...

Not 30 seconds later, a deputy came screaming by the house...I had just enough time to situate myself beside my grill that had charcoal prepping as he went by...Dang!!! Not again!!!

 

[2smokeTyler]

beautiful bike and man...WHAT AN ENGINE! those boxers are something else! i really dig the turn signals in the grips, that is something i haven't seen before. also, great story about your first ride. i'm about to take my first ride on the bike i have built (link to the thread in my sig) and i hope i don't have a similar situation!!

 

[stormtrooper]

Well, I figured that I did get a little lucky...

County cops around here pretty much feel that they rule the world...not to offend anyone...they do a great job!!!

Isn't that what cafe racers were built for??? To get from one place, albeit a cafe, to another, as quickly as possible??? I reckon' this was my Southern way of breakin' her in...