My YBR bits n bobs

[Tierbirdy]

So Ive got a long list of things to get/do/fix on my YBR and I thought heres a good a place as any to show/discuss them! Sure they might not be as cool as some of the 1200cc beasts rolling around here, but they still deserve some love

So heres the bike when I bought it, a bit scratched a bit beaten and for some reason the exhaust has been sprayed a hideous grey/white

https://i58.tinypic.com/2unxerq.jpg

Thats got to go, that looks horrible. I wonder why he did that? Perhaps the chrome is salvageable.

https://i58.tinypic.com/rbjmvk.jpg

Off it comes, out comes the wire brush and sandpaper. As expected it had been sprayed (badly) to cover up the pitted and rusted chrome. The chrome was beyond saving so I spent the next 4 hours sanding it back to bare metal before coating it with Hammerite VHT paint (was the best I could find, rated to 650°C, even the B&Q BBQ paint was only rated to 600°C and Halfords on VHT paint a measly 500°C, should be enough for a dinky 125 engine). It looks good enough, followed the instructions and left it for 30mins before giving it another coat, and again 30 mins then another coat, then I ran out of paint, should have bought 2 cans. I managed to give the exhaust 3 coats, can reccomended 3-4 coats so hopefully its enough. Left it overnight as per the instructions then in the morning before work I did something I'd read about on here to cure the paint (much to the annoyance of the neighbors first thing in the morning ) leave the engine idling for 10 mins, then switch off and let it cool for 10 mins, then idle for 20 mins, then cool for 10, then idle for 30, then cool for 10, then take it for a few miles ride (in my case to work).

It seems good enough, it hasnt all flaked and fallen off right away which seems a good start!

Also my Puig naked flyscreen turned up, which turned out to be a total bastard pig of a job to fit due to the instructions being in Spanish and I think I was sent the wrong fitting kit, but Im not one to bother with petty eBay disputes and the hassle of returning it, so out comes the dremel and bodge job jobbed. So heres how its looking at the moment!

https://i60.tinypic.com/2rz4c9y.jpg

Ive got a few more things to do on it, for one Id really like to sort out that rust patch ontop the tank where someone's donked it, but Im not really sure what to do about that or how to go about it. I dont really want to sand and respray the tank because no matter how hard you try youll never get the paint to match the rest of the bike and itll end up looking shit

[_Iain_]

With regards to the bodywork, theres a chap near me who charges very very little to do sprayjobs. £150 bought me two replacement tail panels, plastic welding services to make a good tail section, removal of all dents from tank, collection, delivery and a three stage pearl paintjob.

Might be worth asking around, you're looking for a guy who's starting out that needs to be cheap to generate some buisness. Try local industrial estates, facebook bike groups etc. There's always someone!

Worked out cheaper than buying the materials & doing it myself as I'd intended.
____________________
Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[Tierbirdy]

Thats not a bad idea, Ill look into it.

Also a minor update r.e the flyscreen - a lot of people advised me to not bother buying this little one because it wouldnt do anything other than look aesthetically pleasing, I chose to ignore them because Im broke and if nothing else I DO like how it looks However today I took it for its first proper long trip (Taunton to Plymouth and back, about 160 miles round trip) and whilst it has made no difference to the acceleration, and if anything its made the road noise worse because the wind is all pointed right at my helmet now, it has made a significant difference in top speed and stability - the bike feels a LOT more stable at dual carriageway speeds now, and I can now happily cruise along at 90-100kph, on a flat I can push 110-115kph which is a major improvement, and on a long downhill stretch with the wind behind me I can just about tickle 130. Before it was a real struggle to get to 90kph with my fat 20st arse on the top of a dinky 125 let alone go beyond that. Im rather impressed!