Old Paint and Rusted Chrome

[CCI]

Sounds a little bit like a country song. But in this case it's a motorcycle that has been sitting under a ripped tarp for about ten years in a part of the country where it rains and they salt the roads.

I want to clean this thing up, the engine and transmission are like new. The rest of it is a mess.

The aluminum foil and water trick cleaned the rust off a real lot of the chrome, but some parts are beyond that. The paint has had gasoline spilled on it, it's oxidized, it just looks rough.

Any recommendations? Tips and tricks?

 

[PimTac]

What kind of bike?

 

[tc1446]

Would love to see some pics............

 

[Trav]

It sounds like a paint job and a trip to the replater is needed. Post a pic of it and the parts.

 

[CCI]

1991 FLHTCU. I didn't get any before pics, but it was bad. Lots of mouse nests and mud wasp nests and broken stuff and UV damage and rust.

A few hours with aluminum foil and water followed by Never Dull and some Meguiars wax did wonders for the light surface rust on the chrome, but more assertive measures are in order now.

There will be no trips to the detail shop, body shop, or chrome plating shop. It's an old motorcycle and it's going to be ridden.

I'm looking for the sorts of things that work in the driveway that will take it from awful to pretty good or at least much better.

It isn't going to the bike show, but it is going to go. Beer will be spilled on it, tourists will have photos taken with it, there's a pretty good chance it will fall over every now and then.

Ideas?

 

[Lyman]

Well it sounds like a Rat Bike to me. Check critical parts for rust damage and repair as needed. Ride as is! I doubt it will ever be a thing of beauty so you might as well just leave it. BUT, We need PICS!

 

[maxdustington]

Originally Posted By: CCI
1991 FLHTCU. I didn't get any before pics, but it was bad. Lots of mouse nests and mud wasp nests and broken stuff and UV damage and rust.

A few hours with aluminum foil and water followed by Never Dull and some Meguiars wax did wonders for the light surface rust on the chrome, but more assertive measures are in order now.

There will be no trips to the detail shop, body shop, or chrome plating shop. It's an old motorcycle and it's going to be ridden.

I'm looking for the sorts of things that work in the driveway that will take it from awful to pretty good or at least much better.

It isn't going to the bike show, but it is going to go. Beer will be spilled on it, tourists will have photos taken with it, there's a pretty good chance it will fall over every now and then.

Ideas?




You can do an good job with rattle cans if you want to repaint the bad parts or the entire bike. It largely depends how far you would like to disassemble it, depending on how much work it needs to meet your standards.
That's the cool part about motorcycles, the parts are small enough that you could paint them in your washroom if you wanted to.