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What are the best upgrades for Lemans 850 MK3 1983?


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Posted

I'm all set to splash out and get my 83 Lemans out of the 80's and into the late late 90's (only on the inside)

 

I'd love some advice on......

 

Best carburetor upgrade???? AND throttle?? I know I may need to man up a little on the throttle stiffness, but after my last two bikes (Scura V11and RGS1000) this system is archaic!!!! 

What electronic ignition? 

Best aftermarket pipes? 

Tarozzi highriser bars??

 

 

I have the air assisted upgrade to front end (FSA?) 

Priced a pair of OHHHHlins MG140 for the rear......

 

She is getting birthday and xmas at the same time :)

 

My V11 Scura La Fancy'onis Carbon cans DONT FIT :)  (trying to upload a pic of them staged on the bike) Some carbon Mistrals would be nice.....

Posted

Why not keep it stock? It will never be as easy to ride or have as much power as a V11. Just appreciate it for what it is.

Posted

Groundhog, a member here and on WildGuzzi, has a 1980s LeMans that looks stock, and it's all I can do just to keep him in sight on the twisties when I'm on my Scura. I think he's done some of the mods (especially suspension) that you are considering.

 

You might pose the same questions over on WildGuzzi - many more members there with experience with that model.

Posted

I had a MK 3 for a while. It was a great bike. I thought it was pretty quick at the time too. You can get lighter springs for the carbs if the throttle is a little heavy. I did rewire it because the original harness had degraded badly, though that may have been due to the UK weather. It's a good looking bike as it is. I'd keep it original too. Interest in MK 3s seems to be rising in the UK. Prices are rising too.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

Posted

"Why not keep it stock? It will never be as easy to ride or have as much power as a V11. Just appreciate it for what it is. "

 

Ahhh maybe in your head. It is easier to ride than my Scura and power is "relative" to feel not textbook. I appreciate for what it is which is why i purchased it in the first place.

 

The bike is my only form of transport and I ride it.....so "upgrades" are a good thing! 

 

Advice on "upgrades" appreciated puritans  :)

Posted

The Lemans 3 is a great bike.  Here is what I have done to my 89 Lemans.  FAC cartridges in the front with race tech springs. I went with their heaviest spring for the 40mm tubes and I found that even then with a 1inch spacer i needed to run 15lbs of air to get the sag I wanted with me on the bike.    Hagon shocks in the rear make it a pretty solid handler.  I plan on down the road upgrading the forks to later model upside down forks with better brakes or sending my forks to a shop back east that builds their own cartridges that are fully adjustable and replacing the Hagon shocks with fully adjustable Wilbers or Ohlin.  The Hagon shocks are better than the original Konis but it would be nice to have more adjustability.  My motor is stock as far as i know the carbs have Ed Milch jetting and the exhaust is Zard.  The Zard exhaust has a stepped header and is a larger diameter.  It was actually made for the earlier Lemans 850s but works on the 1000s.   I still have the stock brakes are linked with steel lines and Ive found these work well with the cast iron rotors.  I have the brembo upgrade kit for the front I just haven't put it on yet.  

      I have found that the older Lemans will flat surprise you with its capabilities until you hit a bit of a straight stretch then it just doesn't have the HP to stay with the modern bikes.  But in the tight stuff it really surprises folks.   I just wish I could get modern rubber for it.  Im running Sport Demon which seem to stick pretty well, I have never had them slide on me and I generally wear out the sides before the center.  

Posted

The Kid has Classic Attacks on his Spot and loves em. I *assume* they make them in the right size for a LMIII.

Posted

I can see all the Tonti boys locking their swinging arms away in a very safe place.  

Posted

Modern rubber ?Does the tire size restrict your choices ?

 

It can be difficult to find radial tires in "vintage" sizes. This is an issue on my K75s as well. Some have solved it by mixing and matching brands to get a pair of radials on the bike. Weirdly, the cheap Shinko tires work well on it. The K75s is a 1992, but introduced in late 1980s - so I'm assuming wheel sizes are similar. (BMW is Front: 100/90-18.  Rear: 130/90-17). Handling is surprisingly nimble, yet stable, on that bike - and will improve after I get the forks done right.

Posted

Avon seems to covered a lot of those applications with the RoadRider series . . .

Posted

Modern rubber ?Does the tire size restrict your choices ?

 

Modern rubber ?Does the tire size restrict your choices ?

yea,  the sizes are the problem.  I may try the conti attack classics next time around as Chuck suggested.  

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