Hello everyone,
My name's Jon, and I've just joined the Club. I've been riding since college, and have always lusted after BMWs. I remember there was a scientist working at the lab where I had a part time job, and he rode up every day on his R69s, (this was back in the late 1980's) and I thought that the Earles forks and the solo saddle were about the coolest things I ever saw! So, that's how I got the bug.
After riding a few Hondas and a yamaha in College, I managed to talk Andy Pelc into selling me a R60/5 that was a borderline parts bike/easy resto project. I think he either felt sorry for me or saw he was going to make a fortune on parts with me.
I worked on that bike, took it down to the last bolt, and got it ready for paint. I was studying for the bar at this point, and this was my "break". I primed everything in the basement, and fumes were too much, so I moved the operation out into the garage. Now, I spent weeks getting the primer just right, sanding, etc. So I got everything ready for paint. It looked great in the garage, but the fumes were even worse. So I made the mistake of cracking the garage door about 2-3 inches, and WHOOSH! Every bit of dust, leaf, dirt, etc. blew into the garage and adhered to the fresh paint.
Then, on top of that, when everything dried, it was the worst orange peel you'd ever see. It was like lizard skin.
I was so upset that I ended up putting the bike back together and getting rid of it. But, being a glutton for punishment, I found another sad BMW a few years later, and put way too much time and money into that bike, but that was the first one that I was really able to ride with any regularity.
Anyway, with family, job, etc., its hard to find time to ride, but I've been keeping busy wrenching on my bikes. I'm hoping to find other people to hook up with for rides and other motorcycle related mania.
Cheers, and I'll hopefully be talking with you all soon.
My name's Jon, and I've just joined the Club. I've been riding since college, and have always lusted after BMWs. I remember there was a scientist working at the lab where I had a part time job, and he rode up every day on his R69s, (this was back in the late 1980's) and I thought that the Earles forks and the solo saddle were about the coolest things I ever saw! So, that's how I got the bug.
After riding a few Hondas and a yamaha in College, I managed to talk Andy Pelc into selling me a R60/5 that was a borderline parts bike/easy resto project. I think he either felt sorry for me or saw he was going to make a fortune on parts with me.
I worked on that bike, took it down to the last bolt, and got it ready for paint. I was studying for the bar at this point, and this was my "break". I primed everything in the basement, and fumes were too much, so I moved the operation out into the garage. Now, I spent weeks getting the primer just right, sanding, etc. So I got everything ready for paint. It looked great in the garage, but the fumes were even worse. So I made the mistake of cracking the garage door about 2-3 inches, and WHOOSH! Every bit of dust, leaf, dirt, etc. blew into the garage and adhered to the fresh paint.
Then, on top of that, when everything dried, it was the worst orange peel you'd ever see. It was like lizard skin.
I was so upset that I ended up putting the bike back together and getting rid of it. But, being a glutton for punishment, I found another sad BMW a few years later, and put way too much time and money into that bike, but that was the first one that I was really able to ride with any regularity.
Anyway, with family, job, etc., its hard to find time to ride, but I've been keeping busy wrenching on my bikes. I'm hoping to find other people to hook up with for rides and other motorcycle related mania.
Cheers, and I'll hopefully be talking with you all soon.
To new members from Bloomfield Hills.
