small CL 360 project

[Flugtechnik]

Joe, quick question. Since you seem to be the resident paint guru. I've already been working up ideas for my next bike. On my next one, instead of polishing the bare metal parts, I want to leave them with a satin finish. For instance, on the aluminum parts, I want to leave them with the finish you would get after cleaning them with a scotchbrite pad. It has a nice satin finish and seems to glow. Anyway, what would I use to protect that finish. If I PC it with clear, will it change the finish? Well, stupid question. Of course it will. The PC will be glossy. But, the finish of the metal will remain and be visible through the clear. So it would be satin and glossy at the same time right? I guess I would just have to do a part to see if I like it. Instead of the scotchbrite, should I just media blast everything? I thought you might have tried it before.

I'm thinking of a finish kind of like this:

I love Russell's bikes.....simple and clean.

 

[JRK5892]

if you do the scotch bright look i would sugetst powder, you can get a FLAT (satin) clear if you do not like the gloss, but typically whenever you clear something you will get a gloss finish cause the clear will give it depth, if you do not want that you will need to use a flat clear, hot rod flatz has a great flat clear to use and easy to shoot if oyu want to spray it... for that look man there is powder coat that looks almost identical to that!!!
this is what eastwoods blasted alum powder looks like

there is also a "blasted steel" but i have not seen that one

here is the platnum cool color

cast alum powder

here is the link for their colors they offer... i am a huge fan of eastwood, but to buy in bulk i go though tiger coatings (same place eastwood buys from)
http://www.eastwoodco.com/text/content/StandardColors.htm

 

[Flugtechnik]

Thanks. I don't think I want to paint it a "color" because you will lose the "glow" or the "depth" you described. I guess I could try the satin clear. I just want to keep it from oxidizing. Thanks for your help.

 

[jayellay]

Troybilt,

Awesome build. I have a 756 cl360, and am planning on stealing some of your ideas. hope that’s ok? can’t wait to see when it’s done. Still have the old tank?

ride safe,
Jay

 

[troybilt]

Jay: Thanks brother. Hope you can use a couple of my ideas. This is my first bike project and I have a long ways to go. I've not even started the tear down yet. I want to get everything right before I really tear into her. Also, I'm doing this the cheapest I can. I plan on comming in under $700 complete that includes the cost of the bike. If I had the money I just would have bought rear sets and other stuff. I don't think I could have made the seat any cheaper (right place at the right time on ebay) I would have probably redone it a few times before I got it right anyway, and that would have greatly increased the cost. The difference will be paint and polish and I hope I don't get in a hurry. I still have my old tank. You can have it for cost of shipping. It has a pretty nice bang where the forks turned too far and hit it but it could be used to make a tail.

JRK: My shift levers may not be worth powdering (quality of craftsmanship. I wish I would have spent more time on the holes on the shift lever. I was planning on it being temporary, but it turned out pretty decent). What would be the finest sandpaper I could go to and still get a clear (rattle can) to stick? Shiny over a scotch brite finish wouldn't be too bad??
Also, do I want lacquer (sp) or enamel clear ?( I can't spell lol. It drives my wife crazy)


Flug: That bike is the balls! Matt finish silver and flat black looks great together. Russell's bikes are always very cool. I just stopped by my local ace hardware looking for a different epoxy color other than gloss black. They can get in white but that's it.

 

[hanly2]

Dude if that shifter actually works I will definitely need more info on how to make one. I was looking at my brake lever the other day and it didn't seem to make sense with how you did yours but I think our brake set up should be exactly the same for a cb360 and a cl360?

Joe I didn't know that blasted Aluminum was a color. I blasted my tree the other day and I was thinking man should I just clear this or should I paint it black. Now I am thinking I should blast my forks as well and see how it would look.

 

[Flugtechnik]

I just stopped by my local ace hardware looking for a different epoxy color other than gloss black. They can get in white but that's it.

