New to forum - a couple of questions.

[teesrider]

Hello everyone. After fifteen years of use and abuse( with ,it has to be said, relatively little maintenance) my 850 gave way on me big style during an end of summer duel with another bike on the northern dales of England. The damage to the motor was extensive and I am in the process of trying to breathe some life back into it.
My questions are : I have a friend who can get a hole about 20 mm in dia in the crankcases welded - do the cases need to scrupiously clean before welding and if so what is a good way to achieve this.
Also I have had my frame blasted and is now a dull grey with a slightly rough finish. I am not trying to rebuild to a concourse finish but hoping to have a smart useable bike. Money is an issue and I am wondering whether a good finish could be got through the use of smoothrite paint- applied through brush or spray. Thanks in anticipation - Teesrider.

 

[Rich_j]

I would put them in a dishwasher for a couple of cycles to get any oil out of the pores.
Nothing else needed.

 

[Flo]

That aerosol smoothrite will give a good finish, might be worth giving a quick spray of zinc undercoat first.
Bead blasting the crankcase would be best, but failing that, a good scrub with a toothbrush & a cream cleanser in the sink.
Finish off with fairy liquid.

 

[79x100]

The key to a decent paint finish is flatting and you can do that with brush paints just as well. I don't think that the blasted finish will prevent you achieving smoothness.

I'd stear clear of 'Smoothrite' which has the same handling difficulties as Hammerite. You can't recoat within a long period so it has to be done in one go which precludes multiple coats and flatting and in my experience it is difficult not to drag brush marks on it.

The last time I used it was for tarting up some watering cans and it hasn't stood up all that well. It really needs an annual recoat which is not a problem on wrought iron gates but not ideal on a motorcycle.

If your friend is good enough to be let loose on your cases then he should be aware of the cleaning procedures. Make sure that both halves are evenly bolted together and that they are pre-warmed to minimise distortion. Check main bearing and cam bush alignment carefully afterwards.

 

[swooshdave]

Hello everyone. After fifteen years of use and abuse( with ,it has to be said, relatively little maintenance) my 850 gave way on me big style during an end of summer duel with another bike on the northern dales of England.

Money is an issue and I am wondering whether a good finish could be got through the use of smoothrite paint- applied through brush or spray. Thanks in anticipation - Teesrider.

My rule of thumb is to only go as fast as you can afford. :mrgreen:

 

[teesrider]

Thanks for your comments