It’s refreshing to see a younger generation riding and maintaining these old Airheads. What’s even more encouraging is that you’re creating content which will spark interest with other younger folks. More and more of us graybeards are aging out every day which makes me concerned about what happens to the bikes. The Airhead is a joy to ride but takes some tinkering to keep it going. Keep creating!!!
Nice video. It is much better when Lauren has the mic. Or you could buy a mic each. We are much more interested in her! I am not sure changing good quality manufacturers parts (albeit old technology) for modern aftermarket parts will make the bike more reliable. My son has a 70s Suzuki GT 380. When restoring it he did those "upgrades" for reliability. Last year, after it had been unused through the winter, we tried to get ready for some ride outs. Needed a push to get going, seemed a bit rough running, rode half a mile to the petrol station. Bike died and would not re-start until we put jump leads on the battery. The bike wasn't charging the battery. We re-installed the original rectifier/voltage controller and problem solved. Except that it was only running on 2 cylinders (3 cylinder bike). Replaced a new "reliable" coil for an original and all 3 cylinders running fine. Later we re-installed the other 2 original coils. Later on in the year he rode it to the Pyrenees in France and Spain and we had a great biking holiday (I was on my 1988 BMW K75). People successfully used points ignition for many years. If maintained correctly, they work just fine!
Thanks for the video! Don't you want to be sure to disconnect the ground from the battery so you don't risk shorting out your diode board when removing the front cover? Or have you replaced the diode board with something different?
You are correct, I did remove the battery cable before I removed the front cover. This really isn’t a procedural video than it is my wife and I just having fun together. I have another video I filmed on another R 75 actually going over the step-by-step procedure of installing this exact ignition.
Have only seen a couple of your videos which are very good tutorials. I just push down on the seat with left hand to relieve load on the latch then push release at same time. Do my own work on 67 R50/2 and 1980 R80/7. I did remove R50 engine and take it to Hexmoto for rebuild and slingers. Have always done carbs by ear but did try a carb stix for a while. By ear is fine for me. Lauren is a keeper, keep her.
BMW Guy knows this, but for watchers and home gamers, make sure the valves adjustments are bang-on, and the carbs well-balanced before timing the engine.
This is a useful upgrade. Nicely filmed. I fitted what looks like exactly the same system to my R75/6 some years ago and it performs very well. It became necessary to solder all the connections in between sender, controller and pickup - but it is a damp climate here! The pickup did fail one time but it was operational enough, while failing, to get me several miles home. A new pickup was not expensive and was quickly supplied. I now leave the points in situ, already gapped, and carry the mechanical advance ready to insert, if necessary, and also a spare condenser. A bulb circuit can be used at the roadside to set the timing if switching back to the mechanical timing system. Thanks & have a great holiday season!
I have a friend with a R60 and it has a poor charging system such that he cannot use his heated vest and keep his headlamp on. Told him to change his lighting I have a R1200RT (2005) and upgraded all incandescent bulbs. Fantastic
Cool learning about your new bike Lauren. I know zip about vintage airheads. Enjoying learning about them .Always wondered what was behind that big round cover up front on the engine. I removed my rear wheel for the 1st time today to clean it.Pretty easy removal process. I put to much chain spray to lube it on my 1st road trip. Went from Texas to Ohio Bike ran great.. Mine is a 21 F 750 GS.
Check out my other video for a more detailed explanation, this series is more of my wife learning and having fun with her new bike. ua-cam.com/video/j4MDjTVoBzI/v-deo.html
Am I missing something critical here, or should the battery have been disconnected before removing the front cover, to avoid shorting out the diode board?
When I owned my R75/5 - I was warned to remove the negative battery cable first, to prevent shorting out the front cover on the diode board. 😉 Also, I see that you have a solid-state voltage regulator, which is dramatically shorter than the OEM VR. What brand of electronic ignition did you use? Thanks!
Hi, I looked, but no one seems to mention this. When you do an upgrade like this, could you please mention the items that you’re adding to the bike? For example, brand, model L, and price of the kit that you’re installing?
