If you would like to read the article then click here or the link provided on the links page, you will then be able to view hi res scans through the flickr website.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Magazine Article: Mechanics, September 1982
Another Magazine arrived yesterday published the same time as the previous one. Anyway I have scanned it, posted it on flickr and provided a link. I love finding these items really conveys a sense of anticipation about the VT250F before it was available for purchase
If you would like to read the article then click here or the link provided on the links page, you will then be able to view hi res scans through the flickr website.
If you would like to read the article then click here or the link provided on the links page, you will then be able to view hi res scans through the flickr website.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
VT250F project: episode 04
Ok so here it is, episode 4. In this episode I show you how the frame was prepped and eventually repainted. As an added bonus you also get to hear my voice with possibly the most awkward voice over ever recorded.
Monday, December 20, 2010
VT250F "Silver" part 08: Spraying the frame
Bare with me guys this one has a few pictures.
"choose your weapons"
With the motorcycle now completely disassembled its was time to begin the long process of painting everything and making it look presentable, so first up the frame. Originally I was going to have the frame powder coated but my finances are a bit tight at the moment, so that idea was scrapped in favour of re painting the frame using cans found and any hardware store.
First port of call was to get as much crap off the frame as possible. I used degreaser mostly then hosed it down once I was finished. I did this three or four times and occasionally used a brush to work the degreaser into areas where the dirt was really stubborn.
"after loosening the dirt a bit before hose down"
"as clean as its gonna get"
Cleaning the frame revealed a few areas where rust was starting to bubble up under the paint. So using the wire brush attachment on an angle grinder, these areas where taken care of. Dad was kind enough to do the grinding for me since I have little experience and would like to remain uninjured, at least until after christmas. As a warning when the wire brush is spinning little barbs can fling out and hit you... I was pulling a few out of my clothes long after we had finished.
The frame is now clean and the rust spots ground down, so it was hung from the ceiling, given a wipe down with paint thinners to remove any left over dirt and dust. Then it was primed for paint. I used an etch primer so it would bite into the metal and give the paint a really good chance at sticking. The only advice I can give on priming anything is do a light coat first, then go ever it again a couple of times making sure to look at it from different angles so you don't miss any spots.
With the frame primed It was left to sit for an hour before the actual paint was applied. Originally I was going to paint the frame red as it would have come out of the factory. but since i'm painting everything else black anyway it would have looked odd so a gloss black frame it is. Like the primer apply a light coat first and then using long slow sprays go over the entire frame. Going a little slower helps the gloss paint actually be glossy, with a matte paint it shouldn't make to much of a difference.
"not to bad... not great but not bad"
And thats pretty much it, I'm not making a show bike so I'm really pleased with how it turned out, though it does need a couple of touch ups it still looks halfway decent. Anyway now that the frame has now been re painted and I can move onto the next step. Which will either be re painting the engine or sorting out the pitting in the front forks. WHO KNOWS! lets find out together next time shall we.
Before you ask, yes their is a video and yes it will be up soon... its just taking longer then I thought it would.
"choose your weapons"
With the motorcycle now completely disassembled its was time to begin the long process of painting everything and making it look presentable, so first up the frame. Originally I was going to have the frame powder coated but my finances are a bit tight at the moment, so that idea was scrapped in favour of re painting the frame using cans found and any hardware store.
First port of call was to get as much crap off the frame as possible. I used degreaser mostly then hosed it down once I was finished. I did this three or four times and occasionally used a brush to work the degreaser into areas where the dirt was really stubborn.
"after loosening the dirt a bit before hose down"
"as clean as its gonna get"
Cleaning the frame revealed a few areas where rust was starting to bubble up under the paint. So using the wire brush attachment on an angle grinder, these areas where taken care of. Dad was kind enough to do the grinding for me since I have little experience and would like to remain uninjured, at least until after christmas. As a warning when the wire brush is spinning little barbs can fling out and hit you... I was pulling a few out of my clothes long after we had finished.
The frame is now clean and the rust spots ground down, so it was hung from the ceiling, given a wipe down with paint thinners to remove any left over dirt and dust. Then it was primed for paint. I used an etch primer so it would bite into the metal and give the paint a really good chance at sticking. The only advice I can give on priming anything is do a light coat first, then go ever it again a couple of times making sure to look at it from different angles so you don't miss any spots.
With the frame primed It was left to sit for an hour before the actual paint was applied. Originally I was going to paint the frame red as it would have come out of the factory. but since i'm painting everything else black anyway it would have looked odd so a gloss black frame it is. Like the primer apply a light coat first and then using long slow sprays go over the entire frame. Going a little slower helps the gloss paint actually be glossy, with a matte paint it shouldn't make to much of a difference.
