More Completion Pictures

Bike Completion For Now

I have been remiss in posting project updates recently. However, here are some pictures of the completed bike so far.

I will ride it this summer then strip the frame down next winter for powder coating and engine detailing. Additionally, I still need to take the wheels apart to clean and paint the hubs and replace the spokes with stainless steel before relacing.

At some point in the future I will also be addressing some of the minor chrome issues on the fenders, handlebar and other misc. pieces.

Finished Sprocket cover

The finished sprocket cover ready to go back on . Before that though, I've got to clean up the frame in that area as well as the sprocket and surrounding area itself.

Sprocket/Clutch Actuator Cover

I started tonight off by finishing up a small portable bench with a drawer. It will be easy to roll around a store stuff on while I'm working.








I pulled the sprocket cover to start the process of cleaning buffing it and this is what I found. Actually, based on some pretty grungy stuff I've seen before this one wasn't too bad. Maybe about right for a 4400 mile motorcycle with a worn out chain. They probably didn't lube it much.




After about 10 minutes in the solvent tank it cleaned up pretty well. I all I had was a solvent brush and a green Scotchbrite pad. I'm going to let the cover soak in the solvent overnight and maybe it'll loosen up some of the remaining crud.



This is the outside of the cover after cleaning in the solvent. I forgot to take a 'before' picture but it ws pretty yellow grundgy. With the scotchbrite pad and solvent I was able to get most of the yellow out and it cleaned pretty well. I ran out of stripper today but tomorrow I'll strip the clear coat off the outside and start the wet sanding a polishing phase.



While I was at it I pulled off a couple more pieces that need to get powdercoated. The foot peg bracket in this picture was stripped, primered and painted a while back but it's already chipping just from installing the bolts so. I had the other side powdercoated and it looks great. The tail light bracket is a spare that I had so that will be a straight swap out. The bar that holds the foot peg hangs down below everything and is probably the dirtiest part on the bike. I still have to remove the center stand and that will be it for a while. The only think left to powdercoat will be the wheel hubs but that's still a while off.




Here are the powder coated parts all ready for installation.

Making a oil filter cover gasket

I decided to clean the oil filter which is an interesting piece. There is no "oil filter" in the contempory sense. Instead, it's just an aluminum wheel that spins the oil as the oil passes through. The centrifugal force throws the heavier contaminants out from the oil and they collect in the chamber. Interesting, but not as efficient as a paper filter.

In the process of removing the cover that probably hadn't been taken off since 1982 I tore the gasket. This item is not manufactured by Honda anymore so I had to make my own. I found some gasket material at the local auto parts store for a few dollars.








First I had cut a piece the approximate size.






Next I cut little pie shapes so I could easily cut the inner circle.






I then mounted the gasket on the cover and drilled the mounting holes.




I then cute the outside diameter and mounted the cover.

Hopefully, I won't have to make this again.

More stuff to be powder coated

This is the 'before picture of the foot rest bracket and the tail light bracket. The chrome clean up very nicely on the tail light mounting bracket. I needed to be particularly careful cleaning around the wires since the ground wire looks to be fragile and it's riveted to the bracket.

I will be taking the foot rest bracket and the tail light bracket in for powder coating. Before that though, I need to figure out how to remove the rubber grommets in the tail light bracket. The years have hardened the rubber to the point where I can not squeeze it together without cracking and ruining the rubber grommet. These are no longer available so I need to figure out a way to save them.

Starting the engine detailing

Here are some before and after shots of the alternator cover. My sequence for cleaning this part (and parts to come) is to;

1. Use a spray on aircraft paint stripper and rinse
2. Use 220 grit wet/dry sand paper to clean off the corrosion
3. use 600 grit wet/dry paper to smooth it out
4. Take it to the buffing wheel
5. Clean it up with polishing compound and a cloth

After polishing, I used a high temperature spray paint to fill in the lettering then used paint thinner to clean up the edges of the letters.

It turned out pretty nice. It is not so polished that it looks like chrome but just enough to make it shine nicely.