Corrosion/Rust on frame help?

[ysidfa]

Hey,
I am currently in the process of stripping down my recently aquired bike (kymco stryker 125). I know its a "nasty" chinese copy bike and its probably not even worth its scrap value, but I managed to get hold of it for next to nothing.

Anyway, after stripping off the plastics and taking a closer look at the state of the frame, Its quite clear that something needs to be done to prevent further rusting and get rid of what rust is already present.
At the moment, the rust has "bubbled" the paint work a substantial amount and it will obviously need repainting.

I was considering getting quotes to get it shot/sand blasted to get rid of all the rust/corrosion and old paint and going down the powder coating route. Is this advisable?
If the extent of the damage caused by the corrosion is more than expected (deep pits and cracks) would it be possible/economically viable to get it welded or filled to get it through and MOT and be safe to ride?

(will upload pics later)

Cheers
Tom
____________________
2 Wheels:2000 Kymco Stryker Trial 125 (Stolen )
4 Wheels:2007 Fiat Grande Punto Active 1.2 8v
Avid Shoe wearer and Fiat Aficionado.

[Dazbo666]

Yes it's possible to get it welded... but whether it's economically viable is something you'd need to find out / decide for yourself
____________________
1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Teflon-Mike]

Well, its a Kymko, you paid next to nothing for it, becouse it's worth next to nothing & fixed up on the road, it's not worth a great deal.

I'm not sure it IS Chinese, I thought the Kymco's were Korean? But no matter.

There's pro's and cons either way. Taking on a project is very rarely an ecconomic viability; they nearly ALWAYS cost more than you budget; and frequently cost more than they are 'worth' on the open market.

Question IS; not whether its 'worth it', answer to that one is almost certainly 'No' by pure numbers; but whether it is worth it TO YOU.

Choosing a project, I always advise against picking a project base JUST becouse it's 'Cheap'. Takes as much effort and probably as much money to fix up an Chinese CG125 'copy' as it does a 'real' CG... and in the numbers; spending that kind of money to fix up a CG-Copy you get for free, to save paying perhaps £2-300 for a viable, geniune CG125, to fix up is fools ecconomy. Like as not cost you £500 to fix up either; but on the one hand you stand change of getting a bike worth £800 for your pains; on the other, you stand chance of getting a not-so-nice bike that will struggle to sell for £300...

Being BRUTAL; on that score you might ghet most return for your Kymco, breaking it for spares and sticking them on e-bay and using that money and a bit of resto budget to find something more ecconomically viable.

BUT; it is YOUR project... and end of the day, whether its worth it to you, and if you can get the use out of the bike when done, may not matter how much you chuck at it, if you have fun doing it, and get the value using it. I mean, people spend silly amounts of money to play golf or go fishing and have less to show for it at the end of the day.

But; presuming you percevere: DIRTY TREATS: Air-cooled, 2T, Yamaha ‘Enduro’ Renovation

That's my current 'project'; down to the frame renovation; so far standing me at around £700, and likely to cost me about a grand by the time I have finished; as long as I can get away without an engine rebuild.

Poweder-Coating; read the blog; my local coaters do a frame, on it's own for £45, but the frame, swing-arm and all the 'odds and sods' that bolt to it; was £125 for that Yam. This is a good 'ball-park'.

In the case of my Yam, its a 'Classic' and they fetch £1000-£1500 in rideable condition; so I am getting, I hope, a 'top book' standared bike, possibly something a bit better, for bottom book for a 'runner'. This makes it 'worth' doing on the numbers; but for a Kymco; they wouldn't add up; and you would either have to cut corners, which means you wouldn't get as 'good' a bike, or you would have to keep the bike long enough, and use it enough to get the value from miles.

Nicely renovated; it could be a very nice little bike. The Kymco's are not as direly made as some; but not great, but that is down to quality control. Building yourself; YOU are applying the QC... so up to you how 'good' it is; and with attension and care, could be a very tidy and remarkeably reliable little bike; with teh advantage of fairly good, and cheap spares availability curtecy of sharing so much with Chinky Copy bikes.

HOWEVER: a few cautions; if you want a 'Cheap' bike, this is probably not a great start.