I checked yesterday at my Lowes and they had gloss Black, White and some kind of Silver.

 

[JRK5892]

hell man, if you layer it on light, i would just polish it and do a ton of coats of clear, wet sanding every 3 coats (would lay like 6 total) coat everything BUT what you will be making contact wth (the actual peg) as that will rub off and chip... out of the rattle can i use an enamal, all the laquers i have tried to use spider web crack and look like crap... the epoxy also comes in a cream, looks sick on wheels... check the rustoleum website for all the colors

 

[troybilt]

Hanly, I can't see a reason yet why the shifter won't work. I'll keep you posted once I get it mounted up. I took a few photos.
Here is what I started with. I used the crack in my work bench to make the bends. Just measued the stock shifter and figured I'd like it a little bit longer. I cut the end of the strap and took that piece and welded it on top for the linkage. It looks like the linkage would work best to move horizontal so thats what I kept in mind. I just kept it real simple. You may be able to get by with a strap not as high. I believe this is 1" X 1/8" X ??long. If this looks too bulky You might use 3/4" but I would think 1/8" is min thickness.

Here is a 3/8" clevis pin, but this one only has one hole unlike the one I used which had a bunch of holes.

Here is the shifter on the bike

The shifter will require a about 1/2" shim behind it for the linkage to work.

 

[troybilt]

I was going to cut down a brass sleeve for the shift lever to pivot on but I don't think It needs it. I'll just sandwich between tow brass washers.


JRK: Have you used the epoxy silver like Flug found. I may use something like it on the brake lever. If it looks flat it might be pretty cool. I think I'll clear the shifter and use something like the epoxy silver on the brake?? I'm not sure. What grit sand paper for the clear? Sounds like it could look pretty cool. I can see how that cream might look pretty cool on an old bike. Wonder how it would look on my spokes and hubs leaving dust covers and wheels chrome?? The rest of the bike will be black with maybe some kind of a off white stripe, and some chrome.
Thank's for the advice on the enamel. I'll use it instead of laquer.

 

[troybilt]

Jay, here is the that dent in the tank. It will need the pitcock, because I'm using parts of it for the tank I'm using. Otherwise it's in pretty good shape.

 

[JRK5892]

i have never used the silver man sorry, i have used the cream and it looks insane!!! just great! would look awesome with a black and chrome bike!
only thing about using this on your levers man is the oils and toxins in your hands will wear though it eventually, so just ever few months you will need to pull it off and shoot it again... honestly, on the lever after you polish it out, just clean it very very well with denatured alchole, then start laying clear, light coats... i really like how the shifter lever came out man!!!

dude that is an easy fix on that tank... some sanding and bondo and your golden!!!

 

[hanly2]

So thats just a regular bike peg and you just slid it over the threads and bolted it on? That is bad ass. Did you weld that pin into the end also? I can't wait to see how you make the linkage work. Can't even see the weld on the top piece looks great. This thread is going to save me a ton of dough.

 

[jayellay]

Nah, that’s cool, just wondering. I want to change my tank too. you should just hang it up and decorate the garage. Here’s a question though, there’s lips on the side pipes where the mufflers start, they are uneven, did you cut the pipes evenly before the lip? Don’t know why, but I kinda like the uneven look, what do ya think?


Jay

Jay, here is the that dent in the tank. It will need the pitcock, because I'm using parts of it for the tank I'm using. Otherwise it's in pretty good shape.

 

[troybilt]

So thats just a regular bike peg and you just slid it over the threads and bolted it on? That is bad ass. Did you weld that pin into the end also? I can't wait to see how you make the linkage work. Can't even see the weld on the top piece looks great. This thread is going to save me a ton of dough.

