Stonesie's XR

[Stonesie]

Tomorrow I will get my hands on the bike I flipped into a field with style

So I thought I would add yet another bike thread, I'm really sad to be rid of the big GSA but my broken self would struggle with the weight for the foreseeable future so something lighter was on the cards anyway and the XR is 45Kg lighter, more than half my weight!

Already I have had an eBay spending spree with the news that the frame is good but the rear subframe is twisted I have ordered a replacement subframe and high beam headlight, I have an offer in on a mint condition handlebar from a 2023 GS which is the same height and width but different sweep angle, I'm used to the GS hand position so it will be good.
I also have an inner fairing panel on the way.

Strangely most of the good condition parts seem to be in Latvia or Lithuania, and that import duty stings so I might end up buying new for some parts which are hard to find used, like the screen mounting assembly.


I'm excited to have a winter project but to be fair it's not like it's a full rebuild, just some cosmetics and if the mounting points are good then the fairing panels might just get painted, or maybe hydro dipped with a carbon effect

I do want it to look a bit different as I want to put my own stamp on it and don't want my friend to be thinking "My Bike" every time we go out for a ride.
I have already insured it, the renewal for the GS was £600 more than for the XR

It starts and runs just fine, it was ridden out of the field and on to the recovery truck

[kiwikrasher]

Good base to work from. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out

[C00kiemonster]

Poor thing. I look forward to seeing it’s restoration

[Stonesie]

It's here and looks better than I thought although the tank top cover is cracked, so that's bin fodder. I also tried to straighten the gear lever and as soon as it started to move it made crunchy noises and snapped in 2, ah well. The outer left fairing is intact, just scratched but the inner left fairing is worn through up near the BMW badge so a replacement is already on the way from a breaker.

Screen and clocks bracket is broken as is the headlight frame, the bracket is on order from eBay again but there are no headlight frames to be had unless I want to pay £450+ vat and import fees for a carbon one.
Both mirrors sheered off the threads so that's fun to drill out the threads and the front wheel has a slight buckle but its less than 2mm so not a problem and is noted on the MOT which was 2 weeks before the accident so the accident didn't hurt that.

The bike starts and sounds great, no oil leaks and no warning lights.

I'm trying to leave it alone until my wrist heals a bit more but also want to dig in and see what I need from the dealer.

[Stonesie]

Today for me was just more internet browsing and getting parcels of parts. I did have a good look at the tank cover and it is cracked so that's probably not getting repaired, found a black one on eBay for £50 but it's a bit scratched, I might be able to get it shinier, maybe even as good as new.

One of the bit's I got was a pack of zip lock bags, to put the bolts in and label them so I don't spend an eternity trying to remember which bolt goes where when I put it back together.
Feels a bit like cheating actually preparing and being organized this time

[Kwacky]

Could you get the tank cover carbon covered or wrapped?

[Stonesie]

I found a couple of hydro dipping companies not too far away so that's an option, a nice glossy twill effect with a touch of gold to tie into the forks could look good. I need a chat with BMW first to see if the triple black decal kit is still available as it goes under the lacquer.


First thing is to get it tidied up enough to test ride, I need to know if the forks are good as those are the electronic ones.


EDIT
Stickers NLA unless I want to pay over $100 each from America + extortionate shipping... Ali-Express has some which would work. for £5 a pair or a local vinyl place can scan and copy the originals.


If I go for the carbon effect I will probably go all in, everything gloss black will go for dipping. Leave the matte and satin parts as they are and see what that looks like...

If it looks tacky then a local body shop can spray them back to "Black Storm Metallic"

[Stonesie]

Today I had a go at polishing that beaten up side panel using a headlight restoration kit and a drill, most of the scratches came out, there are a few deep ones but they don't seem to have gone all the way through the colour coat of paint.
So I bought a lacquer pen on Amazon and I will try to fill them in, sand it flat and polish. If I can get it to look good I can keep the Triple Black colour scheme as I have a replacement tank cover which also needs a damned good polish.


Plan B is a Red and Black sticker kit,
Plan C is to get everything which is gloss Black Hydro Dipped in one of the many carbon effects available.

Those are in order of cost, If I shake the piggybank hard enough I could get some real carbon panels but I would rather use that money to clear some of the debt incurred by all the replacement parts and kit I have bought.

[Stonesie]

I painted the lacquer on and will let it harden overnight, but I'm not hopeful, even with the fresh lacquer it looks pretty bad so I will try sanding and polishing and then ask the dealer on Monday if that panel is available painted and ready to fit.

So I started taking the back end apart and found the fairing under the seat is cracked on the left, because of course it is.
I found one on eBay for £36 so that's on it's way but it didn't say in the listing if it's a left or right part, it looks like what I need.

