Just scored my "Dream" bike

[bikeama]

Going through my google photos album I ran into some pictures I took in Mulhouse France in 2017. I do have high res photos if you want more detail. Had to reduce to post. He did run this bike around a small track.

Edit: posted this before I caught up on the thread, your bike looks better. Great work

 

[GB500guy]

More bling: refinished hubs, new spokes

The last of the corrosion was on the spokes and hubs. So after receiving NOS spokes it was time to tear down the wheels and refinish the hubs and discs. Here's the front hub with bearings removed and ready for glass bead blasting.

Then a spin on the lathe with Scotchbrite pad started bringing up the shine. I originally intended to finish the hubs on a buffing wheel for a high polish look, but decided the slightly brushed look of the Scotchbrite pad looks classy so I stopped there and sprayed on clear coat to stop future corrosion.

The brake discs got masked, bead blasted and the centers resprayed with silver and clear coat.

Same treatment for the rear wheel parts, along with re-plating the rear sprocket.

Then it was time to reassemble all the shiny parts with the new spokes. I've always enjoyed the symmetry of spoke wheels.

So now the bike is done cosmetically and mechanically except for some paint touch up and an elusive WOT unevenness that I've yet to quite wrestle to the ground. But I'll get there eventually....

Oh, and I did take a couple of on-the-bike videos to capture the little engine's music but the sound quality was dreadful. I'll try again with a friend filming a ride by.

-Bill

 

[aminalmutha]

Dude... really nice. Love the bike, love the resto. Good job.

 

[RVFRick]

:hail

Bill, she's a stunner! Can't wait to hear it.

I built many bicycle wheels in my youth and always enjoyed the process. How did you determine how much tension to apply to the spokes and did you have to true them very much?

 

[Slow Goat]

Bill, I know it’s not as much fun working on Other’s bikes but you’ve got a real talent for restoration!

 

[GB500guy]

Dude... really nice. Love the bike, love the resto. Good job.

Thanks!

:hail

Bill, she's a stunner! Can't wait to hear it.

I built many bicycle wheels in my youth and always enjoyed the process. How did you determine how much tension to apply to the spokes and did you have to true them very much?

Thanks Rick. On spoke torque I mainly go by feel. In the past I've used a spring scale pulling a spoke wrench to find out what the service manual spec (usually 2.5 - 4 ft-lb or higher) feels like. And I still do that once in a while to double check my "feel". But measured torque can vary a lot depending on nipple, rim and spoke condition. I always lightly oil the spoke threads and rim dimples before lacing up which takes away a good amount of the torque due to friction. So you have to take that into account and aim toward the low end if parts are clean and lubed.

Truing fell into place easily, here's my usual method:

-Start by turning each nipple down even with the start of the spoke threads. -Then go around once turning each an equal amount by hand, always doing just one circle around the wheel, just until each nipple feels finger snug.
-Then lay a straightedge across the hub to see if the lateral rim offset matches what I measured before disassembly.
-Then put on a truing stand and refine both lateral and radial runout keeping in mind any offset correction that needs to be done, i.e. if the rim needs to shift left in relation to the hub, then adjust right or left spokes as needed to adjust runout while at the same time accomplishing offset adjustment.
-Once offset is correct then continue refining radial and lateral runout making smaller and smaller changes until I'm happy with the result.
-Then go around one lap at a time adding tension in small increments until torque is in the ballpark.
-Last, tap each spoke in two places with a rubber mallet to encourage any settling of bends and contact points.
-Do final truing/torque check.

Bill, I know it’s not as much fun working on Other’s bikes but you’ve got a real talent for restoration!

Not sure about talent, but I do enjoy it and can be real compulsive about things, does that count? :laughing

-Bill

 

[Eric B]

Lovely! Fun to watch the resto process too. What clear are you using for the parts? Does it hold up over time, and does it stick to the polished parts?

 

[GB500guy]

Lovely! Fun to watch the resto process too. What clear are you using for the parts? Does it hold up over time, and does it stick to the polished parts?

Hey Eric, On these parts I just used DupliColor DE1636 Gloss Clear Ceramic Engine Enamel. It has held up well for me on several bikes. For engine side covers subject to fuel spills and fork sliders that get rock dings I normally clear coat with Spray Max 2K high gloss clear. It's a two part catalyzed product with the catalyst built into the aerosol can. Very durable and fuel/ding resistant, but once activated you need to use it up in a few days.

I've had good luck clear coating polished parts as long as I do very thorough cleaning after buffing. That means multiple wipe downs with acetone followed by denatured alcohol, always using a fresh cloth for each wipe. Final test is to drip distilled water on the part and watch for it to spread out and flow off. If it beads up the part is not clean enough.

-Bill

 

[Eric B]

Hey Eric, On these parts I just used DupliColor DE1636 Gloss Clear Ceramic Engine Enamel. It has held up well for me on several bikes. For engine side covers subject to fuel spills and fork sliders that get rock dings I normally clear coat with Spray Max 2K high gloss clear. It's a two part catalyzed product with the catalyst built into the aerosol can. Very durable and fuel/ding resistant, but once activated you need to use it up in a few days.

I've had good luck clear coating polished parts as long as I do very thorough cleaning after buffing. That means multiple wipe downs with acetone followed by denatured alcohol, always using a fresh cloth for each wipe. Final test is to drip distilled water on the part and watch for it to spread out and flow off. If it beads up the part is not clean enough.

-Bill

Thanks for the feedback Bill.
I have an SRX 6 that i’d Like to pretty up a bit. Taking notes.

 

[firstbuell]

Hey Eric, On these parts I just used DupliColor DE1636 Gloss Clear Ceramic Engine Enamel. It has held up well for me on several bikes. For engine side covers subject to fuel spills and fork sliders that get rock dings I normally clear coat with Spray Max 2K high gloss clear. It's a two part catalyzed product with the catalyst built into the aerosol can. Very durable and fuel/ding resistant, but once activated you need to use it up in a few days.

I've had good luck clear coating polished parts as long as I do very thorough cleaning after buffing. That means multiple wipe downs with acetone followed by denatured alcohol, always using a fresh cloth for each wipe. Final test is to drip distilled water on the part and watch for it to spread out and flow off. If it beads up the part is not clean enough.

-Bill

wow, Bill - yer last 2 posts have each been tech seminars for restos

thx!

 

[GB500guy]

Thanks for the feedback Bill.
I have an SRX 6 that i’d Like to pretty up a bit. Taking notes.

Great bike, and it's cases would really like being dressed in the SprayMax gloss!

Here are some CB400F painted engine covers and polished fork sliders with the SprayMax...

....and GB500 polished fork sliders with same clear coat.

-Bill

 

[Eric B]

Nice!

 

[omegajeff]

Uh oh..............you missed a spot.








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:laughing :thumbup

 

[FXCLM5]

Nice, like the red frame

 

[moto-rama]

Looks like you gave it an extra measure of "Phenominol" as it is phenomenal.

 

[GB500guy]

A short video clip....


youtu.be/TRrpxgepMMA

-Bill

 

[chrisweir.com]

Epic

 

[budman]

I got nothing but :applause

:hail

Man... I wish I had your skills and the desire to apply them.

 

[bcj]

Polish up and detailing in record timeframe.
Do you sleep standing up?

Amaze Balls
Totes 'm ToteGoats.

 

[Eldritch]

After becoming infatuated with the idea of owning a street legal Dream 50 I made some inquiries and was steered to a decent example up for auction in Japan...

More to come....

-Bill

I love this, good for you!