New To Me. Could Use An Education

Rohan said:
New chain and a lick of paint, and ride off into the sunset !?
It is going to take a lot of work to get it pristine though....


Try (gently) some steel wool on some of the less rusty chrome bits, sometimes its only a rust stain that will polish off.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

This is bad advice even if you use it gently :!:
Do NOT use steel wool on chrome plate :!:
Always use something SOFTER than chrome that will not scratch it, like a brass brush with plenty of WD40.

Strange that there is no carbon in the exhaust port :?:
 
I'm not a pristine resto guy so that wouldn't be the plan.
I can deal with ugly, as long as it works.
 
Bernhard said:
This is bad advice even if you use it gently :!:
Do NOT use steel wool on chrome plate :!:
Always use something SOFTER than chrome that will not scratch it, like a brass brush with plenty of WD40.
Click to expand...

You obviously haven't tried this.
I have 'restored' much of the chrome on a very rusty looking Commando by this method,
proper chrome should be tougher than (well worn) steel wool.
(Modern chrome may not be so good however.)

And if it is quite rusty, you don't have anything to lose trying this.
That chrome primary cover might be past it though...

Didn't take any pics, but this is a sample.
Phosphoric acid helps the process, considerably...

New To Me. Could Use An Education
 
Rohan said:
Bernhard said:
This is bad advice even if you use it gently :!:
Do NOT use steel wool on chrome plate :!:
Always use something SOFTER than chrome that will not scratch it, like a brass brush with plenty of WD40.
Click to expand...

You obviously haven't tried this.
I have 'restored' much of the chrome on a very rusty looking Commando by this method,
proper chrome should be tougher than (well worn) steel wool.
(Modern chrome may not be so good however.)

And if it is quite rusty, you don't have anything to lose trying this.
That chrome primary cover might be past it though...
Click to expand...

Funny thing, plastic wool pads WILL scratch chrome while steel wool will not (of course, #0 or #00 or even #000 are softer than courser grades)

Jean
 
Have you seen any chips in the paint anywhere that would suggest that that green has overpainted say a blue manxman ?
Or if there is any color anywhere visible under the green.
That bike looks good with that green frame like that.
British Racing Green ?

The NOC factory records might just say what color it came in.
Green was one of the listed choices back then, probably not for this model,
but if someone requested it, it would have been available.

P.S. If the fork roadholder badges have been overpainted, then the original color would still be UNDER the badges.
Assuming it hasn't had more than one repaint...
 
Thought that I had a picture of some "original color" but cant find it now.

Under the seat near that tray I can see some Blue.
I assume that this was the original color.
The green is defiantly a repaint.
 
Rohan said:
Bernhard said:
This is bad advice even if you use it gently :!:
Do NOT use steel wool on chrome plate :!:
Always use something SOFTER than chrome that will not scratch it, like a brass brush with plenty of WD40.
Click to expand...
You obviously haven't tried this.
I have 'restored' much of the chrome on a very rusty looking Commando by this method,
proper chrome should be tougher than (well worn) steel wool.
(Modern chrome may not be so good however.)
And if it is quite rusty, you don't have anything to lose trying this.
That chrome primary cover might be past it though...
Didn't take any pics, but this is a sample.
Phosphoric acid helps the process, considerably...
New To Me. Could Use An Education
Click to expand...

I too have tried steel wire wool, both new and used, then I looked at the cleaned chrome with a 8x 1 magnifying glass and saw all the micro scratches but it’s your bike you can do what you want with it :!:
 
I figure if the chrome is pitted and rusted it really doesn't matter any more.
 
jaguar said:
I figure if the chrome is pitted and rusted it really doesn't matter any more.
Click to expand...

Exactly, you don't do that on new and good condition chrome. And when you Do use steel wool, use only 0000.
 
Does Bernhard wander around in the bikepark and at bikeshows with a microscope we wonder ?!

He may care to take a look at a painted surface then, if its been polished.
The Sierra Nevadas in miniature ?
 
Rohan said:
Does Bernhard wander around in the bikepark and at bikeshows with a microscope we wonder ?!

He may care to take a look at a painted surface then, if its been polished.
The Sierra Nevadas in miniature ?
Click to expand...

No need to be sarcastic again Rohan, I was just giving the benefit of my experience :)
 
Speaking of experience, experience with english or japanese bikes ?

Ye old english chrome was applied extremely thickly and seems tougher,
compared to more modern varieties ?
 
Looks to me to be a Manxman with a replacement engine which could be still a 650 (in 99 cases) or a 99 however the 650 crank would not have clearance in early cases. I would build it to resemble a late 99ss which in a few cases did have the DD head, This would then be a very rare bike in the USA . The green and dove grey finish can look very pretty but i would go for the 1960 ish tubular cigar silencers with a little kick up on the header pipes. The oil tank looks to have a tower for the breather return.
 
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