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Complete Restoration of BMW R75/5 into Cafe Racer

It looks like you left the boss on the frame for the stock side stand. Do you plan on using it? It has a rather infamous reputation for dumping bikes.
 
Stand

It looks like you left the boss on the frame for the stock side stand. Do you plan on using it? It has a rather infamous reputation for dumping bikes.

Josh has done some work on the center stand (under the bike) and we are going to us it.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Confirmed

It looks like you left the boss on the frame for the stock side stand. Do you plan on using it? It has a rather infamous reputation for dumping bikes.

Talked with Josh about the stand and he confirmed, he would never trust a side stand, we will be using the center stand only for the bike. Thanks for your concern. Hope you have a great weekend!

Thanks,
Shane
 
Just a thought, I removed the side stand boss from the frame before powder coating on my RS. It cleaned up the frame nicely. I use an aftermarket sidestand that bolts onto the rear engine bolt.
 
Thanks

Just a thought, I removed the side stand boss from the frame before powder coating on my RS. It cleaned up the frame nicely. I use an aftermarket sidestand that bolts onto the rear engine bolt.

That is a good idea, unfortunately too late in our process for this, it is getting coated this week and has already been blasted. Thanks for all the input everyone, as soon as the frame is coated, we can mock it up and then Josh will get the rest ready for paint.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Seat

Josh got the seat back from Autos International, we wanted to fit it on the bike before actually applying the leather. Josh mocked it up on his bike to give us an good idea. Josh thinks the cushion is too thick because I am a shorter rider at 5'7" so they are going to trim that down a bit.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Closeup

Here is a closeup of the seat, Josh is also going to have them trim the transition from the front of the seat to the tank to make it more flowing as well.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Found Different Set of Mirrors

Josh found a cool set of mirrors at a local swap meet for $20 and he really likes the design and quality and thinks they will go better with the bike than the previous pair we bought, so we are going with these bad boys.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Side Panel Covers

Josh took a good look at my covers for the sides and he thinks these need to be refinished or chromed, this is what we have, we will figure something out for them or buy another replica set if they are available, a true Cafe Racer would not have these on the bike, but Josh said they are very decorative and he wants to make sure that I have a pair of them in great condition so that I can put them on when I want, nice design feature and I tend to agree with him.

Thanks,
Shane
 

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Invariably, seats close to the tank will rub the paint. Might want to consider that aspect of a custom seat design.
 
Thanks

Invariably, seats close to the tank will rub the paint. Might want to consider that aspect of a custom seat design.

Yep, agreed, that was one of the reasons we had it sent back to us before final leather applied, if you are making a custom seat, no reason it should not be perfect for the job, I cannot wait to see it back with leather on it.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Heads Post Vapor Blasting

I have to tell you, that Vapor Blasting is the gig! WOW!, did they turn our wonderful, see photographs, amazing.
 

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Mirrors, Sidecovers. . .

THANKS, again, for sharing all your marvelous finds and design ideas.

LOVE those mirrors -- they look as if they'd cost a lot more than $20, for sure.

You and Josh have already established and documented your "artist" DNA, so I feel a little presumptuous to weigh-in on design, but this is a terrific thread, bound to attract interlopers!

My .02 worth on the sidecover finish is this: I like the paint idea, maybe matching paint, which would look better than chrome. My goal would be to make the sidecover area "disappear" for the viewer -- an effect more easily achieved via (a) using sidecovers, no matter what the Cafe Racer book says. . .and (b) paint vs. chrome.

Full disclosure: I don't like the chrome sidecovers, even on the classic Toasters, and feel that it "interrupts" the flow of the view, and -somehow- it manages to look a mite garish. [No offense intended toward dedicated Toaster boys and girls -- Ah, you have no choice but to "like" the factory look when you restore a Classic to full glory.]

That vapor-blasting appears to be THE way to go, eh? Thanks for sharing that bit of technology. Down here in Southern NM, we can just set the stuff out in the 50 mph breeze and wait for The White Sands to work the magic! Only takes about a year to get most of the grit out of everything; the engine parts only last about 5,000 miles before ya gotta rebuild it, but the price is right.

Keep on keepin' on -- great stuff.

Regards,

Walking Eagle
 
Thanks

THANKS, again, for sharing all your marvelous finds and design ideas.

