Corroded frame, maybe old subject, couldn't find

[maciekmz250]

Hi,I'm newbie here - UK based XZ 550 restoration enthusiast.
My bike is 1982, bought 99% of stock ( rad grille missing only),BUT...yeah - after stripping to bits and sand blasting a frame, some nasty things showed up. Frame centre crossmember is eaten up by rust. Bike spent some time in a garden on a side stand, next to English Channel collecting all fresh sea breeze :-\ so the results are obivious. Due to existing holes in that box bottom left part is gone, so the inner section of main tube, and of course ribs inside that box section.
My question is - did any one of you deal with such disaster? I thought it over and over and my solution is - cut away everything rotten, open a top of the box to get rotten ribs away than replace them with some made up ribs and then weld it back  together. All factory openings in box will be sealed, box filled with something inert or corrosion inhibitor of some kind.
What are you about?

[Cdnlouie]

Welcome to the North American site for Vision enthusiasts! I feel your pain  :'(.  The reason there is no article here is because it has not been a problem...ever.  Unfortunately, bikes in the UK have suffered the effects of salt air and excessive moisture resulting in very few making it to the 30 year mark.  Quoted in Classic Mechanics (UK) said in 2008 "Rusting steel and fur riddled alloy were very much the order of the day."  They could not find one Vision on the 'Isles' back then so you are fortunate to have one.

Fortunately, North American bikes experienced a much more favorable existence and we regularly toss away almost new condition frames. It is too bad you are not a wee bit closer.  The box section is no doubt the thinnest item on the Vision frame so a good welder can weld in some good quality plate steel and you should have a good frame aftewards.  Just make sure the rest of the frame is good or it would certainly be preferable to find a better one.  Try to locate one that someone has stashed in a barn, or even in Europe if you can find a decent shipping price.  I would imagine shipping from North America would be not too pretty.

[maciekmz250]

Thanks for a reply :D. Fortunately I'm working in decent garage and I've master welder in my work place, so welding won't be a problem. Thanks again for advices.
I'm glad I found this forum - I'll be asking if any trouble :D, and try to help if you have any.
Regards,Matt

[Rikugun]

Welcome to the site and sorry to hear about the corrosion.

This was posted on another forum from a member in the UK. Check out the 3 pics of this 750 Kawasaki frame...
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/vintage-motorcyle-info/143145-1986-kawasaki-gt750.html

Several members from the UK have commented about rusty frames and swingarms on older and not so older bikes. :(

[lexx790]

Welcome Matt, nice to see a fellow UK Vision owner, we're a bit of a rare breed.
What part of UK are you in ?
Regards
Simon

[Rick G]

Matt the only place this type of damage might occur is on the north Pacific coast ( OR. WA. or BC.  . I bent one frame , due to a crash  , but rust has never been in evidence. I lived in OR. for 3 years   (think England with mountains!) But the bike was always parked under shelter. Here in AZ. sunlight is the enemy . It destroys plastic and paint But leaves metal alone.
Too bad that the world is so big , I have  a frame you could use. but shipping would be out of this world,

[maciekmz250]

Hi Simon
I'm from Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire
Never expected to meet you here ;D. Seen your blog for many times, very good source of knowledge.
Anyway, I'll fix some pictures of my rust bucket to show what disaster I have.

[Rikugun]

Yikes! That is fantastic.  :(  It looks like you've begun cutting out bad material in prep for fitting new? I must say that looks like quite the chore. Good luck with the repair and thanks for posting pics - keep them coming!  :)

[pinholenz]

Welcome to the forum. - Home away from Home.
When I lived in the UK, it was more the obsessive use of salt grit on the roads in winter that rotted car and bike frames. Never seen anything quite like it. Good luck with the restoration.

[Rick G]

We had a lot of salt in MN. but no one rode until after the first really good rain , to wash the stuff off the road . It was mixed with sand too , which made the corners exciting .

[maciekmz250]

 ;D reading posts about salt and grit on the roads makes me feel younger  ;D. I originally come from Poland where motorcycling is naturally interrupted for several months due to severe winter, where no man with sound mental health won't risk his bike and kidneys. There were always millions of tons of salt + grit in size of golf ball >:( and still ice and layers of compacted snow...and in late march/early aprill we hit back on roads for those exciting corners filed with grit above kerbs ;D( yeah, good old days), or waited for first serious rain ( you could never trust road maintenance - grit was just part of the road for months ;D). But to be honest, I've never seen any bike corroded there - even my mate's MZ rode 365/7/24, so exposed to all elements. But since ca 2005 when started my adventure with Ireland and UK - this is the most common problem to bikes there - climate! Good we have bones made of bones  ;D not metal.

[maciekmz250]

First rib replaced - took about 2 hrs to do, but it's in place, and gives nice solid sound when tapped with my inspection hammer ( before it was like tapping a piece of rotten wood). I've also cut open middle section from top to get 2 other ribs.

[Rikugun]

Thats some good work! Thanks for the updates. That second pic where you've exposed the other ribs really shows how ugly the rusted bits are in there.  :(

[maciekmz250]

Hi!
New ribs and pipe section in place, and waiting for welding. I'll do it today.
Happy Easter Everyone  :D

[maciekmz250]

Job done  ;D, Duncan is an Artist !!!
See pictures!

[maciekmz250]

Pictures