• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

how to clean the metal?

  • Thread starter Thread starter boathead
  • Start date Start date
B

boathead

Guest
just picked up a 1982 gs 650. the bike is in ok shape, with what appears to be all original parts. but there is a decided lack of luster on the metal parts, ie. engine parts. some sort of baked on film. not talking about the chrome.

any cleaning tips? products i can get? i briefly tried the aluminum foil on the chrome trick, and it seemed to work beautifully.

also, the bike needs new grips. are they easy to install? i have few skills. lol.
 
What is the aluminum foil on chrome trick?

The engine covers are coated with clear coat or veneer or something that you have to strip or sand off and then you can polish the covers.

I just put new grips on mine. The previous owner had Grab-On grips that were falling apart and i just tore/pulled them off, wet the new ones on the inside with soapy (dish detergent) water and slid them on while turning and wriggling them. Simple and they have stayed on tight for the few weeks I've had them so far without any sort of glue.
 
I use weather strip adhesive on my grips to hold them in place.
 
boathead said:
just picked up a 1982 gs 650. the bike is in ok shape, with what appears to be all original parts. but there is a decided lack of luster on the metal parts, ie. engine parts. some sort of baked on film. not talking about the chrome.

any cleaning tips? products i can get? i briefly tried the aluminum foil on the chrome trick, and it seemed to work beautifully.

also, the bike needs new grips. are they easy to install? i have few skills. lol.
Click to expand...
Concentrated simple green works wonders. That "Baked on film" may be yellowed clear coat. The lower end on mine had it bad. The only solution I know for that is steel wool/sand paper, metal polish, and a lot of time.
 
thanks for the replies, folks.

the aluminum foil trick is simply to crumple up some aluminum foil, shiny side out, and rub the chrome. use a little water, and it will take out any rust. i read that some recommend using some coca cola with it.
 
I just tried the aluminum foil trick on some really rusty shocks, it made them look brand new!!
Thanks for the tip.
 
Boat, the baked on film is likely the factory clear coat. To get them shined up yu'll need to remove that paint using steel wool or aircraft stripper (love this stuff, but do it with the engine covers removed from the bike!). Then polish. Do a search on these forums for more on how to polish aluminum. Good luck!
 
Remove that stuff with spray gasket remover, you'd be surprized
 
Use paint stripper, found in auto parts store in a spray can, takes the clear off in seconds. I also have a glass blasting cabinet, makes rusty parts look new in about 30 seconds.
 
Replace grips by wetting inside with sudsy dish detergent/water.
They will slide right on and stay put without adhesive.
 
For grips, the pros use a very high tech product- hair spray. To get grips off, pry a screwdriver under the grip in one spot and shoot some hair spary in there. It will disolve any glue that was in there before and lubricate the grip to slide right off. To put grips on, again use hair spray. Lubricates very well when wet and sticks like glue when it dries (becasue it is glue).
 
Jethro said:
For grips, the pros use a very high tech product- hair spray. To get grips off, pry a screwdriver under the grip in one spot and shoot some hair spary in there. It will disolve any glue that was in there before and lubricate the grip to slide right off. To put grips on, again use hair spray. Lubricates very well when wet and sticks like glue when it dries (becasue it is glue).
Click to expand...

Man... I gotta bookmark that tip somehow. :-k :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
Thinking about a GS750 project
Replies
12
Views
299
Guest
G
G
79 or 82?
Replies
6
Views
180
Nessism
Nessism
G
New Member with a chopped-up GS850GL cafe racer
Replies
5
Views
503
Guest
G
G
1983 GS850G Race Red & Wimbledon White, first attempt at 2-Stage paint job
Replies
4
Views
896
Redman
Redman
W
POR-15 Fuel Tank Repair Kit - Lessons Learned and Proper Application
2
Replies
23
Views
10K
oldGSfan
oldGSfan
Back
Top