LOVE those mirrors -- they look as if they'd cost a lot more than $20, for sure.

You and Josh have already established and documented your "artist" DNA, so I feel a little presumptuous to weigh-in on design, but this is a terrific thread, bound to attract interlopers!

My .02 worth on the sidecover finish is this: I like the paint idea, maybe matching paint, which would look better than chrome. My goal would be to make the sidecover area "disappear" for the viewer -- an effect more easily achieved via (a) using sidecovers, no matter what the Cafe Racer book says. . .and (b) paint vs. chrome.

Full disclosure: I don't like the chrome sidecovers, even on the classic Toasters, and feel that it "interrupts" the flow of the view, and -somehow- it manages to look a mite garish. [No offense intended toward dedicated Toaster boys and girls -- Ah, you have no choice but to "like" the factory look when you restore a Classic to full glory.]

That vapor-blasting appears to be THE way to go, eh? Thanks for sharing that bit of technology. Down here in Southern NM, we can just set the stuff out in the 50 mph breeze and wait for The White Sands to work the magic! Only takes about a year to get most of the grit out of everything; the engine parts only last about 5,000 miles before ya gotta rebuild it, but the price is right.

Keep on keepin' on -- great stuff.

Regards,

Walking Eagle

Dear Walking Eagle, by all means you chime in anytime you want, love to hear input from everyone in the know, as a BMW newbie I am very aware that I have alot to learn, lucky for me like with the Porsche and Bill, now I have Josh for the bike and he has a ton of knowledge to give me about these bikes owning and restoring many of them in the past, he is a die hard, no better kind of builder.

Anyway as for the sidecovers, it was determined that mine were in too bad of shape so I bought a set of new reproductions side covers from San Jose BMW yesterday, they ran $250 for anyone else that may want to know where to get them.

My thoughts are with you on the side covers, they probably will not be on the bike most of the time, but it is nice to have a set just in case I want to put them on the bike. I did this with the Porsche also, have some parts restored that are not on the car right now but they are there if I ever need them or want to mix it up a bit. I typed the below goal for the Porsche over 3 years ago and I modified it for the bike:

Goal for the Build:
To create a "Sister" companion bike to my Porsche 356. To design and modify the bike in a classic one-off Cafe Racer theme.
We are going to take an original BMW R755 and have it restored into a beautiful, unique and reliable Cafe Racer for everyday driving. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. Obviously I wish to use as many original parts as possible but if a part does not function properly or is aesthetically flawed and cannot be restored I would rather replace it with new mint part. The end result is very important but equally important is the journey getting there.

Thanks again guys!

Sincerely,
Shane
 
Lewis Leathers - From U.K. to North Dakota USA

I cannot tell you how excited I was when a box arrived from the U.K. from Lewis Leathers. I know they have been making these coats since the late 1800's and that they have a world wide reputation and had a lot to live up to, and I have to admit, this coat is just amazing as hell. The quality and the craftmanship is unbelievable and I have to admit, I have never seen this quality leather jacket in my life. The size is perfect from my measurements, the bespoke race stripe down both arms was to my specifications and the weight, quality, stitching and zippers are top notch. I could not be happier, I would recommend their coats to anyone. Did a quick impromptu photo of me in my back warehouse with it on, it takes alot to make me look cool and this jacket may just pull it off. !:brad

Thanks,
Shane

PS: Now we just need to finish the bike so I can use the jacket.
 

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Perfect

Very nice !!

Looks real retro, now you need some bug juice on it to make it perfect.:thumb

If you think it looks retro then mission accomplished. Wait till I get my Davida helmet on and goggles, I will be living early 1970's dream! Thanks for all your support.

Thanks,
Shane
 
Leather Care. . .

They've been growing cows for a long time in the UK, so no surprise that they do this amazing work with hides. There's an active "leather care" thread RIGHT NOW - curiously located in the Oilhead area - that I'd suggest as a quick read -- a mui rapido way to come up to speed on how to care for that FANTASTIC-looking jacket -- you be stylin' now. Well, an -ah- actual motorcycle might help with the stylin' part, but you guys are rolling now.

If this here project was a movie, you'd win Oscar for Best Production Design. . .details, details, details. Doncha love it?

Walking Eagle
 
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