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Complete Restoration of BMW R75/5 into Cafe Racer

Short Wheel Base

Yes, you guys are correct. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions, they are all forwarded to Josh, you guys are the best.

Thanks,
Shane
 
30,000 Hits

Thanks everyone for your interest in my build thread, we just met the 30,000 hit threshold which is amazing. Thanks for all of your support and we look forward to continuing to share our restoration with everyone, have a great weekend. :buds

Thanks,
Shane
 
Tail Light Bracket

Josh is working on the bracket from another tail light and wants to incorporate the vintage British Turn Signal that he found some months ago as our tail light, I will share pictures as we go forward, thanks!

Shane
 

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Turn Signal Now A Potential Tail Light

Here is a picture of our 1960's British Made turn signal that we may use as our tail light. I like the look, and even more like the fact that it is vintage.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Josh and His Bike

A photograph school used this picture of Josh and his bike for a Lighting Class, I just had to share so everyone has a face for the person putting my Cafe Racer together for me. The nicest guy, we have never met but we will at the end of the build. Professional photographer by day, BMW Cafe Racer builder by night.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Thanks

Enjoying your thread, keep up the good work. Can't wait to see the finished bike. :thumb

I am also enjoying sharing. It was not until after my Porsche project that I realized how much I missed the entire build process and that is when the BMW idea came to me, the support out here has been tremendous and thanks to everyone for their interest.

Sincerely,
Shane
 
Tail Light Mock-up with Rear Turn Signals

Josh did some work on the tail light we are going to use and the rear turn signals, he chronicled this on his site:

http://beemersandbits.com/2012/02/t...paign=Feed:+BeemersAndBits+(Beemers+and+Bits)

I have to say I really like the look, simple and clean. Would love to hear any input.

Thanks,
Shane

PS: The brown cardboard box will not be included in the final build.
 

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Hmmm.....

I'd have to see that lamp mocked up on the bike but offhand, I'm not thrilled with it.

In my way to thinking, since you've stripped off much of the "visual structure" of the machine, each and every piece thats left has to contribute more to the whole, supplying a sense of motion to the bike and forcing the eye to follow it's lines.

If that lamp does it for you, go ahead. Me? I'd either keep looking or consider frenching a lamp into the seat hump. Now that would be cool! Come to think of it, I once saw a cafe seat hammered out by Evan Wilcox, that included a custom frenched-in tail light. It was beautiful!

As an aside...

If you intend to actually ride your bike, you might well consider converting those turn signals and the stop lamp to LEDs. I wouldn't trust anyone behind me to see that 40s/50s era stuff, no matter how kool it looks and you probably shouldn't either. All of my rear lighting has been either entirely converted or beefed up with LED lights and the bikes far more visible to cage drivers AND other riders.

What are you going to use for a horn? :whistle
 
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Got to go with Mindsock on this one.
A frenched in tail light would be much cooler than something that looks like a dagmar hanging off the back end.


also , having been rear ended by a drunk make me prefer a lot of light on the rear.

what you have is not by any stretch of the imagination poorly executed. i just like more light than less and damn the cafe' look
 
Thanks

Thanks guys for all the comments. The light in the cowl has been done a million times and looks too modern for my taste. What I love about this look is that it is unique and we are incorporating a light from another application into the bike, keeping with the Cafe mentality. I understand your concerns about safety and the turn signals are LED lights, but really if I was so worried about these issues that are out of my control, I would not drive a bike in the first place or let alone my Porsche because I have to tell you, it gives me no more safety tham a bike in many regards, it will crush like a tin can at any speed, I have looked at the James Dean crash photograph a million times, but I still get behind the wheel of my unsafe vehicle because it is about the love of the machine and if fate is going to have a hand in something, then I cannot control that outcome. The fact is that I could be killed in the Hummer that I drive to work every day or a drunk driver could run me over on one of my jogs. I will take the safety classes, wear a helmet, gloves and a jacket and do what I can to be safe. I have 3 children and a beautiful wife at home and I know how important I am to them, but I have to be honest, it is not going to stop me from taking a 30 minute cruise every week on my bike on a leisurely Sunday afternoon. I have worked too hard to be able to enjoy some of these finer "Guy" things in life, because remember, I would never in a million years believed I would be so fortunate to discuss and pull off such projects as these, I am truly blessed.

I truly appreciate all of the comments and take them all to heart and very much appreciate you guys taking the time out of your day.

Thanks,
Shane

PS: I think I will win you guys over with the final product, in fact I am sure of it.
 

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Shane, I like the light, very interesting & the oldness of it is killer. My brother used a very dim "guide" light on his Triumph bobber, it looked killer & gave off way less light that you will have. The places & the way you ride a bike like this is way different than more mainstream bikes, so you can get away with this I think. If you want more rear brake conspicuity, you could always take a very thin strip of LEDs, black even, wrap them around the bum-stop & use them as secondary brake lights. Put them on a hidden switch, when you feel you want them, flip the switch, when at a show, leave them off. Might be an idea...
 
Thanks

Thanks again for all of the suggestions and comments. I have no doubt the light is perfect for our project and we will have to wait to see after assembly. I have some more pictures to share in regards to handlebars this morning.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Handlebars and Seat & Subframe

Josh made some modification to the controls to get them to work with our new handlebars. He also had some holes welded shut on the subframe for the seat. He is mocking up the fiberglass seat pan and then it will be sent off to Autos International for our custom leather seat with heavy white stiching. Much work being done now, very excited to give updates so quickly. Josh is making the final push to get everything to powder coating. He also did a little tech note on the bars, click below:

http://beemersandbits.com/2012/02/f...paign=Feed:+BeemersAndBits+(Beemers+and+Bits)


Thanks,
Shane
 

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