Resto' tip...#1

[Tiger]

 :) During the rip down/rebuild process of my Vision's over the years, I believe that each one is better than the last one...as I 'learn by my mistakes' as it were!!

So I thought that I might occasionally pass on tips that may be of interest to you, (in no specific order), that you can peruse and maybe use on your Vision(s)... ;)

The two large aluminum plates that the exhaust, footrests, etc bolt on to...over time, like most things, they become 'ratty' looking...but can be made to look good without to much effort :o

Once removed from the 'V', I send them out for bead blasting. This process rids them of the oem clear coat and any oxidisation that they may have.

When they come back, they are in a condition that allows you to do several things with them... ???

1 x With the aid of some buffs and compound you can polish them to a mirror finish, if that's your thing... :-\

2 x Take them and have them anodised to your Visions colour scheme. Be aware, this process will show up ANY imperfections, scratches, scrapes, etc!!! so further work may be required before hand :-\

3 x Just paint them to match/compliment your Visions colour scheme...something that I have done in the past... 8)

...or do what I do of late!!!

There are three 'grooves' in each plate. I take pin stripe tape that matches/compliments the 'V' and lay the tape in each groove. Peel, stick, trim off...simple!!
I then spray on a thin cover of Satin finish clear coat. Over the next few hours, I will lay on three/four coats, allowing each coat to dry before the next. I leave them over night, before reinstalling them with new flange bolts....VOILA!!!  They now look brand new... 8)

The oem bolts can be cleaned and painted, should you want to... :-\


8) ....... TIGER ....... 8)

[Re-Vision]

Thanks.      BDC

[Rikugun]

Nice tip, thanks Tiger  :) The complimentary pin striping is a nice touch.

[supervision]

   When I was young, I worked for free, in shop that worked on car restoration.  He kind of sold us on the idea, that if we needed any thing later down the road, he do it, free.   I wet sanded, mainly as my job, not the outer body panels, but hour of frames and under body stuff.   Greg liked to work nights, painting, the next morning I could wet sand his coats, as it headed to perfection.  The amount of tips I learned in that place, have given me the ability to do lots of the things on my motorcycles.  The biggest thing I picked up is how handy a large buffing whell is.  You have to have a big enough motor, to spin it, and the size if the wheel needs to be about 10" or as big as you can get. The one that they had was super big, and eventhe motor, was a slow speed to make the outside of the  16" whell go slow enough. Buffing with a compound and wheel make alumuin, pretty.

[artbone]

I've got several bikes that require Simichrome as part of their equipment and one of the things I like about my Visions is not so much polishing. When I bring the 82 down here for it's cosmetic touchup, one of the things I'm going to do is paint the engine and all sidecovers etc silver. I like the idea of painting the footpeg hangers also. I think some red reflective tape would look good in the stripes and would provide a little "conspicuity" as well. Just the other day I saw some reflective tape for wheels that I think would look good but now I can't remember where I saw it.

[Tiger]

I also apply the same process to the top triple tree and handlebar risers, as they are aluminum to.

Once clear coated and reinstalled, it is easier to touch up the clear coat, as opposed to the black paint, from the key ring fob/keys that eventually scratch the ignition area of the top triple tree.

Once the clear coat is fully cured, a wee piece of clear tape around the ignition switch will act as an anti-scratch barrier. Also, a wee piece of black (or colour of your choice) electrical tape will do the same for for newly painted triple tree tops... ;)

                       8) ....... TIGER ....... 8)