BMW motorcycle

[Costellon]

Thanks to all of you yet again for your kind words. In answer to Marathon man, the previous owner pretty much gave it to me and I don't really think that he thought that I would do anything with it. He threw it against the hedge when the gearbox "went" on it and time raced by and eventually it became part of the hedge. The problem turned out to be gearbox output shaft bearings (€24 not including my labour) and the engine was barely run in at only 34k miles. I knew it was a perfect engine when I fired it up within an hour of de-hedging it and six weeks later I drove up to his place of work to give him a spin, which he duly enjoyed in total disbelief (checking the engine and frame numbers). This was my fifth BMW restoration and so I had already fabricated many specialized tools, knew the bike inside out and already had some spares to cut down on the overall cost of the project. Unfortunately I had to sell it recently to free up some money (broke my heart) and made about €200 profit in total (not including labour, 6 weeks !) but a project such as this is not about profit, it's the rewards bestowed upon you both aesthetically and in the many sensory treats ensued therein (sound of the engine running beautifully, feel of the machine on the road (ride quality) and of course the general experience of thundering through the Connemeara mountains on a machine that would otherwise have surely been scrapped and made into paperclips or coke tins - that is now ready to circle the globe for the next twenty years or so, solely due to your own blood sweat and tears). This was my 53rd restoration project and i'm hungry for more.

Thanks again to you all - any other hidden classic "wheeled" treasures out there in need of TLC ???????????

Re-use when possible, recycle when necessary and always re-invent !

To quote Antoine de Saint-Exupery, "A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral."

[Marathon Man]

Love the quote..! :-)

Pity you had to let her go but hopefully many will reap the rewards of your labour. and good luck with the next one. I have two VW Beetles (1971 & 1972) heading in the same direction, as soon as I can build my workshop that is (mortgage top-up here I come..!), so at some level I can appreciate what you've accomplished.

Well done and indeed you'll have to keep us informed of your next venture.

Regards,
Paul.

[Moeby]

Well done, I am sure it was worth the blood, sweat and tears, just to see such a successful bit or work. Fantastic job, it's a pity you had to sell it but with such skill I'm sure you will find another rewarding project.

[emma healy]

i would love this bike

[peppybrady]

Oh my God, thats fantastic.
Ever think of doing it proffesionaly??
In these crappt times, people will want to restore what they have instead of dumping it and buying a new one.
Well done. I am well impressed!!

[Bullbars]

lovely work

[BiddyL]

Congrats on your hard work and dedication. That is what the country needs at the moment, is more people like you, to put their heart and soul behind something, instead of borrowing money for everything. You should send a copy of your photos to BMW.

[chihuahua]

that is a fantastic job hun,well done x

[Arcticfreedom]

I still cant decide which i'm most impressed with... the bike or the poem :)

[unapam]

That is amazing!
A fabulous job and a labour of love I'd say. I hope you get many years of pleasure from it. Well done.

[Costellon]

Thank you all for your kind words and good luck with your own creative endeavours

[abs97]

Originally Posted by Costellon

I found this motorcycle (not on JT, but by chance) after it had been left to rot in a hedge for over nine years. After I got it off the owner, I completely stripped and rebuilt it using most of the original parts. I did all of the work myself which goes to show that almost anything is possible really (once you know what you are doing). Total time taken: 6 weeks, drives and looks like new.

I'm looking for another project to occupy my time if anyone has any unwanted classics that they would like to see lovingly restored to their former glory and be appreciated for what they are.
Thanks.

nice job, good to see something like an old bm being restored to a showroom condition

[Sinamo]

wow.....that looks awesome
like it rolled straight out of a showroom
and all done in 6 weeks
fantastic job :oD

[Rajan]

Really cooooooooooooooooooooooool!Its fantastic.Great job

[Korish]

I once rented basemant of old couple's house. He was a retired Ford mechanic. He used to go car wreckage to rescue old mustang and all for resotration. The time I was there he actually assembled the 1st generation red Ford mustang in his conservatory! It was a great place to have Canada root beer! ( It was Vancouver, Canada)