Learned Friends:
This thread won't show anything y'all haven't seen before... I'll use it to document the rehab of my 1981 Motobécane Grand Touring. That will satisfy both my narcissism and my OCD tendencies, plus I don't have a better place to take notes that'll stick over time.
I was made aware of the bike by @
thumpism on the Enabler Thread and posted at #70 here -- don't want to repeat too much.
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ds-thread.html
Facts:
1981 Motobécane Grand Touring
Serial# 5870050 other codes are 1962 (model?) and 1280 (12/80 build date?)
Catalog information:
Frame "Vitus 172 double butted throughout, flat top seat stays (diam) 16, oval chain stays, brazed-on bottle cage bosses, cahin rest and cable guides, forged tunnel."
Fork "Delta crown, semi-forged tips, Vitus BBB [sic] blades (should be 888), Italian style, chrome-plating."
Most of the parts appear original, except the brakes.
The wheels are Weinmann A124 on Normandy hubs.
I found the catalog here (Thanks, @
bulgie!):
bulgier.net - /pics/bike/Catalogs/Motobecane/81/
The weather cooperated enough that I could take a little spin around local trails, paved and otherwise, and it felt fine, unremarkable handling, though it rode a little small for me.
It's my first French bike in a long time -- I had an '86 Carbolite Peugeot in the mid-80s -- and I was leery of the weird sizes. As luck would have it, it all came apart with conventional persuasion.
Rideable:
Not so rideable:
There was nothing remarkable about the ride, except I'm no fan of 38 cm handlebars.
Handling seemed quick for a tourer but not nervous.
I'll have some more details in the next post.
cheers -mathias