"not to bad... not great but not bad"
And thats pretty much it, I'm not making a show bike so I'm really pleased with how it turned out, though it does need a couple of touch ups it still looks halfway decent. Anyway now that the frame has now been re painted and I can move onto the next step. Which will either be re painting the engine or sorting out the pitting in the front forks. WHO KNOWS! lets find out together next time shall we.
Before you ask, yes their is a video and yes it will be up soon... its just taking longer then I thought it would.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Magazine Article: Motorcycle Sport, September 1982
Thought this might interest some you. It's an article published in Motorcycle Sport from the 1982 September edition. You can see below it made the cover, but inside it got 5 pages dedicated to the bike. It arrived from eBay earlier today and has proved to be a very interesting read, since it was written before the bike was available in the UK.
If you would like to read the article then click here or the link provided on the links page, you will then be able to view hi res scans through the flickr website.
If you would like to read the article then click here or the link provided on the links page, you will then be able to view hi res scans through the flickr website.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
VT250F "Silver" part 07: the tear down
The time has come. With most of the bike looking the way I want its time to tear it down and start sanding, painting, cleaning and cleaning again all the pieces of the motorcycle.
The steps ahead are going to be the most time consuming on the project and I will be going into detail as I complete each of them. But the tear down was fairly straight forward, simply unscrew a bolt and remove the part. Putting it back together however is going to be a little bit more complicated. Anyway below are pictures of the bikes progression through today's tear down.
LET THE FUN BEGIN!
"next time I see the bike like this it will have a fresh coat of paint"
"halfway there and about 4 litres of Coke later"
"well this isn't road worthy at all"
"my motorcycle can now fit in a trolly... now thats compact"
The steps ahead are going to be the most time consuming on the project and I will be going into detail as I complete each of them. But the tear down was fairly straight forward, simply unscrew a bolt and remove the part. Putting it back together however is going to be a little bit more complicated. Anyway below are pictures of the bikes progression through today's tear down.
LET THE FUN BEGIN!
"next time I see the bike like this it will have a fresh coat of paint"
"halfway there and about 4 litres of Coke later"
"well this isn't road worthy at all"
"my motorcycle can now fit in a trolly... now thats compact"
VT250F project: episode 03
This is just a quick episode on how the motorcycle looks before the tear down. From this point on its going to be a lot of work making the motorcycle look nice and respectable.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Helmets are important... which is why I got one!
The project is now at that stage where I really need to consider protective gear. Some might argue getting my motorcycle license, but thats further down the track, not much further but further none the less.
Anyway protective gear. The first purchase I decided to make was a helmet. Now I have multiple piercings and am on the larger side so it was vital that I tried as many different helmets as possible to make sure what I ended up with something that was comfortable. Luckily you can try on helmets at any motorcycle dealership and I took advantage of that.
I tried on a number of brands and as much as I would love an Arai or Shoei helmet I just don't have the budget so I stuck too the more realistically priced helmets. After the multiple test fittings it became apparent that HJC helmets felt a lot more comfortable on my head. Other brands are just as good but since this will be on my head a lot, something that didn't rip my ear piercings out was kind of important.
So HJC was the brand I went with and XL was the size I needed. Now I could have purchased the helmet in store but at $250 I didn't have the money immediately available so I left it knowing where it was. It was when I got home that I thought I'd do a bit of a price comparison on eBay. Now brand new the RRP for the helmet I wanted in the US is $89 and with the exchange rate currently as it is I just couldn't bring myself to pay over $150 more simply because I live in Australia.
That was when I found the helmet I wanted on eBay and purchased it (US RRP) from a company based in the states. Now before you start arguing that American standards are different to Australian safety standards. I know this. But I highly doubt HJC has a production line of helmets that are safe in one country and not in the other, they make these helmets to meet as many national safety standards as possible. Do I think I am getting an inferior product because I purchased it online and not in an Australian store? No, not really.
But that aside the helmet is now on its way and I cant wait to hold it in my hands and wear it on my head.
*If it interests you at all below are pictures and some information on the helmet I purchased taken directly from the HJC website. For obvious reasons I'm telling you now that I did not take the pictures and the information is what is on there website.
CS-R1 SAMURAI
Anyway protective gear. The first purchase I decided to make was a helmet. Now I have multiple piercings and am on the larger side so it was vital that I tried as many different helmets as possible to make sure what I ended up with something that was comfortable. Luckily you can try on helmets at any motorcycle dealership and I took advantage of that.