Just a BMX stunt peg. I think a few guys on here have used them on their builds. They make one that is a tad smaller and the end is solid. That's the one I was looking for. I think these are solid on the outside but not sure. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-BMX-STUNT-PEGS-3-8-10MM-KNURLED-SILVER_W0QQitemZ220344658626QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR?hash=item220344658626&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
Anyway, they are threaded and just screw onto a 3/8" bolt. I can't remember if the threads are 20 or 24. Once mounted the shifter has to be free to move so I may weld a bolt to the frame, use a spacer (anything to take up space. It looks to need about 1/2" to seperate the shifter from the frame) then a brass washer, the shifter and another brass washer. The tricky part is the peg will need to tighten down against something, so I figure a 3/8" nut would work. Last would be the peg. I bought grade 8 bolts because I figure it would be stronger. Linkage looks to be ery straight forward. I'll cut the stock shifter and drill it for a ball joint. All thread will screw into that and at the other end it will connect to another ball joint. That ball joint is bolted onto the top hole in the shifter. Like I said, real basic. The only thing I'm not sure about is I don't like the look of all thread, so I may try to hide it someway. I would like to find some kind of tubing to slide over it. Just don't know yet.

The clevis pin is welded on the back side.

Hey JRK, I think you've helped me come up with a paint scheme. Black frame, Black tank and tail with a small cream stripe down the middle of both. Spokes and hubs cream and rims chrome. I'll have to look for the cream to see how it looks against the black. I think it will take on a vintage feel. We'll see.
How much time between each coat of clear??

Jay, Looks like the tank will be garage decoration unless someone else wants it. On the pipes I cut them even just before the rear mount. I took the pipes to my buddies at a muffler shop and they expanded pipes to go over them. It made welding much easier because I could position/adjust them to make them straight (Otherwise it's real easy to get them uneven). I wanted them to be long enough to go past the shock. I plan to use muratic acid to remove the chrome (as per JRK of course) then paint them with high temp paint. I'll wrap them with fiberglass and leave the tips exposed.
I like the uneven pipes ends as well.

 

[troybilt]

Ok, big question. I'm thinking of laying my shocks down. It will raise the ass end a couple of inches. It would look something like this except the bike is sitting somewhat flat because it is on the jack and it won't be quite this high, again because of the jack (it' actually a couple inches too high/much). You can get the idea. I'd have to regusset the frame, but that's no big deal. So what do you guys think?

 

[jayellay]

Pretty cool with the shocks lower, how do you think it’ll feel when you ride? might put a lot of weight on your wrists, not to mention a bit of a nut cruncher. by the way, I know you have clip ons, are they made by Champs? where did you order them?

Jay

 

[hanly2]

I think the less space you have between the tire and the seat the better it will look. Isn't that why everyone buys shorter shocks?

 

[troybilt]

Pretty cool with the shocks lower, how do you think it’ll feel when you ride? might put a lot of weight on your wrists, not to mention a bit of a nut cruncher. by the way, I know you have clip ons, are they made by Champs? where did you order them?

Jay

I don't think it will change suspension other than making it much faster in the turns. I hear ya on the weight on the wrists and nuts. maybe someone who knows can chime in. Yes, Clip ons are by champ. I think they are well worth the money ($70 shipped). However, they scratch pertty easy and you have to be carefull when mounting them. They are tight going over the forks and if they spread any, it changes the alignment on the mounting bolts. If the bolt doesn't lign up just right it could cross thread and or, strip out the threads. I read where someone stripped their threads and I figure that's probably why.

Hanly, I'm with ya on the lower shocks and tire clearance look. I've seen where guys have gone with a taller shock but I think it was on 750s. I believe Leon (the moderator) went with a taller shock on one of his bikes. So I guess it's a matter of opinion. I like the look the taller look on a bigger bike but I'm really on the fence on my little bike. The change on a little bike is pretty radical. However, I really like the look of a skinny tire on the back. Check out JRK's bobber. He moved the front fender to the rear and used short shocks. Looks real bad ass.

 

[zixxerboy]

how does the brake feel with the shortened lever? it looks like you've reduced the mechanical advantage over the original length. if that's not a problem it's a really elegant solution for sure!