New GS1100 G Restoration Project. Rebuilding my Dad's bike

[eil]

eil - I don't think so. I have another (insurance) set of carbs which I am going to experiment on. I will try a gasoline resistant laquer on one of the carbs to see how it looks but will strip it off again if it is too shiny.

What I am looking to do is to stop them going "off" again. I still haven't given up on the idea of some sort of anodizing or metal treatment.

But they do look good as they are. I have no experience to know how long they will stay looking like that.

I suspect that if you don't store the bike outside, they will probably be okay for years and years. Aluminum doesn't really corrode easily unless it's frequently exposed to water, salt, or acid rain. I.e., sitting outside for 30-some years like it's been up until recently.

I'd be more concerned about the steel bits. Like the gang rail and idle adjust knob. Definitely paint those. Did you vapor blast them as well?

The other option is to buy my own vapour blasting machine so I can redo them whenever I want. I am told that there is no loss of material by this method of cleaning. It seems hard to believe when you see the corroded state of my carbs previously that something has not been flushed away but that is what they say.

They must mean that that there is no loss of "good" material. Blasting removes the corroded metal, but leaves the stronger stuff intact. In theory. I'm sure that saying "no loss of material" is technically incorrect. It's just that their method of blasting removes substantially less material than other methods.

Anyway, superior results and I can't wait to see how the bike looks back together.

 

[Guest]

after over 5 years it still looks like it was done yesterday!

What parts are those Agemax? And how much did you have the bike on the road and/or wet?

I had my whole engine done and after a couple of years it got looking as if it's never been done and that's with only maybe 10k kms of (mostly) dry riding.
I feel quite :-& given what I paid for it...

 

[wedoo2]

My goodness, those carbs are so fine. I really admire the length you have gone to get them to this point. I imagine I would have looked for new ones long ago. That vapor blasting is the bomb.

 

[Agemax]

What parts are those Agemax? And how much did you have the bike on the road and/or wet?

I had my whole engine done and after a couple of years it got looking as if it's never been done and that's with only maybe 10k kms of (mostly) dry riding.
I feel quite :-& given what I paid for it...

i had the crankcases,block and head done. first 3 years was constant riding,mainly dry but it did get wet a few times. last 2 years not so much riding but still a few k's, again mostly dry. i find washing with hot soapy water actually helps keep them looking good. just warm the engine up after to dry them off

 

[allojohn]

first 3 years was constant riding,mainly dry but it did get wet a few times.

Mainly dry! How'd yer manage that in Plymouth!!

 

[londonboards]

allojohn - I'll tell you how he does that - he only drives it between the living room and the kitchen!

Evidence: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=59739885869&set=vb.656495869&type=3&theater

Click arrow in link to start movie.

Greetings

 

[Agemax]

allojohn - I'll tell you how he does that - he only drives it between the living room and the kitchen!

Evidence: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=59739885869&set=vb.656495869&type=3&theater

Click arrow in link to start movie.

Greetings

no, Richard, thats my wife, i wouldn't trust her to ride it that far......

 

[allojohn]

allojohn - I'll tell you how he does that - he only drives it between the living room and the kitchen!

Evidence: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=59739885869&set=vb.656495869&type=3&theater

Click arrow in link to start movie.

Greetings

Ha! ha! ha!, LOL X10 - brilliant! That one will stay with me for a while!

 

[londonboards]

Day 214 Front Fork Removal

Day 214 Front Fork Removal

Finally got around to removing front wheel, forks and fork stems.

(Yeah OK this is a little out of chronological order but I just realised that I had not posted my fork removal process)

See: My GS1100G Blog - Front Fork Removal

Propped the bike up with a gas canister:

Loosen the fork tops before you undo anything else:

Take off top T:

Remove retaining collars:

And slide the complete fork unit down and out:

Check bearings:

And my little Canada sticker - don't want to lose that!

Greetings

 

[Paul]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/gs-1100-1000-850-/121088614376?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item1c31719fe8


Cheap front end, not sure if these forks will really match, but the seller seems to think so

 

[londonboards]

Wow that does look like the business. It's the whole front end including the wheel.

I am watching this one!

Greetings

 

[londonboards]

I'd love to know what your eBay search criteria is. Whatever I search for it never brings those forks up in the results.

Greetings

 

[londonboards]

Day 232 Wheel and Tyre Strip

Day 232 Wheel and Tyre Strip

Getting a move on now. Got a mentor who decided I have spent enough time on the carbs and that I need to get moving otherwise my project is going to get bogged down.

Wanted to strip wheels and frame today to get them ready for Polishing and Powder Coating

First the wheels.

See My GS1100G Blog - Wheel and Tyre Strip

You should probably have loosed off the hex wheel spindle nut whilst it was still on the bike. I couldn't get the nut undone without some technical advice, a real workshop and a massive vice holding the spindle. The little hold in the other end will allow you to put in a small screwdriver but that doesn't give you enough leverage.

Flatten all the retaining washers holding the disk bolts. Not sure if we can use these again. Someone will tell me.

Don't take your disks off if you are taking the wheels to the shop to remove the tyres. They are used by the removal machine. Take them off after tyre removal.

Then the rear wheel spindle out after loosening the pinch bolt.

And these were my tyres (tyres spelt correctly BTW!)

I shall be upgrading to V rated tyres.

Greetings

 

[hampshirehog]

You can reuse those tabs on the disc bolts - yours are in remarkably good nick for a bike that has seen UK roads (as are the bolts).

Plenty of miles left in those tyres...........

 

[Charlie G]

Why did I feel so tyred whilst reading your last post?


I fully understand the bogged down concern.

cg

 

[londonboards]

charlie - thank you. I have a a fellow enthusiast calling me forward and showing me the ropes. It sure makes a heck of a difference.

Greetings

 

[londonboards]

hampshire - that's good to know. I will chuck them in the pot for plating.

The bike wasn't ridden more than a 1,000 miles in the UK and it was only over 2 summers perhaps. Although it has been rotting in the back garden, uncovered (oh the shame!) for the last 10 or 12 years at least. But I have been totally surprised by the condition it's in. Yes there has been lots of aluminium oxidation (wheels and carbs were the worst) it all seems to be coming back to life nicely. I was also relieved to turn the engine over easily (with a wrench) so hopefully it is not too bad inside either.

Greetings

 

[Paul]

I see you have Metzellers on at the moment, Any Idea which you will go for next?? Mine are also cracked and age unknown, I have Battle Axe's on at the moment...

 

[londonboards]

Day 232 Frame Preparation

Day 232 Frame Preparation

There is always more work to do on the frame before sending it off for powder coating. Lots of rubber bits to get off, strip down, stands and remove bearing shells.

See: My GS1100G Blog - Frame Preparation

First up is to take off all the nuts and bolts that got left behind and bag them up:

Then take off the side and main stands:

Then get all the rubber parts off:

Remove any stickers if you can:

Then with the help of one of these and a Guardian Angel:

Took the races out of the frame and the swing arm.

Greetings

 

[londonboards]

Paul - I don't have a clue about tyres at the moment. I keep seeing ones on bikes I like. For instance this guy Tom from Canada contacted me through my blog and he has the exact same bike as me (it was a Canadian variant I now think) except for the colour and I am going to find out what tyres he has. This is a great bike, totally original except for handlebar grips. Paint is original too:

Greetings