Someone stop me!!

[gerrymoore]

I'm considering buying a 50 year old Honda motorbike with the aim of restoring it....used to have the same model when I was 16)

I'm OK with the mechanical bits (as long as I can get the parts) and even the rust removal and paint but not sure best way to clean up old tarnished alloy bits (crankcase etc) and how much re-chroming costs? Also getting wheels rebuilt with new (stainless?) spokes...how expensive??

Anyone with any experience of doing this type of resto give me a thumbs up or not!! I'm semi retired so time isn't the problem.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Ah, second childhood syndrome - carry on because [as the Borg say] "resistance is futile".......

 

[Gwil]

Ah, second childhood syndrome - carry on because [as the Borg say] "resistance is futile".......

+1 to that. Building wheels yourself, if you have time/patience, is just, well, one thing after another! And dead satisfying. The alloy isn't like old Brit alloy- it needs lacquer/paint removal (chemical), polishing, then a finish reapplied. Just time again really.

Depends on the model as far as parts are concerned, but lots are being remade by clubs and small companies.

Go on, you know you want to....

 

[mart]

Is the bike a CD175 by any chance?

 

[MCKDAVID]

go for it, these bikes are now going for silly money, so I doubt you'll lose out..

 

[norlander]

Go for it and try Frosts http://www.frost.co.uk/ over here we have Restom products, for taking laquer off ali and laquer to go back on.
When you go to those sites like Frosts, you can get carried away as they sell soda blasting kit and all sorts of tempting toys.
Soda/bead blasting IMHO is best done by a pro shop, as is powdercoating, painting and wheel building.
Wheel build price depends what options, you can have original style, there are now special spokes etc to enable spoked wheels to take tubless tyres for example.

http://www.central-wheel.co.uk/
https://www.hagon-shocks.co.uk/common/pdf/wheels2011.pdf
http://www.triple-s.co.uk/prices.htm

 

[Dee J]

I take it you've heard of http://www.vjmc.com/
At least you won't be alone in your suffering.

 

[Robotstar5]

David Silver are good for Honda spares.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Ah, second childhood syndrome - carry on because [as the Borg say] "resistance is futile".......

The Daleks said it first!

 

[gerrymoore]

Hi guys..sorry to be late in replying..my PC decided all on it's own to upgrade me to Windows 10..then I couldn't log on to the forum!!

So..no one has tried to stop me...don't know whether that's good or bad??

No..it's not a CD175..think they were quite 'late' not coming out until 1968........God how old am I...

All sounds pretty positive though...and I don't think I could lose too much...certainly not much more hair anyway!

Anyone know if the likes of Honda 'square' rear shocks can be stripped and reconditioned or were they factory throwaways??

I have quite a large compressor...would it be feasible to use some sort of hand held sandblaster unit with it??

I'll check out the supplied links..thanks again all...watch this space...it may be filled with some very old Japanese metal

 

[norlander]

Hagon can usually supply similar style shocks for earlier bikes-fork springs also. Sand/soda blasting makes hell of a mess unless you are using a cabinet for smaller pieces. I'd stick to getting it done by someone with the proper kit.
Get some JIS Japanese Industry Screwdrivers, the crosshead screws are JIS-not philips or pozidrive.
Also, decision is-restore to original in as new or concours condition, or refurb and get it running bearing the patina of the passage of time.

 

[wookie]

I'm considering buying a 50 year old Honda motorbike with the aim of restoring it

Go on just do it.... Go on just do it.... Go on just do it! Sorry but I just think it's a good idea

Also getting wheels rebuilt with new (stainless?) spokes...how expensive??

Did you never true your bike wheels up as a kid ? It's just the same building up a set of wheels, take a few good pictures of how they are laced up for reference when rebuilding, and take your time, it's weird but I kind of get into a zen like relaxed state when doing stuff like that, completely lost in what I'm doing oblivious to time passing.

The satisfaction you get when they are finished is great. I always recheck trueness after a quick shakedown ride and also check all the spokes have similar tension by listening to the sound they make when you tap them, never had a wheel fail on me or even go out of true and believe me I've given them some serious stick.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Just Do It.

 

[gerrymoore]

I missed out by £20 boo hoo...back to the search..made my mind up now!!

 

[addjunkie]

Your hooked now, hope you have deep pockets.

Good luck with the search......i did a kawasaki triple.....an expensive buisness?

 

[Robotstar5]

Your hooked now, hope you have deep pockets.

Good luck with the search......i did a kawasaki triple.....an expensive buisness?

I'm looking at Suzuki triples at the moment, GT380 or GT550, the GT750 "kettles" are out of my price range

 

[julianthegypsy]

The Daleks said it first!

Actually, it was the Vogons!

 

[Robotstar5]

Actually, it was the Vogons!

Was that just before they demolished the Earth to make way for an intergalactic highway?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I've got a 1959 Honda (CB92 Benly Super Sport). Original condition and unrestored

 

[julianthegypsy]

Was that just before they demolished the Earth to make way for an intergalactic highway?

"If you can't be bothered to take an interest in local politics"