Why did you remove the breaker points assy? Not necessary with the electronic version you installed which allows you to leave the breaker points alone, as a back-up. All you had to do was disconnect the breaker points from the coils.
Can I ask? have you thought about trying out those upgraded float bowl's? (remove existing floats and replaced with a different float set up which sits in the bowl, rather than held with a pin where it pivots up/down. just wondered your thoughts. thanks
Hundreds of thousands bmw’s run with the original setup satisfactory, we have quite a few customers who race with the stock Bing setup, solo and with sidecar… why on earth would you “upgrade” them? Clean them, new floats, adjust them! And a new needle and a viton gasket ( because they are reusable)
I hope I am not blind am missing it,but which digital ignition kit did you install? Links to your parts site? I have 1976 R75/6. Maybe a tutorial to change out pushrod tube seals, plus all that might consider doing because you're in there anyway... And wiring harness?
Hey BMW guy I hope you can help me with my 1993 k1100lt . I exchanged the injectors with 4-hole injectors and the bike has never run this good . I also put on new fuel hoses . But now when the bike gets to its operating temperature its starts to hold back, splutter and just run terrible . Do you have any idea what could be wrong ? By the way , i did replace the ignition coils but there was no difference. Greetings from the Netherlands and happy holidays David
I’ve had those optical sensors go bad on me and left me stranded. Do you think it’s better than well tuned points? I’ve also had that system cut in and out on weaker batteries
I really enjoy your content. However, sound quality was sub-par on this video. 60 years of riding motorcycles has affected my hearing. Otherwise, looking forward to seeing your next video.
nice bike, but it wouldn't say tis perfect choice for (girl) starter bike. you need something lighter, less ccm, abs, modern tires /suspension, better lights, sitting position etc.
@izoit, why on earth do you think that? Imho complete bollocks…. They are not heavy, these older /5 models usually have short swingarm, so quite nimble, easy starters, reliable…. And a lot of woman like them, we have quite a few female customers with these models… in all ages… the only thing is the brakes are slow… as long as you keep that in mind, no issues either..
Pretty disjointed video. Isn’t the first thing you want to tell people is to disconnect the battery before taking off the front cover so you don’t short out your entire electrical system or fry the diode board ?
I did, watch the video again closely. I also made another video covering this procedure in detail. Just a fun video of my wife and I working on her bike.
It’s refreshing to see a younger generation riding and maintaining these old Airheads. What’s even more encouraging is that you’re creating content which will spark interest with other younger folks. More and more of us graybeards are aging out every day which makes me concerned about what happens to the bikes. The Airhead is a joy to ride but takes some tinkering to keep it going. Keep creating!!!
Nice video. It is much better when Lauren has the mic. Or you could buy a mic each. We are much more interested in her!
I am not sure changing good quality manufacturers parts (albeit old technology) for modern aftermarket parts will make the bike more reliable. My son has a 70s Suzuki GT 380. When restoring it he did those "upgrades" for reliability. Last year, after it had been unused through the winter, we tried to get ready for some ride outs. Needed a push to get going, seemed a bit rough running, rode half a mile to the petrol station. Bike died and would not re-start until we put jump leads on the battery. The bike wasn't charging the battery. We re-installed the original rectifier/voltage controller and problem solved. Except that it was only running on 2 cylinders (3 cylinder bike). Replaced a new "reliable" coil for an original and all 3 cylinders running fine. Later we re-installed the other 2 original coils. Later on in the year he rode it to the Pyrenees in France and Spain and we had a great biking holiday (I was on my 1988 BMW K75).
People successfully used points ignition for many years. If maintained correctly, they work just fine!
Lauren's bike is awesome!! Great series you two, Merry Christmas! 👍👍
Looking forward to the suspension rebuild. Need to do the same.
Thanks for the video! Don't you want to be sure to disconnect the ground from the battery so you don't risk shorting out your diode board when removing the front cover? Or have you replaced the diode board with something different?
