SO Boxer 80RT

Should be returned from its respite care at Church Stretton
Motorcycles with new cam chain and tensioner. Next winter should be
new guides and seats as after 157,000 miles things are a little noisy
now. Hopefully I can start a rolling restoration. Having owned it for
almost 27 years its part of the family now so I think its a keeper.

Taking it in last week in heavy rain, snow and fog over Clee Hill I
had forgotten how good the fairing and seat were, how crap the mirrors
and aged tyres were.

If I can just stop the speedo waving in the breeze like a palm tree
behind the misted up glass then the quality of life will improve. Its
not the best bike in the world but to paraphrase Homer Simpson " it
took me 27 years to get a perfect butt crease in the seat and I'm not
starting again after all these years."

The Apprentice has asked if it will be left to him in the will, he got
right pissed off when I told him it will go in the ground with me.
What more does he want he's already getting the guitars!

Boxerboy

 

Have you replaced the bulbs in the instrument panel? I've noticed that
mine are all rather dull, and I'm trying to remeber if they've always
been like that and they're just bad compared to modern instruments?

 

ISTR that on my old R100RS, they were all rather dim with the (odd)
exception of the oil pressure light.

 

My SO SAAB was like that and I found that replacing the bulbs with LED
lamps improved the situation no end.

 

The oil pressure, neutral and high beam lights are fine, but the back
lighting on the speedo, rev counter, clock and volt are very poor.

 

They are the original 27 year old bulbs. Its a bit difficult to tell
on speedo and rev counter due to the condensation that occurs when the
light is on. I need to dry the clocks out and reseal them in. Will
probably put new bulbs in when I do it otherwise they will go the
following week.

Repairs were a bit more than expected because he had a few problems.
However it was lovely and quiet on the way home and ran up to an
indicated ton ( probably anything from 80 - 120 as the speedo is as
already stated vague)

Now debating if I should keep it standard when I do the valves, guides
and seats or to go twin plug, 1000 conversion and 100cs rear bevel box
what say the FOAK?

What ever I do I am going to fit one of those sump spacers that
increases the oil capacity.

I need to decide on the standard / non standard question now because
if the speedo is fucked then I need to know if I get the 100cs version
or the R80 version.

SWBO thinks it still looks good and prefers the pillion on the RT to
the GS so i guess its going to stay I just have to decide if I keep it
standard or not.

Boxerboy

 

IMO, the cost of the 1000cc bits needed is not proportionate to the
advantage that you'll get from fitting them.

 

I think the rear bevel box is a good idea - makes cruising much more
relaxed, and improves the fuel consumption.

 

Do you reckon it'd happily pull the gearing 2-up with the 800 motor?

 

Good point. Depends on what gearing you get. My experience of the R80RT
is that it's geared down from the naked R80 and spins straight into the
red in top. It is undergeared, for sure.

 

Tried it in the early 90"s. Without the extra power it hits a "wall at
75-80 ish and just will not pull any more in top. I thought I was
being really clever but it made the trip to the BOL even slower and
more tedious. Hence the speculation on the 1000 conversion.

Boxerboy

 

Thought that might be the case. Mine, like TOG said, spins up to the red
line OK, but it never gives the impression that there's any more left

 

Thought that might be the case. Mine, like TOG said, spins up to the red
line OK, but it never gives the impression that there's any more left

 

Normal. They can be replaced with something better if you like

 

Seats? new guides and some gentle lapping in should be enough unless it's
enjoyed a diet of poor fuel and air filters. Valves, well why not if you
replace the guides, they are cheap.

 

Motorworks do a hop up kit which is reputed to be rather good

 

But oh, the sheer stump-pulling you get when you have 1000 barrels and
carbs on that R80RT back end...

 

Like a GSXR1000 running on 1 cylinder you mean