Total Motorcycle Community Forums

This is what I have.
This is what I would like.

As far as I can tell they are the same bike (1986 Honda VT250F) except the first one has been trashed time and time again. I'm buying the bike in question from an experienced mechanic and the blue slip will be approved by his competiter accross the street, so I know it should be safe to ride...

Now, I know you might be saying "Noone will steal it", well, noone will steal from me. At both places of work I play with big shiney knives that would intimidate most petty crooks, that and I am pretty much able to watch over it all day (or night)...

Do I need to get this done at a specialised body shop?
I know that the front windguard has copped quiet a bit, replacable though?
How much do you think just making it look "newish" would cost?

Yes, I know I will probably drop it again... but please, help me give this machine a full revival.

Whoops. I now realise I posted this in the wrong section, sorry. Could a moderator please move this to -= General Maintenace & Appearance =-? Thanks.

To me it doesn't look like the same bike. Granted, it looks from the same model line but if you look at the frame itself you notice an immense difference, yours is tubular, the nice picture isn't. That's just one a few differences. Granted if you just want yours looking new again, that's a different question.

If you do the work yourself, it will cost alot less. Redoing fiberglass, painting and using some steel wool to get of some rust is alot less expensive than paying some wackjob to do it for you. Most the of time the wackjobs are experts, but when oyu come across a real wackjob, you're still out some money

ya it also looks like the other bike has a different fairing

Oh, I notice that now. But yes, the point was the other one is shiney and mine is not.

Unfortunately I do not have the skills to refabricate some fairings.. so I guess I might have to get some whack job to do it, but then again... I guess I can't really make it look any worse.

I'm still trying to locate a service manual though, local Honda dealership couldn't find one but I have found a few spots online that could have what I need.

Thanks,

Awox

Awox-

None of the things I mentioned are that hard. They just take some time and patience. There are writeups all over teh web on doing fiberglass and lots on painting a bike. IT also gives you that feeling of pride... and pain when another wackjob knocks her over.

storysunfolding wrote:Awox-

None of the things I mentioned are that hard. They just take some time and patience. There are writeups all over teh web on doing fiberglass and lots on painting a bike. IT also gives you that feeling of pride... and pain when another wackjob knocks her over.

Heh. On an unrelated note, do you see many "MOTORCYCLE ONLY" parking signs? The only signs I see are usually..

NO PARKING (really big letters)
motorcycles only (really small letters)

The 10 meters right in front of my university ARE reserved for motorcycle. As a matter fact it's a reason I bought one.

By the way, you wouldn't believe how much money some kids have, when you walk in front of of the entrance you see lots of 10 000 $ bikes and almost no low budget ones... Makes me wonder where those scholarships are going !
(Why cant I get a scholarship )

BeerBaron

The first reason I wanted a motorcycle is because I need to travel unsupervised quite a lot the next few years, and a motorcycle learner license is the only license that will allow me to do this.

Then I done the state-required course and discovered motorcyles are also fun.

STRIP IT!

yeah the second shot just looks like a newer version of yours' (lost the old wing emblem) you may be able to pick up a fairing for that newer one off ebay and fab it up to fit your' bike.

here's a seat that looks pretty good. There's also a model kit on there

If you're not looking to modify it but just clean it up it doesn't look like you have that much work ahead of you. The exhaust looks like it just needs a good going over with some rust remover, steel wool and sand paper. Other than that I can't see anything that a good wash wouldn't take care of (the tires look pretty bad though)

If you want a concourse example (like I said at first) strip it down, pull the motor, all the body work. Make a thorough check of your' complete harness and fix/replace any worn or corroded connections; add/subtract anything you want at this point. Sand down all the panels, bondo and respray them. Sandblast or sand and paint the frame with an etch primer and epoxy paint (or have it pc'd) order some Por15 paint for the motor sandblast it, paint it all black and sand/buff out the fin ends. Shoot the valve covers with Por15 silver. Strip and dress the wheels either all silver or the silver/black in the second shot with either epoxy paint of Por15. Sandblast the exhaust runners and have them ceramic coated or chromed. If you can find all the body work from a later example you could probably get it all to fit without too much trouble, the frame looks to be essentially the same shape. This is all assuming the bike runs good... I tend only to crack a casing if I have no choice in the matter.