I tried on a number of brands and as much as I would love an Arai or Shoei helmet I just don't have the budget so I stuck too the more realistically priced helmets. After the multiple test fittings it became apparent that HJC helmets felt a lot more comfortable on my head. Other brands are just as good but since this will be on my head a lot, something that didn't rip my ear piercings out was kind of important.
So HJC was the brand I went with and XL was the size I needed. Now I could have purchased the helmet in store but at $250 I didn't have the money immediately available so I left it knowing where it was. It was when I got home that I thought I'd do a bit of a price comparison on eBay. Now brand new the RRP for the helmet I wanted in the US is $89 and with the exchange rate currently as it is I just couldn't bring myself to pay over $150 more simply because I live in Australia.
That was when I found the helmet I wanted on eBay and purchased it (US RRP) from a company based in the states. Now before you start arguing that American standards are different to Australian safety standards. I know this. But I highly doubt HJC has a production line of helmets that are safe in one country and not in the other, they make these helmets to meet as many national safety standards as possible. Do I think I am getting an inferior product because I purchased it online and not in an Australian store? No, not really.
But that aside the helmet is now on its way and I cant wait to hold it in my hands and wear it on my head.
*If it interests you at all below are pictures and some information on the helmet I purchased taken directly from the HJC website. For obvious reasons I'm telling you now that I did not take the pictures and the information is what is on there website.
CS-R1 SAMURAI
- Advanced Polycarbonate Composite Shell: Lightweight, superior fit and comfort using advanced CAD technology.
- RapidFire™ Shield Replacement System: Quick, secure, tool-less removal and installation.
- Optically Superior Faceshield: 95% UV protection.
- Advanced Ventilation System: Adjustable forehead and chin vents, and two rear exhaust vents.
- Plush, Nylex® Interior: Removable and washable cheek pads.
- SIZES: XS-XX
If you want to head over to the HJC website I have provided a link on the links page or you can simply click here.
VT250F "Silver" part 06: Front fairing mesh side covers
First off I just want to say I had every intention of making a video episode about this post and the LED indicators... but unfortunately I didn't. Next time I work on the motorcycle though promise!
Okay now thats out of the way we can begin. Ever since the front fairing was mounted a massive gap on the side is visible. I dont like it, its ugly and with some automotive mesh it can be fixed.
"this needs to be covered up"
A template was made out of a piece of paper. Quite simply I folded and re folded it until it fit in the gap and looked nice. All it took was time and patience. One thing I did do once the paper template was finished was try it on the other side to make sure it would work. Since it did I was ready to move onto the next step.
The paper pattern was then traced onto some automotive mesh that I picked up from Repco, Malz is another option if you live in Western Australia. When I purchased the mesh I made sure to get silver so that I could use a permanent marker on it and still see where I had drawn my lines. The permanent marker worked a treat but I recommend you tape the template to the mesh so it doesn't move as your tracing.
I then began cutting around the mesh with about a 1cm gap. This was so I could bend the excess down 90 degress and give the final piece some strength.
"the corners were snipped to make bending the edges down easier"
I used a vice and some pliers to get an even bend around the edges. The final result turned out really good so off I went and made the other side. The mesh will eventually be painted and given some moulding along the edges but that will be done when the rest of the motorcycle has been painted.
"really glad that it accidently turned out a bit like a coffin"
The finished pieces were then inserted into there new home. I'm still unsure at this stage how they will be fixed to the fairing, currently pot rivets are winning but a creative zip tie solution is also a possibility.
And thats it! This really was a simple process, but one of the most rewarding. I say rewarding because that was the last step needed before I can begin stripping the bike down and re painting it. Oh glorious days Silver is coming along so much quicker then I thought it would.
"the front fairings alien drone feel is now enhanced... sweetness"
Until next time!
Okay now thats out of the way we can begin. Ever since the front fairing was mounted a massive gap on the side is visible. I dont like it, its ugly and with some automotive mesh it can be fixed.
"this needs to be covered up"
A template was made out of a piece of paper. Quite simply I folded and re folded it until it fit in the gap and looked nice. All it took was time and patience. One thing I did do once the paper template was finished was try it on the other side to make sure it would work. Since it did I was ready to move onto the next step.
The paper pattern was then traced onto some automotive mesh that I picked up from Repco, Malz is another option if you live in Western Australia. When I purchased the mesh I made sure to get silver so that I could use a permanent marker on it and still see where I had drawn my lines. The permanent marker worked a treat but I recommend you tape the template to the mesh so it doesn't move as your tracing.
I then began cutting around the mesh with about a 1cm gap. This was so I could bend the excess down 90 degress and give the final piece some strength.