If you want a bike you can use for tests, then you are starting WELL behind; and with the 3rd directive licence laws looming; if you DONT get a licence on a 125 in the next 51 weeks, you will have to test under new rules, which will effectively mean you will not be able to test for a 'full' licence on a 125, you will only get an A1 125 'only licence'; which may be the 'start' of the 'progressive access' scheme they are proposing, retesting or part testing after two years to 'upgrade' licence from A1 to A2 and thence to A2, on bigger bikes, or doing DAS at 24.

With THAT little niggle; bugger doing up a bike; get one ready to ride and get a licence on it; as SOON as you can!

If you still want a 'project' I'd reccomend picking something bigger to do for when you have a licence.

Which is probably NOT what you want to hear; but I'm afraid this is the reality.

And its a shame; becouse when you go to a classic show, you see loads of 1950's 'exotica', Vincents, BSA Gold-Stars, Triumph Thunderbirds... but you didn't see many of them on the road; bikes most folk rode back then were BSA Bantams and Villers James, or Matchless 350's! But becouse they weren't 'Desirable' few bothered to save them! Same throughout; 1970's Honda CB750 'Fours' or Kawasaki Z1's get 'saved'; people haven't saved the old MZ's, or Yamaha YB100's that were actually what most rode!

In years to come; things like the generic CG125 'Copy', despite being made by the million, be more 'rare' than whatever todays 'Must have' bees-knees bike may be.

THIS is a small footnote thought for a project like this; it will NEVER be ecconomically viable; BUT; do it anyway. Have fun, treating it as a 'learning excersize'; get the value from the bike using it when done; look after it, and when you are 'done' with it; DONT SELL; stick it in the back of the garage, even some-one elses garage. In maybe ten years time; life circumstances are likely to have changed; and if you have progressed to bigger bikes; possible that you will have to give them up... but having your 'first' bike, a bike YOU BUILT in the garage... probably not take much to scrub up (if you did it well, and looked after it) to press into service as a week-end toy, JUST so you have something to ride, or as a cheap commuter. Few years after that, might bo back in the garage; as circumstances change again (as they always do), and more affluent you find you might afford another 'big-bike' as weekend rider.... THEN in maybe 25 years, suddenly, people will start showing early Chinese & Korean Copy-Bikes... as they have become SO rare, and what you have had in the garage your entire life-time, is suddenlt not just 'special' to YOU, being your first bike; being the bike YOU built; but an interesting curiocity at ride outs; and people who were gawping at R1's commenting on the decals and exhausts, grumbling that the foot-peg hangers weren't 'right' for that model year, will come over and start heranguing you with reminiscences about when they were a 'Learner' and commenting about how 'few' of these things you see around any more....

As said; numbers will never add up favourably; certainly not in teh short term; BUT over a life-time? Could be cheaper than fishing, and a lot more 'useful'.

BUT; a lot more to think about than JUST whether its worth getting the frame stripped & coated.....
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Ed Case]

If it was me.......I'd strip it down, shouldn't take long, wire brushes on electric drill (eye protection a must).....Hammerite Smoothrite. good cheap job, the finish will last as long as you'll need it to.

[ysidfa]

After having a decent look over the bike the other day, I came to the conclusion that only the lower parts of the frame, and the bottom of the swing arm have rust on them.
The seat came off along with the tank and all the plastics and underneath the frame is reletively untouched. Its only on the bits that are open to stone chips and drop scratches that have rusted and theyre not that pitted.
The only thing that concerns me, is the crack/break in the frame, It doesnt show any accident repair in the service record, but it also lists 3 MOTs where no milage is indicated. (Hinting it may have been "clocked").

I shouldnt have a problem with the engine, I may go through it and give it a good service ( gaskets,seals, oil, filters and plugs ) but my main aim is to have it as a weekend bike for bombing down back roads and attempting to save for my bike test. I cant really get rid or break it atm, due to it being a "gift" from my OHs Step-dad and he wants to see it back on the road. I dont mind spending £2-300 on it as It will still be a cheap way to get on 2 wheels without buying a CG that needs a new engine. Yeah if it blows up on my 3 months down the line then It will get scrapped or broken for parts

Thanks alot for your advice guys. Really helped
Tom
____________________
2 Wheels:2000 Kymco Stryker Trial 125 (Stolen )
4 Wheels:2007 Fiat Grande Punto Active 1.2 8v
Avid Shoe wearer and Fiat Aficionado.