ALT-2 How to Restore a Motorcycle
SO YOU WANT TO RESTORE A MOTORCYCLE
Motorcycle restoration is extremely time consuming and takes a lot of patience. If all this sounds like a lot of work, perhaps motorcycle restoration isn't for you.
One nice thing about motorcycle restoration is that if you've had to cut corners to get your bike on the road, you can always go back and replace second-rate parts with genuine originals once you have the money or find the parts. Motorcycle restoration is more than a spray can paint job and a new set of wheels. You restorations should be more than just a pretty bike, but a mechanically sound, reliable motorcycle. Complete, motorcycle restoration almost always requires a complete disassembly down to the frame, a thorough cleaning, rebuilding or replacement of parts, re-chroming, professional body work and painting. Poor paintwork on motorcycle body parts, especially the tank, can ruin an otherwise outstanding restoration project. It also requires re-lacing of spoke wheels, new seat foam and cover, engine overhaul/rebuild, and electrical system upgrades. Finding parts for an especially rare or unusual motorcycle is a job unto itself. You will be introduced to strange motorcycle technology that you never thought existed. If your own motorcycle has a particularly odd bit of technology integrated into a broken part, you're often stuck with what you've got. If your passion is a fairly recent Japanese model, you may have a restoration route that any English bike fanatic would die for: The motorcycle factory itself.
The first step is to haul the motor off to an engine shop that specializes in completely rebuilding your type of motor. Restoration includes not only the parts that can be seen; the frame, trim, chrome, wheels, speedometer and tachometer, but also the engine, brake, cooling, and fluid systems The three essential ingredients in any bike restoration project are an engine, a frame and a manufacturer's parts book. If your budget doesn't allow for this, go round your area and ask the mechanics at the larger Japanese motorcycle dealers if they know a specialist restoration mechanic in your area
The nature of motorcycle restoration is that there are always surprises and usually those surprises require more time and work and not less. Even though it requires a lot of time and quite a bit of money, when you crank it up and ride it for the first time, it's a thrill that makes it all worth while.
