Another Wheel Mod Question.....

[Pat Conlon]

Craig, stripping off the black/white paint is *the* low cost option.  Go to Ace Hardware get a can of heavy duty stripper, a wire brush on your cordless drill, some golves and eye protection and a garden hose with a power nozzle and you're in business.
Then, if you don't like what you have (I think you will) as funds accumilate you can always powder coat. In fact you will need to strip off the paint anyway before you powder coat.
The paint stripped off leaves a natural finish of a medium silver pebble finish on the spokes and hubs with the rim bands having a machine finish.
The stripped finish is easy to clean, no worries with solvents. No need to clear coat the finish, leave it raw.    Cheers laddie!

Here's a 2005 shot of my '84:



Here's my '92:

[craigo]

Hey Pat,

Nice bikes you have there.  Wow, look at those exhaust pipes, very nice!!!  And thanks for the advise, however, (and there always seems be a "however" ) The rear rim is powdercoated, not painted. 



The front rim has alot of paint on it.  Also, my tire guy buggered up the paint around the bead on the front rim.  So, I think that I am going to strip the rim and go with the black option for now.  When more funds become available, I will take both in and get them stripped of all finish.  Then have them powdercoated to something a little more colorful.  Anything but white!

Thanks Again,

CraigO
90FJ1200

[Travis398]

Here's a 2005 shot of my '84:

Pat, You are making me feel like I should be in the garage cleaning my bike.

stop posting these pictures 

[Pat Conlon]

Pat, You are making me feel like I should be in the garage cleaning my bike. Stop posting these pictures 

Sorry 'bout that Travis. It's Sunday, and football's on the tube so you do not have to do anything today....(until halftime) 

[jvb_ca]

Craigo....go with the black for sure, or the bare alum look. White wheels are terrible to clean.

I went with the black spoke powder coat and the polished edges for the blingy/shiny look....still looks kinda stockish...



I just mounted an 87 FZR 3.5in wheel this summer and have still have this original 89 FJ 3.0in wheel kickin around. Could be a good match for that shiny black gixxer wheel?



Cheers...Jake

[Pat Conlon]

Hot damn, that's nice Jake. Very nice. Kudos.

[tqmx1]

There is no way I would ever have anything polished on my bikes wheels. Black all the way!! After having my Blackbird (Jason is now the happy owner and he can keep them clean) they are a BITCH to keep clean & polished (unless you are Father Pat ). Ride for an hour clean wheels for 5 no thank you.

Kim

[craigo]

Damn Jake,

Between you and Pat, you shame us all into taking our FJs apart and detail every piece.  Your 86 and Pat's 84 1100 are drop dead gorgeous.  Beautiful!!!  I may have to change my vote on the best looking year FJs.

Is that snow I see near your garage door???

CraigO
90FJ1200

[jvb_ca]

Thanks guys...

They are actually fairly easy to keep clean. They usually get a seasonal good cleaning and polish with Autosol, and other than that I just wipe them down with a rag. I use a chain lube that is like a wax, so chain fling is minimal.
Craigo, yup thats snow. Was a couple of springs ago. Let me know if you want that front wheel.

Cheers...Jake

[craigo]

Thanks guys...

They are actually fairly easy to keep clean. They usually get a seasonal good cleaning and polish with Autosol, and other than that I just wipe them down with a rag. I use a chain lube that is like a wax, so chain fling is minimal.
Craigo, yup thats snow. Was a couple of springs ago. Let me know if you want that front wheel.  

Cheers...Jake

Wow Jake,

That would be nice, thought that you may have been kidding or something.   What would you like for the wheel and would you like my old one in return?  And as far as chainlube, I use Maxima Chain Wax.  Really does keep the lube on the chain and off the wheel.

Regards,

CraigO
90FJ1200

[Pat Conlon]

"There is no way I would ever have anything polished on my bikes wheels.....
they are a BITCH to keep clean & polished (unless you are Father Pat ) Ride for an hour clean wheels for 5 no thank you."
Kim

Kim, all my polished aluminum is really not that hard to keep up. *Really*
I have not had good luck with the different urethane clear coats I've tried. They all advertise that they are UV sun resistant....bullshit...After 2-3 years here in the desert sun they start to turn yellow.
Also, the experts I've talked to, advise against powder coating a clear coat on the rims and lower forks due to rock chips, similar to the picture Craig showed.

Zoop Seal I've found has been the best protection for polished aluminum.  I reapply about every 2 years. No biggie.  http://www.zoopseal.com/

Of course I live in a dry desert climate (so YMMV) but I still managed to tack on over 12k miles on my '84 so far in 2010...(she's ~138k)  Cheers!   Pat

[rktmanfj]

Wow Jake,

That would be nice, thought that you may have been kidding or something.   What would you like for the wheel and would you like my old one in return?  And as far as chainlube, I use Maxima Chain Wax.  Really does keep the lube on the chain and off the wheel.

Regards,

CraigO
90FJ1200

I used to use Maxima Chain Wax, and absolutely loved it... until I did a 500+ mile ride in the rain one day and ruined a perfectly good chain.

Never again.

Randy T
Indy

[craigo]

Randy,

Rain???  What's rain?
 

CraigO
90FJ1200

[rktmanfj]

Randy,

Rain???  What's rain?
 

CraigO
90FJ1200

Yeah, I know MCW is a SoCal fav.  I loved it up to that point.

Now I use Mobil1 75w90 at home, and carry a can of PJ1.  Both clean off easily with a little WD40.   

Randy T
Indy