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WELL, the project is finished, and I am very happy with the
result. A few years ago I transformed my “Triumph Adventurer”
from its staid factory look to something with a fair bit of
classic attitude just by using a colour change and a bit of
imagination, “no great expertise or dollars required”.
Having noticed and taken an interest in the boxer airhead
machine over the past 30 years, I felt that it was about time
that I created one just for me, so I joined the BMW club.
Through information gained I then flew to Melbourne and rode
back my black 82 R100.
I liked and learned a lot from that bike, it was actually one
of the bikes used within “Ian Falloons” BMW airhead book. Didn’t
want to add real use big k’s upon this machine, also I really
wanted to create “my perfect motorcycle” . . . it had to be
non-Japanese, aircooled, classic, and very reliable, so the R
series A10 motor or 81-84 R100 to me was the only answer.
Discovered upon the net . . . ex German police display team
bike, an 81 R100TIC, with less than 10,000 original k’s, I loved
the unique police hatch on the tank, which was more common on
the previous type tank.
Thought to myself “this is the one” . . . From Germany a
Japanese chap brought it to Aust, before leaving he sold it to a
Vic farmer who put it in a shed for over 20 years. A Noel
Bienvenn, a motorcycle enthusiast purchased it and at little
expense had it ready for the road again, after a few years he
put it on the net.
I flew to Melbourne again, a few hundred k’s before Adelaide,
it started spluttering, so in my wisdom I started pulling apart
the carby’s, I did some damage to the left carby, anyway limped
into Adelaide, where she conked out. Left it with Adelaide BMW,
arranged freight, and flew home. Found out later that the
problem was a crook plug lead (If only I had known).
At his workshop Vince Radice of Bassendean Motorcycles
reconditioned the damaged carby in front of me, he said that it
was about the tightest running airhead that he had ridden.
Off with the big RT police fairing, replaced it with an Eagle
fairing that used to be on my old Boldor 900 Honda (this is
virtually a copy of the S series fairing) a satin black paint
job, had a pillion seat with attached ammo box behind, with two
bolts this can be quickly removed (a nice look).
All in all, am very pleased with how it turned out, going to do
a quick trip to Mt Augustus this November, in early 2013. I have
long service leave, so will be doing a slow easy lap of the
country. The original panniers I have modified so can be opened
from the top, to me seems more practical than opening sideways.
Hopefully this bike will be with me for many years to come.