You are correct, I did remove the battery cable before I removed the front cover. This really isn’t a procedural video than it is my wife and I just having fun together. I have another video I filmed on another R 75 actually going over the step-by-step procedure of installing this exact ignition.
@@TheBMWGuy It's good to have fun!!
Have only seen a couple of your videos which are very good tutorials. I just push down on the seat with left hand to relieve load on the latch then push release at same time. Do my own work on 67 R50/2 and 1980 R80/7. I did remove R50 engine and take it to Hexmoto for rebuild and slingers. Have always done carbs by ear but did try a carb stix for a while. By ear is fine for me. Lauren is a keeper, keep her.
Thanks, appreciate the compliments!
BMW Guy knows this, but for watchers and home gamers, make sure the valves adjustments are bang-on, and the carbs well-balanced before timing the engine.
Congratulations. What a lovely bike and a great choice.
Thank you! She is enjoying it a lot.
This is a useful upgrade. Nicely filmed. I fitted what looks like exactly the same system to my R75/6 some years ago and it performs very well. It became necessary to solder all the connections in between sender, controller and pickup - but it is a damp climate here! The pickup did fail one time but it was operational enough, while failing, to get me several miles home. A new pickup was not expensive and was quickly supplied. I now leave the points in situ, already gapped, and carry the mechanical advance ready to insert, if necessary, and also a spare condenser. A bulb circuit can be used at the roadside to set the timing if switching back to the mechanical timing system.
Thanks & have a great holiday season!
Great way to be prepared. Happy holidays!
Hi Laren! It is nice you have a name.
appreciate you and your channel. Very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Save me money on fixing my 2005 r1200gs. Your wife's bike is awesome dude!
Thank you!
Great video again! Wishing you merry x-mas and a happy new year!
Thank you! Merry Christmas
Nice! Thanks for all videos you have made to help us!
Glad they’re helpful!
I have a friend with a R60 and it has a poor charging system such that he cannot use his heated vest and keep his headlamp on. Told him to change his lighting
I have a R1200RT (2005) and
upgraded all incandescent bulbs. Fantastic
Nice going, this should help it run as smooth as possible
Most definitely, I’ve done this upgrade on all the bikes that I’ve owned.
Cool learning about your new bike Lauren. I know zip about vintage airheads. Enjoying learning about them .Always wondered what was behind that big round cover up front on the engine. I removed my rear wheel for the 1st time today to clean it.Pretty easy removal process. I put to much chain spray to lube it on my 1st road trip. Went from Texas to Ohio Bike ran great.. Mine is a 21 F 750 GS.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Merry Xmas and thank you for the great content, Im an Oil Head rider, but love these air head videos too ;)
Happy holidays!
Thanks, and Merry Christmas. 🎅🏽🎅🏽🎅🏽🤶🏽🤶🏽
Merry Christmas!
If you're going to check the timing, you should explain exactly how you're adjusting the advance.
Check out my other video for a more detailed explanation, this series is more of my wife learning and having fun with her new bike. ua-cam.com/video/j4MDjTVoBzI/v-deo.html
Am I missing something critical here, or should the battery have been disconnected before removing the front cover, to avoid shorting out the diode board?
It was done, this is just a fun video of my wife and I working on her bike.
When I owned my R75/5 - I was warned to remove the negative battery cable first, to prevent shorting out the front cover on the diode board. 😉
Also, I see that you have a solid-state voltage regulator, which is dramatically shorter than the OEM VR.
What brand of electronic ignition did you use? Thanks!
Hi,
I looked, but no one seems to mention this.
When you do an upgrade like this, could you please mention the items that you’re adding to the bike? For example, brand, model
L, and price of the kit that you’re installing?
Yes I need to update my website with this.
How about a complete LED light conversion? Headlight, running lights, turn signals. Less load on the system and brighter / safer lighting
Good suggestion!
@@TheBMWGuy Take a look at the KatDash LED kit for the /5.
