(06-01-2017 08:34 AM)PowerDubs Wrote: No paint thinner won't work at all for what I did. I used aircraft stripper on the valve cover and it took many applications, and a lot of elbow grease to remove the very tough factory finish. It also took a lot of scrubbing to remove the remaining bits left behind.
There is no way that you would be able to do it on the side covers, if you want them like I did them.
If you were going to use stripper – you would have to do the entire thing not just a section like I did.
The Dremel makes it very quick and easy work. The only reason I didn't use the Dremel on the valve cover was because of all the nooks and crannies, curves.
I have not yet mounted my stripped and brushed valve cover.
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Thanks for the response. Guess i will have break out the dremel as well lol. Be sure to upload a pic when you get the valve covers on!!
06-01-2017 11:13 AM
JF Coastal
Running Like a Top
savannah, ga
Posts: 368
Joined: Feb 2015
By the way – the Dremel I used is not the traditional rotary tool that everyone thinks of, it is the multi tool that has the triangle fitting with the sandpaper. Same as I used on the lips of my wheels.
(03-04-2017 02:31 PM)PowerDubs Wrote: Yes, it is not unprecedented.
My whole intent with all I do to the bike (stepped leather grain seat, sissy bar, chrome chain guard, larger '13 blinkers, more pulled back handlebars, etc) is to make the bike more like what I remember from my youth- bikes of the late 70's-early 80's. In a rock & roll trashy kind of way as opposed to the British cafe racer look that everyone gravitates towards.
By no means am I claiming to be creative or original. Well, maybe for a modern CB1100.
I'm just having fun and making the bike more enjoyable for me. One of my favorite street bikes I've owned was a Kawasaki LTD (trashy version of a KZ instead of the also available sporty versions)
My other street bike is a ZRX1200, also hitting the memory buttons for me.
One of my dirtbikes is a Kawasaki KLX400- which is a factory rebadged Suzuki DRZ400- I redid it with custom parts to emulate a 1980's Kawasaki. I do weird stuff.
Hey, P.D.! When I first saw "Dremeled my side covers" last winter I thought Noooo!
What you ended up with is a custom work of art. I hope you can re-post some of the lost photos for our continued appreciation.
Ben
(This post was last modified: 08-03-2017 09:35 PM by Ben70.)
I read this thread a few months ago and reading it again. I'd be very curious to know how you'd have done this differently.
I supposed one way is to find a salvage bike and swap in the polished covers. It does appear that the sanding idea would be pretty labor and time intensive.
01-16-2018 04:18 PM
jimgl3
High Mileage
Covington, Ga
Posts: 790
Joined: Apr 2015
(04-05-2017 07:09 AM)PowerDubs Wrote: It's nowhere near complete yet. Once it is done, there will be pictures. I have a lot going on...
Just for fun- here is an idea of the future look of my old style bike.
I even found one with a sissybar
I've done some looking around, and the air box covers were chrome back then, as in this photo. I've seen carbon fiber look and painted ones for sale, but haven't seen any chrome ones. anyone seen any chrome ones?
(This post was last modified: 02-21-2018 09:50 PM by jimgl3.)
02-21-2018 09:48 PM
Cormanus
Moderator
Queensland, Australia
Posts: 20,660
Joined: Dec 2013