Friday, July 24, 2009

Ownership, responsability, freedom

A lot of vintage motorcycle owners see themself as custodians of the bikes they own. Some see it as

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Door to Door transport, or close enough

I had been the high bidder on now "My R51/3" and had is shipped from Kansas to Washington. I will not name the carrier to save the innocent. The pick up went smoothly, mostly as I had no part in it. Waiting on the other end was a task. Days, then a week, where is it?

The day it was scheduled to arrive I took and extra long lunch to receive the bike at home. Door to Door service, made the seller and myself happy. The appointed time came and went. Calls to the dispatch did not reveal any more info as to when. More time, more calls. The final call to the dispatch office and they finally gave me the cell number of the diver.


"Hello, I am waiting here for you to deliver my bike."
“I am right in front of your house”
“No you are not, I'm in front of my house”
“I am right here in front of your yellow house”
“I am right here in front of my brown House”
“33rd street?”
“32nd street”
“I will be right there”

Here he comes pushing the bike around the block. “sign here and here, thanks” and there he goes walking back down the street.

Door to door was what I got, next time I will be more specific on which door.

A poem that explains it all

Please if you can tell me who to credit this poem to, I would like to give full credit.

My old BMW came to me in chests,
Each one an adventure, or was it just a mess.
A feast to feed the senses on, a puzzle for the mind,
Each one a rarest treasure, or was I really blind?

There were bits of perished rubber,
Bits of brass and steel,
Spokes and brakes and axles, and a pair of rusty wheels.
The seat was broke, the foot pegs missing, as were many other parts,
This bike is really quite complete,... well, maybe it’s a start.

There are no lights, the Speedo's gone, the mufflers are still missing, but
I'll get them from the local shop, but maybe that's just wishing.
So in my shed I'll labor, and work all through the night,
And if I'm very lucky just one piece will turn out right.

First I took the frame in hand, and checked that it was straight,
Then I put the front forks on, it started looking great.
What next I thought, then wheels in hand, I placed them fore and aft.
I hadn’t any tyers yet, it looked a little daft.

Then the engine to put in place, which way did it fit?
Where was the bolt that held it up? Maybe this was it?
Or maybe that's the one, I should have used before,
There are a hundred others lying on the floor

Then came the gearbox and the tank, the magneto it was next,
Hell it's nearly finished, I think I'll have a rest.
I'll make me, a pot of tea, and sit down by the sink,
Will it ever run again? I really had to think.

The big end's gone, the sparks are dead, the piston it seems broken,
So off I go to the shop they say.... You must be joking.
It's 50 years since we stocked those parts,..
Try that bloke in Woking.

So home I go, and on the phone, I ring around the country,
Then I ring around the world, Hell! this costs some money.
Then at last I find the part, the price is much inflated,
What do you expect the old man said, it's all correctly dated.

The weeks go by and turn to years, the bike at lasts completed,
I know the old girl will run, Ill not be defeated.
So of I go down the road, pushing for all I'm worth,
She fifes up and off I go there's no containing all my mirth.

Returning home as proud as punch, I stand there and admire,
She's working well all restored, I wonder who will buy her?
Add up the cost against the worth well there's some surprises
I'll have to keep her 50 years until the value rises¶

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Dell'orto





Within just a couple months of owning my 1953 R51/3 BMW, I had wanted to make it go faster. But to make a smooth running low capacity touring bike into race bike has always raised the question of "why?" There are some many other bikes that are so much closer to their racing background then the BMW of the 50's and 60's. Yes, BMW won the Isle of Man in 1939, but that was with a super charged Kompressor engine. Yes, the BMW sidecar was unbeatable all the way thru to the 1970;s. But those were overhead cam engines. It is often repeated that it only takes money to get HP. But that kind of money is spent on speciatly parts and skilled mechinest and mechanics to install and tune. Without the deep pockets to buy horsepower I went looking for those items that make the bike look faster. Aftermarket parts made by Ernst Hoske, like mufflers, hubs and tanks. I looked for tachometers, swinging pillions and fairings. My wish list is always changing with things obtained and things added.High on the list have always been Dellorto carbs. SS1 from the 1950's and 60's vintage to be precice. They had always been the carbs pictures on the most succesfull racing bikes of the time. Names such as Ducati, MV Augusa, Gileri, Moto Guzzi and others. The British bikes always had the Amal GP carbs, such on the Gold Star BSA, Nortons and Velocette. BMW had what looked to be Dellortos, but likley Amal Fishers, built under licence from British Amals.
The velocity stack was what always did if for me. Nothing screamed speed more them a set of velocity stacks. Long velocity stacks with no filtration, gulping in air and turning it into great sounds.
Carburators on BMW have a flange to mate up with the head, bolted top and bottom. I had heard of Dellorto made for BMW, SSFF. These were the SS1 carb. But had only heard of a few that had them. In all cases, people were either looking for help tuning them, or had given up in getting them to run. They would either idle, but not run. Or run like stink, but not idle. Either case, they were not user friendly.
The oppertunity presented itself and I jumped on it. The were offered at ebay, and waiting for the last moment, won the bid.
Now the getting them to run might be a new story. They are on the bike, they have gone to Bonneville to see what they can do, but they run.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Ernst Hoske

