Welcome to Motorcycles Guide
California Discount Motorcycle Accessories Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Restoration 101-On Your Motorcycle
from: JG MashinoTearing It Down
You’ve picked your bike out, made a few new friends, gathered together a few books to guide you and your garage is outfitted and ready to go, so now it’s time to…go on a drinking binge? Ah, no, that’s probably not a good idea; remember you’ve got this incredible piece of machinery just waiting for you to bring it back to life. Let’s tear it down.
Mindset
All through life your friends have told you how mechanically inclined you are, so this is a chance to really show your stuff. As you tear down you will slay many dragons along the way, but keep your chin up, have fun and later will feel the pride that comes with doing it yourself and see the fruits of your labor in the rebirth of the machine.
Session Time
Begin your first session without any set time. Work as much or as little as you like and take breaks along the way. One thing will lead to another and before you know it you’ll have a carcass of a motorcycle before you.
As you work along, there aren’t many guidelines to follow in terms of the order by which you break the bike down, other than what you are restricted to by way of how the bike is put together.
I like to start by removing the carburetors and doing the rebuild on them before taking the next part off the bike. Others may want to do the entire tear down, clean each part up and then rebuild. It’s up to you.
Nasty Bolts and Nuts
Along the way you may encounter some rusted bolts ands nuts. You may try turning them with as wrench, but before you try too hard, consider spraying them with rust solvent and coming back to them 6-12 hours later. In the meantime there’s always plenty of other things to do.
Getting Rid of Rust
Your mission as you tear down it to eliminate every spec of rust from the bike before any repainting or rebuilding occurs. To do this you will use a few different tricks.
Wire Brushes & a Scotch Pad
Wire brushes and abrasive pads are our friends. They work wonders at getting rid of rust and bringing a piece back to it’s original look. When you begin the process of rust removal start with a wire brush. If it’s a tight spot, use an abrasive pad like a 3M Scotchpad.
Abrasive pads are also finer than a metal brush, so if you’re dealing with a shinny surface use the pad instead of a brush.
Use water while you work as this allows you to move the brush easier and keeps the dust level down. Wipe the part with a rag now and then, inspect and keep scrubbing until you’ve eliminated the rust.
In some case you will be able to remove the discoloration. This is typical on frames and some aluminum parts.
For frames and other parts you will eventually paint, remove as much rust with a wire brush and abrasive pad. While working with the water feel free to add a little naval jelly to the mix. And don’t forget to wear your thick gloves during this process as Naval Jelly and skin don’t mix together well.
Finally use a rust to oxide conversion liquid (Rustoleum makes one) which will turn the rust to an oxide and allow proper bonding of the surface during the paint priming stages.
For shinny metals such as stator and clutch covers we’ll go another route. Begin by purchasing a few assorted buffers to fit your electric hand drill and a few different grades of jewelers rouge which come in sticks. These are compounds made to smooth and clean metal at high rotating speeds. Apply the rouge to the buffer and buff until you get the desired look.
One final destination for rust you will never be able to reach with your hands is the gas tank. Never fear, there is a product that will help you remove it all and protect it against rust in the future. It’s called Tank Kreem and you can get it at better motorcycle stores. Tank Kreem allows you to get the rust out of your tank and coat it with a polymer which will keep moisture off the metal of the tank in the future. Follow as directed and don’t be shy about letting the process take longer than expected. If you have a lot of rust in your tank it will take anywhere from 6 hours to overnight before it’s all loosened up.
Grab your tank and take it to the hardware store. There you can find corks that will fit the top opening and the petcock opening. While you’re there be sure to get some metal nuts and bolts to add in and shake around while it’s in process to help release rust deposits. Use a magnet on a wire to retrieve them after the second step of the process and test them first with the magnet to insure they are metal and not aluminum before inserting them into the tank.
In general clean every nook and cranny of the bike well and be generous with your water and solvents.
Bag It
As you break down the bike place corresponding parts into your plastic bags so you can keep them together as you clean and rebuild them. This will make it much easier to set up for your rebuild later too. Imagine a nice tidy row of bags and you just go one by one!
Photo It
If you’re short on visual images of the bike in various sections, say you lack a good repair book or the owners manual, use a camera as you break it down to photo areas that might otherwise leave you clueless on the rebuild.
California Discount Motorcycle Accessories News
California Motorcycle Deaths on the Rise - NBC Los Angeles
California Motorcycle Deaths on the Rise NBC Los Angeles By Jacob Rascon and Yvonne Beltzer Five motorcycle riders died in May in the Inland Empire -- deaths that come as motorcyclist fatalities appear to be on the rise in California. Now, Caltrans wants drivers to be aware of who they share the road with. |
AMA Pro Road Racing Brings the Battle to Miller Motorsports Park - WhoWon.com
 Eurosport.com ASIA | AMA Pro Road Racing Brings the Battle to Miller Motorsports Park WhoWon.com Michael Beck (Simi Valley, CA) - 48. AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport, the AMA Pro Road Racing class for up-and-coming riders and fast local club racers, returns to a wide-open circuit that offers a much different challenge than previous ... AMA Pro Racing Miller Preview 2012 Video: OTT Profiles The Meen Motorsports AMA Pro Race Team |
Motus Expands Dealer Network - Ultimate MotorCycling | News and Reviews
 Ultimate MotorCycling | News and Reviews | Motus Expands Dealer Network Ultimate MotorCycling | News and Reviews The new additions to the Motus dealer network are located the East Bay area of Northern California (California Speed-Sports), the Seattle area (Hinshaw's Motorcycle Store) and Nevada (Freedom Cycle Reno, Freedom Cycle Vegas). Motus Reveals New West Coast Dealers |
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Lauds States with Decreased Motorcycle-Related ... - Motor Sports Newswire (press release)
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Lauds States with Decreased Motorcycle-Related ... Motor Sports Newswire (press release) IRVINE, CA – May 25, 2012 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The Motorcycle Safety Foundation commends the 23 states that experienced a decrease in motorcyclist fatalities during the first nine months of 2011, as compared to the first nine months of 2010, ... |
Cycle Gear Opens 96th Retail Store in Laurel, Maryland - Sport Rider Magazine
Cycle Gear Opens 96th Retail Store in Laurel, Maryland Sport Rider Magazine BENICIA, CA — May 23, 2012 — Cycle Gear Inc., the nation's largest retailer of motorcycle apparel and accessories, is pleased to announce the opening of its 96th retail store in Laurel, Maryland. Just a short drive from the heart of Washington DC, ... |
Rolling Thunder chapter rolls into California - Agoura Hills Acorn
Rolling Thunder chapter rolls into California Agoura Hills Acorn Because the organization was formed by a group of motorcycle enthusiasts, the name Rolling Thunder fit. “Every year on Memorial Day the group does a freedom run in Washington, DC, called The Freedom Ride,” Galante said of the thunderously loud event. |
Soni beats Hardy in Olympic tune-up swim meet - KLAS-TV
Soni beats Hardy in Olympic tune-up swim meet KLAS-TV LAS VEGAS - Metro Police are investigating an accident in which a truck struck a motorcycle police officer. Police say the officer was off his bike near Flamingo Road and Mountain Vista Street. He wasMore>> Metro Police are investigating an accident in ... |