[dr nick]

Evening all.

discovered this seemingly friendly site when hunting for info about dommie's a few days ago...

My '91 BMW R80 has recently died in a big way, and as it's my main form of transport to work and back I'm a bit stuffed.

A local mechanic is selling a 90/91 'H' reg dommie (import, 24k km on the clock) on behalf of a friend of his who bought the bike to commute on and then got a new job abroad, and his wife is now 'suggesting' he sell the bike.

It's in tatty condition in that the engine cases have weathered somewhat, but mechanically it seems very good. It's not been run for a while but with a charge of the battery it was soon idling beautifully.

When the current owner first bought it he had problems with debris from the inside of the tank causing problems so the mechanic cleaned all that needed cleaning and coated the tank's inside.

It's got 10 months MOT and 2 months tax and is in its original paint but with no stickers except the warning sticker under the rear rack.

That's the background - I had a really fun test ride today ansd was amazed at the lack of wind blast from the tiny stanard 'screen'

My questions are the speedo wasn't working - having searched this site I'm assuming its the oft mentioned plastic gear wheel but...

Assuming standard gearing - what kind of speed is 5000 revs in top. I'm trying to work out if it'll be comfy on my 40 mile commute (each way) down the M40 most days. I was keeping up with the traffic I wanted to keep up with but have no idea what my speed was.

I'm not a quick rider but don't want to feel like it's struggling as I potter along....

Also, this maybe a really silly question - but am I right in that there's no ignition /no charge warning light but you do get a sidestand down warning light.

thanks all....

Nick

 

[micksylver]

Hey Dr Nick.

Can't help you with Dommie info, sorry, but welcome to the forum.

I'm sure someone with "the knowledge" will be along in a bit.

 

[RedStormV]

I'm not a quick rider but don't want to feel like it's struggling as I potter along....

Also, this maybe a really silly question - but am I right in that there's no ignition /no charge warning light but you do get a sidestand down warning light.

thanks all....

Nick

Hi Nick,

Welcome aboard,

Fairly new to the Dommie myself (had it just over a year but only rode it for approx 3 months last Winter).

Yes you get sidestand light but no charge warning light (that I'm aware of anyhoo).

Not sure about ratios / Revs etc on them, but you should be able to break the national speed limit in UK, however, you'd be very, very lucky to hit 3 figures.

I got an indicated 95 out of my 'x' reg with 4,500 miles on it, that's pretty flat to tank, throttle full open and with a favourable wind! On a private road of course!

HTH

Graeme.

 

[digitalcaptive]

With my very very limited experience I'd say they are quite happy sitting at 75 mph much more for any prolong period and it would become quite uncomfortable (vibes) but for those short blasts (overtaking and the like) it would be fine :thumbup:

 

[tonion]

I would say you where doing around 70ish , check the cable first make sure its in one piece.

Side stand warning light is missing on mine so cant comment

If your going to be doing 80+ miles a day then your going to have to keep a close eye on the oil levels

I would think no more than 600 squid for a tatty H reg

 

[catteeclan]

Your domi will sit at 70 without any trouble. Better if you fit a bigger front sprocket.
Like Tonion said, keep a close eye on the oil. All big singles use a bit and if it's done a few miles I'll use a bit more.
Got no visable smoke from my exhaust but it's going somewhere.

 

[Rubberchicken]

Assuming standard gearing (afaik that's 15/45) 5000 rpm is indeed 70ish, and in my opinion just about the top end of what's comfortable.

I've had mine up to 90 (145 km/h), it'll be screaming its guts out then and it was still technically accelerating but I got bored with waiting for it to reach 91. (This was on TKC80 knobbies and with a rather large bloke sitting upright. Honda says it'll just about do the ton.)

It wouldn't be my weapon of choice for a 40 mile each way motorway commute, but if you're happy sitting at 70 and keep a hawks eye on the oil, you ought to be okay.

Couple of things to watch out for, apart from the obvious like chain and brakes and stuff:

Check the underside of the inlet manifold, there's a hollow in there which likes to crack.

Exhausts, particularly the pipes around the rear wheel just in front of the cans. They tend to rot through especially if it's tatty and been used all year.

The speedo cable might've just come loose, mine fell out of the back of the clocks twice in the first month I had it, otherwise it'll probably be the little gear thing indeed.

If you get it, I recommend getting an oil temperature dipstick (brand RR, Gericke has 'em, mind the year, there's 2 different ones) to keep an eye on what the oil is doing. Mine gets thirsty when the oil goes over 120 degrees... And especially at first, check the oil every time you stop for petrol, to get a feel for what it's doing under various conditions.

They're lovely little bikes.

Just out of curiosity, what happened to the R80?

 

[dr nick]

Thanks for the welcome and the comments all...

.... Just out of curiosity, what happened to the R80?

Here's my highly technical explanation:

The camshaft disintegrated, the hardening not having stayed hard! despositing bits of cam around the engine. Given that the oil pressure light came on the last time I rode it, Andrew Sexton (esteemed BMW mechanic) thinks the crank bearings have found some of that debris.

It's an expensive repair to do properly and probably a false economy to just to do the cam/followers & flush out everything and hope the crank bearings are ok, and it's not really an option to do it all the same month as we've had to replace the gearbox on the family car.

As the boxer's is/was my daily transport I need something reliable and cheap.

The dommie seems a sensible choice in that the local mechanic thinks it's a good 'un mechanically, and I fancy a big-ish trailie again. I've owned a Pegaso in the past and enjoyed that.

Even if the dommie is turquoise (sp?) and white

Also the BMW's given me RSI in my ankle because of the offset foot pegs so the upright position of the dommie appeals.

I'm happy to sit at 70 - 75 down the M40.

The dommie felt surprisiungly precise - brakes and gear change felt very tight/together and although tatty if felt 'fettled' maybe that's just residual Honda build quality?

It seems like a well cared for (mechanically) commuter tool rather than someone's very polished pride and joy

If I do buy it, it'll get more cared for beyond just the mechanical stuff

My commute is 5 mins of country roads,
36 or so miles down the M40/A40
6 miles of urban traffic

Usually 3 or 4 times a week

what are people's thoughts in the suitability of a dommie for this.

or any better suggestions: cheap, reliable (hopefully!) and upright position with foot pegs that aren't rearset foot pegs and oh course ideally not too bland... a bit of character is good...

thanks again all.
Nick

 

[Rubberchicken]

Ouch @ the R80...
(Mind you my R100 is in the shed at the moment because the valves seem to be getting longer suddenly. I didn't wait to see what usually happens after that.)

About the dommie being precise... Well, you'd have to admit, being used to airhead gearboxes that's hardly a surprise... ;-)

Honestly though, the dommie isn't really built for heavy motorway use, they tend to run hot at prolonged high speeds. Shouldn't really be a problem for an engine that's in good nick, but I can't be sure about that because mine isn't in good nick. ;-)

So if you get it and do one thing, keep an eye on the oil.

The obvious other bike to suggest for your intended use would be a transalp, though I have no idea what one of those does in the UK compared to a dommie...

 

[dr nick]

thanks all for the info & advice, much appreciated. :thumbright:

after much thought, I think a transalp's more suited to my commute than the dommie and thanks to this 'ere site I've found one.... :teeth:

I'm off to sunny(?) Cornwall on Tuesday and'll have a jolly 240 mile ride home...


http://www.xrv.org.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=32382&page=1

cheers all

Nick