"the corners were snipped to make bending the edges down easier"
I used a vice and some pliers to get an even bend around the edges. The final result turned out really good so off I went and made the other side. The mesh will eventually be painted and given some moulding along the edges but that will be done when the rest of the motorcycle has been painted.
"really glad that it accidently turned out a bit like a coffin"
The finished pieces were then inserted into there new home. I'm still unsure at this stage how they will be fixed to the fairing, currently pot rivets are winning but a creative zip tie solution is also a possibility.
And thats it! This really was a simple process, but one of the most rewarding. I say rewarding because that was the last step needed before I can begin stripping the bike down and re painting it. Oh glorious days Silver is coming along so much quicker then I thought it would.
"the front fairings alien drone feel is now enhanced... sweetness"
Until next time!
VT250F "Silver" part 05: Installing the LED indicators
Alright parts have arrived and its time to mount these LED indicators.
First step was to remove the rear mudguard which was attached to the bracket that holds the orginal Indicators. The original Indicators unfortunantly were damaged in a fall at some pont and the rubber was so brittle it fell apart just from touching it.
"i removed a couple of bolts that i didn't need too but it all worked out int he end"
Not only were the indicators broken but one side of the bracket had snaped off, so before anything else that needed to be fixed. A suitable piece of scrap metal was scavanged from the shed and then held in place with a magnet ready for welding. As I can't weld Dad did it for me and it turned out brilliant.
"no short course this time, an expert was brought in... well someone who knows more then most"
"and its fixed, YAY"
The bracket was then quickly bent back into shape since it was askew. As I mentioned above I'm pretty sure this bike has been dropped at some point because a few things dont line up right, Mind you Red is in exactly the same condition. Anyway the bracket was bent into shape and the new LED indicators installed. I have not wired them up to the main wiring loom yet, that will happen once painting has been completed.
"perfect"
The bracket with the new LED indicators was then re attached to the frame. I decided not to reatach the rear mudguard purly for aesthetic reasons. I like how the rear just ends, I have kept it though in case, for whatever reason, if it needs to be re attached.
"once again probably not to everyones tastes but i'm slowly making this bike my own"
With the rear done it was time to focus on the front. A good hour or so was spent playing around with position of front indicators. Eventually a final spot was decided that suited the front fairing and would be reletivly easy to mount. To mount them I decied to use the plastic brackets that came with the froint fairing, they could be easily attached and simply drilling an extra hole is no issue. Plus if one of them breaks the other side can be used as a template to make them out of metal.
"much easier to simply modify then make from scratch -nods-"
The holes were drilled and then the LED indicators attached, it was then a matter of installing brackets. Like the rear LED indicators I am going to wait until the bike is painted before I wire them in. The new LED's have been tested though as well as the LED lights on the front fairing.
"the finished face"
Next step cover up the exposed front fairing sides!
First step was to remove the rear mudguard which was attached to the bracket that holds the orginal Indicators. The original Indicators unfortunantly were damaged in a fall at some pont and the rubber was so brittle it fell apart just from touching it.
"i removed a couple of bolts that i didn't need too but it all worked out int he end"
Not only were the indicators broken but one side of the bracket had snaped off, so before anything else that needed to be fixed. A suitable piece of scrap metal was scavanged from the shed and then held in place with a magnet ready for welding. As I can't weld Dad did it for me and it turned out brilliant.
"no short course this time, an expert was brought in... well someone who knows more then most"
"and its fixed, YAY"
The bracket was then quickly bent back into shape since it was askew. As I mentioned above I'm pretty sure this bike has been dropped at some point because a few things dont line up right, Mind you Red is in exactly the same condition. Anyway the bracket was bent into shape and the new LED indicators installed. I have not wired them up to the main wiring loom yet, that will happen once painting has been completed.
"perfect"
The bracket with the new LED indicators was then re attached to the frame. I decided not to reatach the rear mudguard purly for aesthetic reasons. I like how the rear just ends, I have kept it though in case, for whatever reason, if it needs to be re attached.
"once again probably not to everyones tastes but i'm slowly making this bike my own"
With the rear done it was time to focus on the front. A good hour or so was spent playing around with position of front indicators. Eventually a final spot was decided that suited the front fairing and would be reletivly easy to mount. To mount them I decied to use the plastic brackets that came with the froint fairing, they could be easily attached and simply drilling an extra hole is no issue. Plus if one of them breaks the other side can be used as a template to make them out of metal.
"much easier to simply modify then make from scratch -nods-"
The holes were drilled and then the LED indicators attached, it was then a matter of installing brackets. Like the rear LED indicators I am going to wait until the bike is painted before I wire them in. The new LED's have been tested though as well as the LED lights on the front fairing.
"the finished face"
Next step cover up the exposed front fairing sides!
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