My /5 rebuild intro.

[Tim Shepherd]

Yep, 11 ribs are what's on mine (see picture) in which case it probably won't matter on yours. Just a thought regarding stiction issues, get your local glass shop to make you a 9" x 8" plate, which you can then use to check your fork tubes are at least in the same plane. With the bike on the center stand, you loosen the top gaiter clamps and push them down as far as possible so you can lay the plate across both fork tubes. It should lay flat on both without rocking. There are a couple methods to straighten them, but the quick and dirty method is to clamp the front wheel and twist the forks into alignment or whack it against a wall to twist the tubes in the triple tree. When tightening the top nuts to torque, you must not use the frame stop as the holder, but instead use a bar or large screwdriver to counter the force applied, or you will introduce a misalignment between the triple tree and the top brace. You can also use this plate to see if the top "horseshoe" brace is bent. Remove it from the bike and place the surfaces that contact the slider on it, again, there should be no rocking if the two sides are parallel. If not, it can be carefully bent using a vise and piece of pipe. Lastly, when you insert the front axle without the wheel, it should slide in easily. If one side is higher or lower than the other, it's time to check the internals, because one or more of the damping bumpers has disintegrated.

[x1Buellist]

/5s had 13 ribbs and /6 and later 11.

You did check the fork tubes for alignment with a sheet of glass, yes? There's a good how to on Duane's site.

I did the glass check and I have seen the alignment procedures on Duane's site. Pretty intimidating.

Oh now I remember why I mounted those fork gaiters up high. On Duane's site he said the gaiters will last much longer if mounted at the top of the slider because the bike spends most of it's life on the center stand with the forks/gaiters extended.

[x1Buellist]

Got a few things done this week. Installed the Albert mirrors, Installed a new center stand, Rub N buff'd the starter cover and repainted the engine badges.

I love the look of these mirrors.

Albert_Mirrors-800.jpg (192.63 KiB) Viewed 309 times

It's nice to have a center stand again. I have only been using the sidestand for a while because I couldn't stand the POS centerstand that I had on my bike. haha

DSC_0140s-800.jpg (187.32 KiB) Viewed 309 times

Here's the starter cover and badges I did. Doesn't look like much but those badges took me hours to mask and exacto out the letters.

badge-800.jpg (193.69 KiB) Viewed 309 times

[Tim Shepherd]

That bike looks brand new!

[SteveD]

That's looking terrific.

Just in case you weren't aware, re: the tang on the centre stand. Never use it to hold the stand down when lifting the bike onto the stand. It'll snap pdq. It's just for lowering the stand to get access for your foot to the left foot of the stand, where they've incorporated the grippy bits for your sole.

Apologies if that's old news.

[Chuey]

Apologies if that's old news.[/color]

It is good info and we all had to be told about it by someone.

Chuey

[x1Buellist]

That's looking terrific.

Just in case you weren't aware, re: the tang on the centre stand. Never use it to hold the stand down when lifting the bike onto the stand. It'll snap pdq. It's just for lowering the stand to get access for your foot to the left foot of the stand, where they've incorporated the grippy bits for your sole.

Apologies if that's old news.

Thanks, I have read about that and the old center stand had a bolt welded to it where the tanf goes. It is easy to want to put your foot on that tang when lifting.

[jagarra]

Wonderful looking bike, can you take a few more pictures of the rack on the back, what is that under it the rack? By the way, since we are mentioning gaiters, I have an early model /6 and it has 13 rib ones, was there a change during the production run??

[justoneoftheguys]

I suppose this is as good a place as any to show what my bike is capable of looking like.



That is the officials seat for the R65 with a middle rack for a solo seat on R80G/S and ST models, chopped and welded to the subframe. Melds nicely with the factory bag loops and tail rack, I think.

If any R65 owners would like this set-up, everything is negotiable! (If I keep the bike I am going to go to the 2nd gen. R65 seat. This is a '79 model [sort of], which is a 1st gen R65.)

FYI, those are Heinrich leg shields and G/S hand protectors, along with my GPSr and numerous other modifications.

[x1Buellist]

Wonderful looking bike, can you take a few more pictures of the rack on the back, what is that under it the rack? By the way, since we are mentioning gaiters, I have an early model /6 and it has 13 rib ones, was there a change during the production run??

I'm not sure what you mean by the rack. I don't have any type of tie down rack on it. You are welcome to browse through my album of pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/1111602918 ... directlink