Winter stripdown

As my latest steed has only done 13.7k since 1997, and even tho' it is in pretty reasonable condition, I've decided to keep myself occupied during the winter months. SO, I've started to strip her down so that I can get her up to my standard. Saying that, it's bloody cold in the garage and it's hard to motivate myself at the moment.

 

So the plan is to get her back to as good as new. I have done similar work in the past, and here's a few photos of my mates '92 VFR which I done up a few years back.

 

Sounds fun - I'll be doing the same over the winter with my new-to-me 93 that I'll be picking up this coming week.

Can't wait!

 

huh......I need a "friend " like you....did he at least help clean up his bike or did you have the honor of doing it all ?

 

Did it all myself, he just paid for the materials used and services used (powder coating/polishing etc.). The way I looked at it, it kept me out of trouble for 5 1/2 weeks !

 

go pick urself up a wood burning stove... thats what i did. someone was giving an old one away so i just knabbed some black pipe for like $5 a length and a cap and walaa... heated garage. Although i will admit gloves are a must cause those frickin tools never seem to heat up...

 

Well, I bought a propane space heater so that I could get back to working on the bike without suffering from hyperthermia.
So, I stripped out the rear shock and re-painted it (bugger of a job as you can't disassemble it), greased up all the suspension linkages, re-fitted the rear minifold before replacing the shock (dead easy) and de-gunged the back end etc. Still a work in progress tho'.

Before and after. :smile:

 

Looking sweet!

 

love the 92- how did you remove the cack from your headers and what did you use to coat them? how long did it last - mine are nasty too

 

Scrubbed the headers back to metal and apply several coats of PJ1 exhaust paint (the best and longest lasting I've used).

 

Before and after.....or is that after and before, I'll get the hang of loading pics on this site sooner or later !!

Coming along nicely, tho' still loads to do. :smile:

 

Progress update : Fork springs out and awaiting progressive replacements, exhaust repainted with PJ1, replacement handlebars (off a Bros 650) painted to match, head polished up nicely and brakes serviced plus lots of little items painted. I'm almost at the stage of building her back into a whole motorcycle. 1st of April won't be long in coming round !!!

 

Initial removal of "cack" on headers can be easy or a bitch. A lot of it is asphalt. A good slosh of "GUNK" at about 4:1 with diesel works. For the VHT paints prepping all the way to shiny metal is best. The stuff doesn't need a primer on steel and can be partially cured or force dried for a second or third coat with a heat gun. As good as VHT is, don't expect it to adhere to an aluminum can. It will but only if properly primed.

 

A few pics of the latest work.

 

nice! what did you clean all of the oxidation off the engine with? Cold weekends make me want to do the same!!

 

Yes, I'm curious about that as well...?

The cam covers on my '96 are of pretty rough cast, very 'raw', lots of flaws.
To make them nice would require removal and work on a wheel!

I'm figuring on just giving them a good going over in place with fine scotch-brite like nylon.

 

Here's the latest progress report.
New Hagon progressive fork springs fitted, chucked the forks back into the triple clamps and fitted the Bros 650 handlebars which I sprayed. Hopefully, they'll increase the comfort factor a bit by taking some pressure from my wrists and they equate to a height increase similar to a set of bar risers. Fitted the exhaust which was a bit more difficult than I thought it would be and also replaced the newly powder coated centre stand. I also serviced the brake calipers, cleaning out all the old kack from around the pistons and re-greased everything.

 

Any good words on the oxidation on the aluminum stuff? Here in the States there is a product called "Aluminum Jelly" that works well. If I recall my chem right it's picric acid.

Good job on the bikes..Stay warm..

Did a play once by Brian Friels set near Belfast. Ballybeg.. Played a priest..

 

There's no magic goos or jellies out there that will bring (roughish) bare alloy up to any real good shape. Vapor blasting is the answer if you have access to the right equipment, otherwise it's a case of using a good high temp engine paint.

 

Wasn't happy with the colour of the new 'bars, so I've went chrome.
I also fitted a set of Oxford heated grips and repainted the black bit on the end can. The front wheel is now in and calipers on. It's all putting back together from now on in.