Bought an R80/7

[Perazzimx14]

Nice part of the deal is you can pull the transmission without crabbing the frame.

Cribbing is using stacked dunnage to support a structure. Crabbing is a form of fishing.

[n3303j]

Cribbing is using stacked dunnage to support a structure. Crabbing is a form of fishing.

Never cribbed (sp?) or crabbed. I support the engine in a copy of the MG engine stand and lift the bike off the top with two hoists over the machine. I can precision lower the bike on the engine at reassembly.

I tried crabbing and did not feel confident in the procedure or the shaky result.
I probably did it wrong.
I'd probably try it if I had an on the road failure.
But not in my shop.

I think everyone here calls it "crabbing" the frame?

[moto]

From wordreference.com:

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
crab /kræb/ n
...
    a mechanical lifting device, esp the travelling hoist of a gantry crane

This seems to be the meaning for "crabbing the frame." By contrast, the engine, left on the floor, supported by something, is cribbed.

Proper usage is everything on WildGuzzi.

[n3303j]

Close but "No Cigar".



This is "cribbing". I do not do that when I lift the bike off the engine.



This is "cradling". It is how I support the engine  when I lift the bike off the engine.

[Dirk_S]

This weekend I installed the new battery. I heard those stock batteries require a heaping amount of snot and force to get them out, but jeez. I was yanking and pulling and trying to find any which angle I could. Finally got her out after removing the subframe bolts. I wonder if that battery might’ve actually been slightly off from the stock size.

Also changed the fluid—driveshaft was nearly dry. Final drive was dark. Transmission was darker, and the engine oil was…water, for about half a liter. Pulled  the spark plugs and peered inside with a flashlight—saw *some* spots of surface rust; didn’t look terrible, but I’m not sure what actually amounts to “terrible”. Squirted some WD40 into the holes and closed them back up.

Removed the airbox to reveal what we all might have expected, but nonetheless, it was a first for any of my previously owned 70s bikes:








Little stinkers had nearly the whole intake packed with insulation, cotton, and acorns. I imagine this is quite common on forgotten airheads. Thankfully the filter hadn’t been chewed through, so it didn’t appear that anything got down into the carbs. Good thing the seller gave me the wrong key, because I might’ve tried to start the bike up with all that junk stashed inside.

Next on the to-do list: drain that gas and drop those bowls. So far, it feels fun going back to an old, carbureted bike after 8 years of fuel injection. Any wagers how long that fun lasts?

[Scout63]

I think most every older bike I’ve gotten has had some level of nesting, but that one takes the cake.  Those fabric covered lines will probably leak badly and should be replaced. Green scotch-brite pads and WD-40, or better yet AC-50, will quickly bring the aluminum cases into nice shape. Usually, if you remove the 10mm bolts on the back sides. of the battery box, it will pivot to the rear and you can barely slide the battery out the top.

[Stretch]

Mouse nests in airhead air filters are quite common.

Legend has it that for airheads - particularly /5 airheads - a
battery was suspended in mid-air and the motorbike was built around it.
If you get a battery of SLIGHTLY different dimensions to the original Mareg,
it can be an absolute pig to install/remove. Battery maintenance with lead acid batteries
on these bikes is sometimes neglected as a result........

It really doesn't sound too awfully bad so far, Dirk. Of course, it's early days yet and you
haven't fired it up. But still -  things look encouraging!   

                                                                    -Stretch