There are always those that want to make what the manufacture offers to the public a little better. They either wanted the original to look better, sound different, or go faster. Often this drive for change is in the pursuit of speed. I believe that this has been going on since the beginning of time.

For motorcycles there has always been those that took the original and went racing. These are usually individuals that made the improvements to their stock bikes to help them be competitive. By definition these privateers didn't have factory backing. With the exception of a few, these individuals have always filled out the start list, never finishing at the top of the finishing list. Those that do, often soon find themselves with factory support.

One such racer turned aftermarket supplier was Ernst Hoske. While searching for aftermarket parts offered under his name you find a few race results. He shows up in national races, never seeming to hit the podium on the international stage.

Hoske gas tanks are a highly sought after for BMW motorcycles. They appear to be offered for other makers, but those manufactures have not had the exposure or appear to have the volume of bikes remaining in use today. Hoske mufflers are an item that are offered in a reproduction today and there use is debated by Vintage BMW rider. Those that equate the BMW to smooth running and quiet tour wonder why someone would want these louder then stock pipes on the their bike. With removable baffles, and a reverse cone shape seen on many period racers, you can see that they were offered for those that might want the benefits of a better breathing exhaust offer, without concern for the decibels it created.


Other items offered were tachometers, handlebars, cams and valve springs. This image of the catalog courtesy of earlesfork.com. You can see the complete catalog in the media section, and some great pictures at this site dedicated to some great old BMW motorcycles.

Hoske offered a oil pan extension piece with tubes cast through the middle to add to cooling. Wheels were also offered, and are high up on my wish list.



It has been debated how much was manufactured by Ernst Hoske in house and how much were sourced from other vendors. Like many vintage aftermarket part, the name has been give value weather earned or not.

A place to find pictures of the many different Hoske tanks beemergarage.com. The page found on a open source encyclopedia says that Ernst retired after and accident and the business has transformed into "BMW Fuchs"
While searching for parts to make my bike unique, the name Hoske kept showing up. The tanks were huge, and expensive. Everyone wanted one. Those offered on ebay went to those willing to pay. I went searching internationally and did get one from ebay.de, but it ended up being for a pre 1955 plunger frame R51/3 and would not fit (I would later get an R51/3 with a Hoske tank, wish I would have kept the tank, as it was in better condition.) Other ones offered in the states outside of auctions had asking prices for about half what I paid for the bike.
I did find a nice set of original mufflers, and after getting the jetting right, I have grown accustomed to their sound, and would side with those that believe in louder mufflers for these quiet tourers. When searching for something, you get to learn a lot about the person that created those items.

Can we guide the youth



I have had old BMW motorcycles since the birth of both my children, now 5 and 2.
Will this influence them in their choices of transportation in the future?
What lessons would a child learn growing up around vintage vehicles? Will it influence their sense of style? Their mechanical aptitude?
When I am out in the garage, they will pick up a wrench and want to help, but I don't want them to damage the bike, so they have a plastic wrench that they can use. I have not yet sat them down as I worked on the bike, pointing things out, and how they work.
Will it have the opposite effect. Will they want new things and turn their back on things that are old?
I grew up without vintage items and had posters of new exotic cars. Only when I got older did I grow to appreciate the vintage bikes.
I started with a 1974 BMW, the a 1968, the a 1953 and now I lust after a pre-war bike.
As every parent I am concerned about so many other things that may or may not influence my children. I want them to do the right thing at the right time. But I also what them to have a sense of the past, its place then and its influence on today. I think that it will give them a greater view of the world.