Next project, maybe.

Picked up this 1971 R50/5 from the brink of being put in a dumpster. Complete except for the head light and bezel. Rough shape, sat in a garage for the last 30 years. Just couldn't let that happen.

price

LOL, if you got it just in time to save it from the dumpster, the price was right.

If you do decide to restore it, be sure to keep all of us in the loop. LOL, you don't have to be a Brook Reams but a doc would be neat. St.

Most of that should buff right out!

STEVENRANKIN said:

LOL, if you got it just in time to save it from the dumpster, the price was right.

If you do decide to restore it, be sure to keep all of us in the loop. LOL, you don't have to be a Brook Reams but a doc would be neat. St.

Click to expand...

Well Steve, the price was right. Zero dollars. When I open it up I'll know.

20774 said:

Most of that should buff right out!

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Nothing I've acquired ever just buffed out, besides that would take the fun out of it.

WOW
Dave
That is rough as guts.
If you do the project please post a before and after picture and maybe hours into if possible.
Good Luck!
Nick

nickrides said:

WOW
Dave
That is rough as guts.
If you do the project please post a before and after picture and maybe hours into if possible.
Good Luck!
Nick

Click to expand...

I've got 3 small projects in front of it, if I do it it'll be years not hours!

Still

Yeah, it is going to be a long time thing, unless you push and make it a full time job. Even if you do take and work only a little at a time, I would still like to see photos or vids as you go, if you want to share. St.

Not many R50/5’s around now.

They cost the same to manufacture as the R60 and R75 but couldn’t be sold at a price that made them profitable to the factory or dealers. I’d at least consider a restoration based on limited production. That one sure looks like a money pit.

kinterridge said:

picked this 1971 R50/5 from the brink of a dumpster. .

Click to expand...

Kudos Kinte; You won the Curb Race. ... ..... ..... still, your ideas scare even me.

Halloween comes but once a year, but yard art ist eternal




Its Dead. Been a long long and lonely time. Let It Be. Dont Get Fooled Again.

and um umm umm mmm , check those remarkable cRASH test bars dummie

I'd be interested in seeing that made running and safe with a minimum of beautification. Patina projects can be fascinating.

Mind you, I'm normally a Blingologist.

Tires, cables, fork and carb rebuilds, and see what you get. Call it $1,000 rather than $5,000 to do it that way.

melville said:

Patina projects

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hay I knew a girl named Patina! and she looked as rough as this one.
Probably had as much goo crud & gunk in her tank too; but I never felt moved to looked inside the opening on either one.

speaking of which; I aint a Doctor, but it looks like this bike is giving your trailer an infection.

Meanwhile , loosen the tie-down straps- they are about to pull through the fork tubes.

Did you get any owner pre history on that bike ?

Kick the engine over a few times. Then kick it some more, everywhere else.

If it turns over by some miracle, then get it started before dropping another dime.
If nothing else just for the pride of accomplishment , and to kill the mosquitos for a few blocks around with the smoke.

Then I'd ride it around back, tip it over with the fresh side up , opposite where it sank into the ground before
and let it season for another couple , well... seasons.

Looks like some of the rust is breaking down to lighter elements than Iron and Oxygen.
Got any buddys w/a geiger counter to verify that ? I can only tell so much from pictures.

Probably be wise to top up the crank case with dark sludge hoed from underneath a sorely neglected deep fryer,
just to lessen the shock to it's system that fresh oil may cause.

Vehicles like this is the reason I cant live anywhere again where the humidity and or temperature regularly exceed my IQ.

I do agree this one might make a great bike; provided one had the skills to melt it down and cast a new one from it.
You could probably use the impression where it sank in the sand, for the mold.

You don't often see tires with a Date code followed by "BC"

Check out the " Bering Land Bridge " sticker on those Krasuer travois-bags.

Those look like early wheels; as in, wheels had been invented just earlier than this one was running.

I can't make out the warning stickers. Its a shame I don't read rünes.

Did somebody just say "ruins" ?

Be sure to use the right fuel for that thing; It was designed to run on Ruhr coal.

The engine horse power is rated in "Hagermans"

The side grab bar looks pristine. Its good to have a solid grasp there, to hook the lumber chain around when you drag it to the pound..

That seat looks like it's been bearly shat on. Was it in the Woods ?

The colors are original. but EVERYTHING was in black and white back then.

Those are very high bars. So, it must be true " there were giants in those days".
I wouldn't classify those bars as Ape Hangers though;
evolution hadn't progressed that far when they were installed.

Mechano-archeology is such a rare speciality , looks exciting.

Wow, and to think of the grief I catch just for doing Pre-loads as if we are from this century.

They got craigslist where you live ? Use a tosser phone and meet in public but very very late at night
Smebody may pay enough just for the innuendo-loaded license plate to make the trip worth it.

Anything is possible

The before and after of my barn bike adventure. 1975 the motor froze up and bike laid down and The bike was taken apart for repair and repaint, it sat there for a while, moved a few times and finally ended up in the back of my truck in 2016. It took a while to buff out the age spots, install new tires & tubes and then a major, MAJOR! tune up to get it back in proper condition. I did a few upgrades along the way also.

Don't let your treasure sit to long or think of parting it out, they don't make that model anymore and didn't make many to begin with. Let me know PM if you get tired of stepping around it or looking at it aging in the back of your shop, I might be interested in making it new again.

Zeff

Sanity

LOL, not all of us are sane when it comes to airheads and projects. I have way more money invested in my two bikes over the years than what they are worth. I just love to keep them running and in good condition. Some fellows go further and like the extreme challenge of restoring the worst.

We are lucky to have such folk because of them there are items around today that would have been long gone. St.

Just do it!

I agree with Zeff. Since you already have projects in front of this one, you won't feel bad about letting it rest a bit. Take your time and just play it out to whatever level you want to bring it up to. The R50/5 had the lowest production numbers and I think that it was only really built for third world countries, as they're not exactly fast. At least the project will keep you off the streets.
Don't use me as an example though. I spent ten years building up my last project bike....

Timing could be right on. Just ease it into a vat of ketchup for a year or so, then hose it off. Works for pennies.

I got one too, in a little better shape, but I had to pay for it.

I was curious and just had to open it up a little before I set it off to the side.



The back side of the pistons are clean as are the cylinders, the engine internals look nice, I can see the cam and it looks good no rust or scoring.
slide the cylinders out abouta2 inches, rotating in 4th. Not sure you can tell, the cylinder liners are really thick.

I know the general consensus on an R50/5, not worth the money. It's not about the time or money, it's for the love of the bike!
It'll rest awhile for now.

wholly moly was the clear gel stuff moving on its own ? talk about a squish ring .. looks quite larvelly from this angle.
You may well have discovered another metal eating bacteria, & solved the problem what to do with all the e_windmills dying in next 10 years.
I'd keep working on it ! Look at all that cylinder wall begging for the boring bar. Pretty sure it would clean up by a 750cc /50
Again I'd humbly suggest getting the trailer vaccinated

That bike is gonna need you to touch every single part on it.