Getting past the nitty gritty!

My bike is finally getting the care she deserves. It has been in the family for 26 years and has never been neglected, but hasn't always had the best of care.

I ride with my super dark face shield because I've been a bit embarrassed about the condition of the bike. The dull and yellow aluminum with its blotchy grey gunk. The scratched and dinged gas tank. Rusted engine guards and pipes. Chipped and rusted frame.....

So I started taking stuff off. With a wife and 2 kids my "shop time" isn't as often as I would like, but I have managed to complete a few things.

Handle bars cleaned up.


Seat rails spit shined.


Side plates cleaned.


I have one engine side piece done too, but no picture for some reason.... I imagine I'll need new gaskets when I take off the side covers holding in oil.

I plan on a attending the Church Of Clean, and since Dad couldn't tell me if the valves had ever been adjusted they will get reworked. My calipers leak, so they will get a refresh. The rest is just more elbow grease to remove the gunk.

 

Yeah, that's one of the main things I want to do to mine. I have the same bike. My side covers are polished, but only because the guy who painted them did that I hadn't really considered doing the handle bars, but I might, looking at yours. But the engine and forks I really need to do.

What did you use? Drill or Dremel or something else? What attachments on whatever tool? Any polishing creams? Did you strip the clear coat first? I put a buffing wheel on my cordless dremel and ran it around the wheels one day, that did nothing.

Looks good.

 

Couldn't view your pics for some reason...
I have the same questions Max has as I am trying to clean up my previously neglecte XJ700. Runs great, but looks rough and I don't what products to use on what material.

 

Heres an easy way to Paint Badges and Covers with Raised letters.

Put on a tight fitting Vinyl Examination Glove.
(Snag a few nest time you see the Doctor)

Put the Glove on tight.
Place two drops of Paint on a 3X5 Card.
Smear the Paint level with a Razor Blade.
Roll you Index Finger in the Paint like you are getting fingerprinted.
Transfer the Color to the Raised Letter in a light-touching rolling maneuver.

Tiny Letters: Raised letters under Indicator Lights TURN, BRAKE, NEUTRAL.

Use a New #2 Pencil
Rub the eraser down to a smooth "Half-dome" by shaping it on 800 Finishing Paper.
Then, Prep the Dome with 1200.

Same 3X5 Card trick.
One drop.
Smooth flat with Razor Blade.
So flat the Eraser will only pick up Color on the Dome.
Touch the Colored Eraser to the Indicator Raises Letters.
Transfer the Color to the top ridge of the raised letter.

Indented and engraved letters: (Master cyl)
Paint over the letters.
Fill the indentations.
Let Paint get "Tacky"

Vinyl Glove
Cotton T-shirt
Paint Thinner
Put the Glove on tight.
Wrap a layer of T-shirt on your Index Finger
Put some Thinner on a small piece of sponge.

Moisten the T-shirt with Thinner
Moist --> NOT Wet
Wipe across the indented letters.
One pass.
Change T-shirt material
Moisten.
Do another pass.
Continue until all the paint is removed except what remains in the lettering.

 

The side rails were the first thing I did. Put on some music in the garage, got a comfy chair, and started with 400 grit wet/dry, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, then Mother's Aluminum Polish.

Did the same with the side panels and handle bars, but I also hit them with a cheap grinder with buffing wheels on it. Black, brown, and white compounds, then a bit of Mother's. I found out the hard way using microfiber towels on polished aluminum is a no-no. It scratched it up and I had to hit it with the brown and white compound again.

The original coating on them was the hardest part about getting started. It wasn't as hard as I expected, but it did take a good amount of time to get off. I there are easier ways (aircraft stripper for instance) but this was easy enough.

Things are pretty bright with just the sanding and no polishing wheels. If you don't have a polishing wheel moving up into higher grade sanding tools would make the results better and better. Hit it with a good polish for protection and that final bling.

Rick that sounds easy enough. I'll have to give those tricks a go later.