After 7 years in pieces, (initially with just the heads off for a quick fettle) my R100 is back on the road. Its not finished, are they ever, but at least I can ride as I go.
Its a 78 R100RS that I bought as a shed without fairing, seat or working brakes. I made it all work and ran it round the Hebridies for a holiday. Then I decided to do it justice. Its a bit how I would have built the R75/7 I despatched on in the eighties, if I'd had the money.
So it has the good heads, with 44mm inlets and 40mm headers. I had it twin plugged by Roger Bennett. It has San Jose 1043cc pistons and a 320 degree cam from Motoren-Israel. There's a deep sump extension for an extra litre of 20/50. The silencers are from Jim Cray. They look original but are straight through.
The forks are NOS from a K100RS Sport. The front hub was from M-I machined from solid. I had it and new rims anodised black before Central Wheels built them. The forks allow for more modern Brembo calipers, again NOS. I converted the rear to a drum. The rear shocks are Ikon.
I have a spare frame that is being braced, without being too obvious, and a San Jose braced swinging arm that I've saved from 1985.
I've done the cafe racer thing with Tritons and Nortons, so, although the modern BM cafe racers can look gorgous and seem to in vouge at the moment, I'll stick with the Fatbars. They're certainly more comfy than clip-ons.
I just have to restrain myself whilst I'm running it in. I need to drag out my tin of jets and check the mixture, then I'm off to Cadwell Park at the end of next week.
Mark