She said, “I’ll trust you”. It’s a trap dude. Never fall for that one.
Haha she’s a keeper, I promise
Why did you remove the breaker points assy? Not necessary with the electronic version you installed which allows you to leave the breaker points alone, as a back-up. All you had to do was disconnect the breaker points from the coils.
I like the clean look and simplicity of just having 1 system
Can I ask? have you thought about trying out those upgraded float bowl's? (remove existing floats and replaced with a different float set up which sits in the bowl, rather than held with a pin where it pivots up/down. just wondered your thoughts. thanks
Those are good, but I’ve always had good luck with the standard floats from bing.
Hundreds of thousands bmw’s run with the original setup satisfactory, we have quite a few customers who race with the stock Bing setup, solo and with sidecar… why on earth would you “upgrade” them? Clean them, new floats, adjust them! And a new needle and a viton gasket ( because they are reusable)
As is common to post, I'm first🤗. Happy Christmas to you both and a great new year🌲🌲
Same to you! Merry Christmas!
I hope I am not blind am missing it,but which digital ignition kit did you install? Links to your parts site?
I have 1976 R75/6.
Maybe a tutorial to change out pushrod tube seals, plus all that might consider doing because you're in there anyway...
And wiring harness?
Shoot me an e-mail at bmwguy126@gmail.com and I can get you taken care of. Thanks for the ideas!
Thebmwguy126@gmail.com
Hey BMW guy
I hope you can help me with my 1993 k1100lt .
I exchanged the injectors with 4-hole injectors and the bike has never run this good .
I also put on new fuel hoses .
But now when the bike gets to its operating temperature its starts to hold back, splutter and just run terrible .
Do you have any idea what could be wrong ?
By the way , i did replace the ignition coils but there was no difference.
Greetings from the Netherlands and happy holidays
David
Send me an e-mail at thebmwguy126@gmail.com and we can chat about what it could be.
Not sure if it's me but volume is low, other than that great videos
I’ve had those optical sensors go bad on me and left me stranded. Do you think it’s better than well tuned points? I’ve also had that system cut in and out on weaker batteries
I’ve had great success with electronic ignition kits. Points are great when dialed in but this is maintenance free
She's a real beauty (and you're wife pretty 😉too!)
Thank you!
I really enjoy your content. However, sound quality was sub-par on this video. 60 years of riding motorcycles has affected my hearing. Otherwise, looking forward to seeing your next video.
Appreciate the feedback! I have upgraded my mic, I had some audio issues.
very nice
Glad you like it!
nice bike, but it wouldn't say tis perfect choice for (girl) starter bike. you need something lighter, less ccm, abs, modern tires /suspension, better lights, sitting position etc.
She can handle it, she ridden a r1200gs that I owned and has been riding a yz450f dirtbike.
@@TheBMWGuy ok, but ff she rides big gs etc, she definitely not rookie, rider with 1st bike lol.
@@izoyt it is her 1st street bike. She just has lots of other riding experience.
@izoit, why on earth do you think that? Imho complete bollocks…. They are not heavy, these older /5 models usually have short swingarm, so quite nimble, easy starters, reliable…. And a lot of woman like them, we have quite a few female customers with these models… in all ages… the only thing is the brakes are slow… as long as you keep that in mind, no issues either..
Pretty disjointed video. Isn’t the first thing you want to tell people is to disconnect the battery before taking off the front cover so you don’t short out your entire electrical system or fry the diode board ?
That was scary to watch as that cover slid over the diode board, not knowing if they actually disconnected the battery.
You forgot to take the negative battery cable off before removing the front cover. This will short out the diode board...
I did, watch the video again closely. I also made another video covering this procedure in detail. Just a fun video of my wife and I working on her bike.
Keep up the good work
Por favor, ayude los en la traducción. Bike=moto o bicicleta en inglés.
Bike en contexto es motocicleta,😂
Amateur Night at the Circus. Content for content sake. Don’t give up your Day Job !!
Don’t be negative.
Negative and jealous!