Help ! bought first airhead and i cant identify it; is it a bitsa ?

alphadog

alphadog

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hi guys, so i bought my first airhead, have wanted one for a long time so finally sold my guzzi and bought this. i didnt view it and bought it on pictures and a telephone call. so i thought i was buying a 1982 r80 but once home today it looks like the forks are from the 70`s and the rear drive is the same. i know it was police issue and i really liked the spoked wheels but can anyone shed light on why it has older style forks but brembro brakes and anything else. also do i buy parts for a 82 model or a late 70`s model ? v5 says 82 first reg.
 

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the front forks have the big allan nut underneath and not the oil drain screw on the lower fork leg.
 
alphadog said:
hi guys, so i bought my first airhead, have wanted one for a long time so finally sold my guzzi and bought this. i didnt view it and bought it on pictures and a telephone call. so i thought i was buying a 1982 r80 but once home today it looks like the forks are from the 70`s and the rear drive is the same. i know it was police issue and i really liked the spoked wheels but can anyone shed light on why it has older style forks but brembro brakes and anything else. also do i buy parts for a 82 model or a late 70`s model ? v5 says 82 first reg.
Click to expand...

I rather like it - all the best!
 
Looks like the early eighties bike, with a police spec fuel tank and a really long front mudguard.

The handle bars suggest it was an RT. Look on the plate on the right side of the headstock. It'll tell you what model it was originally.


Val.
 
VAL. H. said:
Looks like the early eighties bike, with a police spec fuel tank and a really long front mudguard.

The handle bars suggest it was an RT. Look on the plate on the right side of the headstock. It'll tell you what model it was originally.


Val.
Click to expand...
so just checked the plate, doesnt tell me to much but engine and frame have matching numbers so thats a good thing.
 

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Early 80s ex cop RT would be my guess. They've discarded the fairing but kept the front mudguard, tank and single seat. Looks like a nice bike that's been carefully re-worked though.

Edit: just noticed Gelandestrasse's comment - he's right. Ditch the bracket. It's been left over when they've removed the fairing. Hmmm - carefully re-worked, maybe not so much!
 
It also looks like the front indicator wiring could be tidied up. Taking wires from the headlamp bowl and running them through th headlamp bracket (aka ‘ears’) along the inside of the indicator stems is the standard way. Looks like you have a cablencobbled from the old fairing connector. I could be wrong.
 
thanks for all the info guys, have just finished stripping the wheels off as the tyres are perished, have ordered avon road rider as i had them on my guzzi and they seemed ok.will try and source that brake line set up that will enable me to loose that rt bracket.
battery next on the list.
 
Given that not a huge amount has been done other than stripping the fairing off, I really like the looks, esp the rear mudguard / light area. Other than maybe fitting slightly lower bars (now there's no barn door fairing to take the wind blast), I'd just ride it as it is.
 
Long front mudguard is Police only. As are the twin disk spoked front wheel…… much sort after by the “cafe race” builders.
wonder where it served it’s time as a cop bike.?

looks good. And as it’s no longer standard, you can do what you what you want with it
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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