The Bikes

We are doing good progress on the bikes, though we are three months behind schedule. That was why we put in four months float in our plan; we knew we would get delayed. Before I joined the Oil&Gas Industry I was good at delays; now I’m damn good at both delays, and promising no delays at the same time.

In November 2007 we tore apart the bikes. By January everything was disassembled, cleaned, stripped for paint and we made a list of the parts we wanted to replace. By February I had left the country to work in Malaysia, so the next 4 months got screwed.

After the Singapore trip the bikes was in far better condition than expected; it was mainly seat covers and springs that were worn out (no comments on BMI allowed), tail light lenses that were lost, sidecar suspension (which had become softer than some UK actors going on motorcycle trips on BMW’s), valve adjustment screws (which completely died as the repro ones were made from an butter/zinc alloy or something). However, the list got long as a year with employment as we now wanted to standardise the bikes completely with exactly the same parts on both bike to achieve full interchange ability on the bikes, as well as everything that showed the smallest sign of wear got replaced.

Basically we ended up with:

New rims and new spokes made from black steel instead of stainless
New cylinder heads
New crankshafts and connection rods and pistons
New clutch discs
New camshafts
New petrol tanks
New brakedrums

Empty wallets
+all the small bits and pieces that made up one page of parts

As soon as I got back from Malaysia in July I headed down to Copenhagen at John’s place (http://www.jcnimbus.com/) to get the parts, and rebuild as much of the parts. Both engines were finished, as well as the wheels. Thanks for the support, as always, John!

Right now we are waiting to get the parts back from painting, ETA is this week. One engine is test run 600 km in my dad’s bike and seems to be very good so far, the other engine is not started yet. As soon as we get the parts back from painting we should be able to finish within a week or two as all the sub components are done now. We’re getting there eventually…

T

These poor crestures will be beaten terribly the next two years, in fact some of them might not make it, and ends up in connection-rod-and piston-heaven

John is straightening up those frames, and makes them way straighter the UK-actors on BMW's through Siberia.

Master of Sparks

John and Ole Carpenter, son of Eva Carpenter.

Crank case done

It was only not working in Hopencagen, Schim Cooler took me out on some trips as well, here's me on the MZ and Schim with his Bobber, studying the map looking for the highway to hell.

One night at Rutschebanen in Copenhagen, left lower pic taken on this trip, right upper was taken in 1999. Note how slim the Polar Bear (In front) has become due to Guiana Worm. Gillian (far right) was long gone now. I had lost my smile, and my brother sitting behind me had become old and found a bearded guy instead of the escorte girl he hired last time.

Back home again, the engine ready and Klaus counting parts....