revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Picked this up today , not mine but a friends which i offered to try and get running.
Its a 1956 R50 and has been sat in a damp shed since 1972 , so first job was to remove
spark plugs and squirt some penetrating oil into the cylinders. Will leave it over night
and then start cleaning the carbs tomorrow .

What's the overall plan ?

weeksy wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:36 pm What's the overall plan ?

There isn't one really, the guy who owns it is in his late 70's and i think he would like to ride it again.
He last rode it in 1972 , took it over to Europe and then laid it up when he got home. He obviously
has some fond memories of riding it.
If i can get it running ok then we will look at getting it to MOT standard but at the moment he doesn't
want to spend much on it.

One thing to be wary of when you do get it running - and I was warned the same when given the key to one for a bimble - the forks don't dive under braking, so it's easy to squeeze harder because your brain isn't getting all of the usual cues. At which point the tyre lets go.

Hah! Motorworks still do parts for them!

https://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Shop ... NU=15&M=10

Excellent project, hope it come together!
Are you going to put up more pics?

That was back when BMW actually had some build quality.

Lovely project,look forward to watching it progress.

Rockburner wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:38 pm Hah! Motorworks still do parts for them!

https://www.motorworks.co.uk/vlive/Shop ... NU=15&M=10

Not just do them, it says:

"We are expanding our range of parts for these models"

Cleaned the fuel system today , carbs , fuel tank , not too bad really better than i expected.

Tank is incredibly clean for a 60 year old



Carbs were mainly dirty on the outside




I put penetrating fluid down the bores and left overnight , then oil in the morning and turned it over.
I also put fresh engine oil in the engine. Felt much freer after a few kicks



Checked the points and wiring

Ah the days of setting your ignition timing with a rolly up fag paper!

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:14 pm Ah the days of setting your ignition timing with a rolly up fag paper!

Nah, tune a transistor radio to static. When the points open, you'll get a 'pop' on the radio.

Horse wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:56 pm

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:14 pm Ah the days of setting your ignition timing with a rolly up fag paper!

Nah, tune a transistor radio to static. When the points open, you'll get a 'pop' on the radio.

Olde Pharte.

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 9:04 pm

Horse wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:56 pm

Skub wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:14 pm Ah the days of setting your ignition timing with a rolly up fag paper!

Nah, tune a transistor radio to static. When the points open, you'll get a 'pop' on the radio.

Olde Pharte.

Oi! Non-smoker OF, if you don't mind

And anyway, it was a transistor radio, not valve or crystal set.

Compression tested the cylinders , 110psi on both after a few kicks. Happy with that as it
only runs a 7.5 / 1 compression ratio.
So i need a spark now, ordered a new battery from Ebay then decided to read the manual
which i downloaded off the net. Should of read the manual first because i found out the bike
runs a magneto type ignition which runs separate from the electrical system.
So back to the bike and no spark, quick read on the internet and the Mag earths through the
ignition switch which can give problems with age. So i removed the headlight and disconnected
the Mag earth from the switch. Result , now i have a spark.
Carbs put back on , new plugs , some fuel and started kicking. A few kicks in and i get a small
ignition through the exhaust. Quick adjust on the throttle and more kicks then its alive.

"This video is private"

Horse wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 1:22 pm "This video is private"

that.

The tappets aren't too tight anyway!

Excellent! Really sturdy bikes, look aces with a single saddle and a little racj where the pillion perch is.

I'd be looking to modernise the electrical system for reliability sakes though.

Top job

Skub wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:28 pm The tappets aren't too tight anyway!

Loud pipes ... would drown out the rest of it?

And is that a brief view of the hinged rear mudguard, to ease rear wheel removal?

Skub wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2020 9:28 pm The tappets aren't too tight anyway!

Worryingly i checked the tappets this morning and they were fine. I have removed the sump and cleaned
the filter hoping for better oil flow.

Horse wrote: Sat Jul 25, 2020 9:49 am And is that a brief view of the hinged rear mudguard, to ease rear wheel removal?

Yes correct