Part of the main number plate bracket is also broken, eBay again £35 for a brand new part, nice.

I'm impressed that the top box carrier and it's alloy GIVI plate is twisted so those and the left riders footrest assembly are out for the scrap man to collect in the morning.

Todays star of the show is the cheapest centre stand dolly I could find online. I have a very limited workspace and being able to just swing the bike left and right around it's front tyre is a good improvement.

[Stonesie]

Bugger...




I'm much better with spanners than bodywork...

[Kwacky]

It's all part of the learning experience

[StMarks]

I painted the lacquer on and will let it harden overnight,

Bugger...
I'm much better with spanners than bodywork...

Fwiw that looks like the lacquer has been applied in an environment that has humidity. (Ask me how I learned that one )
Anyway, easy resolve.: strip back all the applied "frost finish lacquer" & spray again on a dry day (or wait for Mrs Stonsie to go out, & spray it inside in a warm dry room).

[Stonesie]

I should have given more explanation than "Bugger" The bullseye looking bit is what bothers me as that's where my wet sanding with 800 and 1500 grade sanding pads has gone through to the plastic below while trying to sand down a high spot,

I need the front frame and headlight surround from BMW so I will price up one of those panels with my local dealership while I'm ordering the other parts. I'm sure that a body shop can save it but it would be a tiny job for them and might cost more than a new panel.

I have ideas of carbon farkles but my inner chimp is the one who likes the shiny carbon fibre goodness.
My thinking brain want's the bike to look decent and just ride it for a bit, see if I even like it or if I want to trade it for something else before I empty my wallet.
I know it's an awesome bike, I've seen my friend chase and pass superbikes on it, it's been mapped and recorded 164 wheel HP so that must be near 180 at the engine but I generally don't get on with inline 4 cylinder bikes except the crossplane MT-10... Maybe I will trade it for an MT-10 SP and add panniers for touring? Maybe I will bond with it and keep it for years? Who knows.

[Stonesie]

Well that's all stripped and a full list of broken parts taken to the dealership, £350 is not as bad as I thought but the fairing panel is only available as a primed piece and the stickers are not available so it's not easy to replicate the Triple Black colour scheme.

I will have a chat with a local bodyshop and keep an eye on eBay.

[kiwikrasher]

Well that's all stripped and a full list of broken parts taken to the dealership, £350 is not as bad as I thought but the fairing panel is only available as a primed piece and the stickers are not available so it's not easy to replicate the Triple Black colour scheme.

I will have a chat with a local bodyshop and keep an eye on eBay.

Is Pitty still doing vinyls? I repainted my D600 and had him do all the decals and they were an extremely high quality.

[Stonesie]

Today's update, a local body shop says they can't paint just part of that panel so will have to strip it all and then paint, the dealer did say the stickers were unavailable but I have found them online so I'm waiting for the parts guy to call me back. They are not cheap.

Edit

One of the decals is the last one available in the world according to the parts guy, that seems to have added some rarity value but they are now on order and will be a couple of weeks.

[Stonesie]

No progress yet except that the DVLA are chasing their tail in circles, this bike is registered as SORN according to the website and has been since I took ownership of it on November 7th.
So, I got a letter today saying it is untaxed and I need to either tax it or register it as SORN or face a £1000 fine, I tried to SORN it again only for the website to tell me it is already SORN and I can't use this service.


I have collected a large box of bits from BMW and plan to take the damaged fairing and new decals to RacePaint in Nottingham on Tuesday so it should start coming together next week, myself and my friends usually try to get a ride in on New Years day to start the year on the right track, that's my target, get it roadworthy by then.

[Stonesie]

I got some random bits slapped back on the bike after cleaning the mud off the fuel tank, air box and frame.
Starting with the replacement subframe I then replaced the front subframe and bolted the left headlight on, the right one is also broken which I hadn't noticed before so I have one on order.

The IAT sensor plug was smashed but the sensor is fine so I had bought a pack of the appropriate plugs, replaced that and drilled the front subframe to mount that as the bike has a IAT relocation kit which moves the sensor to the nose intake rather than in the air box above the engine, crimping the new terminals twanged my hand a little but I need to get it working again so it's all good.

The problem with having help stripping the bike is the amount of head scratching figuring out how parts I didn't take apart go back together and which bolt goes where. I'm probably weird for enjoying that.




Mud removal in progress.

[Stonesie]

Todays bike related thing was taking both outer fairings down to RacePaint near Nottingham along with the new decals. That should be ready by the end of next week.
The good one is there for a paint match and visual guide for positioning the decals and they said they have the right colour in stock so it should be around £100.

[Kwacky]

That's not a bad price and the paint quality will probably be better than the original