My Bike's finally home.

[timgray]

After being at my friends for 5 months, torn apart, stripped naked, painted, reassembled.. I was going to wait and fix my brakes at his place, but having 65 degree weather here today, I had to bring her home.

 

too dark to take any photos, The wife and daughter are speechless, they did not expect the change to be that dramatic. The change from the faded old scratched burgundy is drastic. I'll take some photos as soon as possible and post them here.

 

What bothers me.... The box that has 4 left over screws... Why does that always happen, having spare parts left over.....

[BoomerCPO]

The box that has 4 left over screws... Why does that always happen, having spare parts left over.....

 

Now ain't that just like an old washing machine......I mean 1st Gen.........

 

 

Boomer........who's got a few screws missing hisself.

[Monty]

Hurry with those pics as soon as you can. I have a faded Black Cherry that I wanna redo.

 

If your friend is anything like me, he probably just threw some extra bolts in the box just to mess with you...yup that's me alright.

[KarlS]

I was on my way to Muskegon when I left for my ride today. Saw on news it was the warmest spot in the state and wanted to see what 60 degrees felt like. Been so long I forgot. Was riding all back roads and just turning whatever way the road looked best so I only made it just North east of Grand Rapids before I started back to Flint.

[timgray]

It was incredible. Felt like a mid summer night. The bugs felt it too, I had a nice splattering all over the front and my helmet. Going to take photos today. I just hope the next 2 days are really nice so I can get the brakes bled, the pads changed so I can get in a serious ride this weekend. I need it ready for the blessing of the bikes in Baldwin next month.

[Guest seuadr]

I was on my way to Muskegon when I left for my ride today. Saw on news it was the warmest spot in the state and wanted to see what 60 degrees felt like. Been so long I forgot. Was riding all back roads and just turning whatever way the road looked best so I only made it just North east of Grand Rapids before I started back to Flint.

just curious, what route did you take?

 

i like going to either 21 or 57 and taking them across 57 is a little more scenic, but you have to go out to clio. i grew up in clio, so its just natural for me

 

21 has pretty nice pavement all the way out.

 

can take miller til it turns into lansing road and come that way too. it does go through lansing on the south side, but is mostly 4 lane and not bad. lots of new blacktop, too.

[timgray]

As promised here's the photos of the bike. Not bad for a guy's very first paint job attempt.

 

It's all lacquer except for the clear. That's a new type of urethane that I cant scratch even with the keys and has so much UV additive in it that it was slightly yellow tinted.

 

Firemist orange with gold and red metalflake in the clear. The graphics are painted on I sprayed a taped off black, then did a plastic wrap erriedes perl effect and then airbrushed in red and yellow candy over the perl in the stripe. The photographs simply dont show off the look or the color. Getting the old emblems off the bike really updates the look. I found a set of the newer Yamaha medallions for the saddlebags to cover the injection marks. I am still trying to decide if I want to re-logo the bike or not... It looks really good without the yamaha logos and venture logos on it.

 

About 30 hours sanding the panels before priner, 15 hours painting and sanding, and another 8 hours sanding and polishing out the clear.

 

 

I know, faded blue is the fastest color... I'll have to live with riding slower

[ddoggma]

The bike is looking sweet bro. Nice job.

[eagleeye]

Wow, is that a sharp bike. I love the color, and it gives the whole package a very sharp look.

 

Steve

[Monty]

Nice! Makes it like having a new bike again, huh?

[timgray]

Yup feels like a new bike. I love the rack on the tank as well. A buddy of mine copied the stock trunk rack to make a tank rack for me. Did not have it chromed.. The local chroming place wanted $350.00 to do the rack, so it's silver instead.

[Venturous Randy]

Looks very good. I did not put the emblems back on mine and won't. It looks much better without them. The only one I have is the one in the chrome strip under the windshield. I would take that one off it I easily could. Makes people wonder what you are riding.

RandyA

[KarlS]

Very nice, like the color. I'd leave it like it is without the emblems.

[Rottdoglover]

PURRR-DEEE! But somehow I have a hard time believing this was a 'first attempt at painting'. It's the little things (plastic wrap effect,etc.) that really make a paint job stand out in a crowd. Now, get out and ride it

[MikeM8560]

Awsome ! first time painting? :confused:whats next a custom matching upholstery job

 

I like the looks of my tanks rack also, ita a goldwing one but i never strap anything on.

[Condor]

As promised here's the photos of the bike. Not bad for a guy's very first paint job attempt.

 

It's all lacquer except for the clear. That's a new type of urethane that I cant scratch even with the keys and has so much UV additive in it that it was slightly yellow tinted.

 

Firemist orange with gold and red metalflake in the clear. The graphics are painted on I sprayed a taped off black, then did a plastic wrap erriedes perl effect and then airbrushed in red and yellow candy over the perl in the stripe. The photographs simply dont show off the look or the color. Getting the old emblems off the bike really updates the look. I found a set of the newer Yamaha medallions for the saddlebags to cover the injection marks. I am still trying to decide if I want to re-logo the bike or not... It looks really good without the yamaha logos and venture logos on it.

 

About 30 hours sanding the panels before priner, 15 hours painting and sanding, and another 8 hours sanding and polishing out the clear.

 

 

I know, faded blue is the fastest color... I'll have to live with riding slower

 

Wow!!

[Snaggletooth]

Most excellent change! Very nice. A hot blonde with highlites!

[KarlS]

just curious, what route did you take?

 

i like going to either 21 or 57 and taking them across 57 is a little more scenic, but you have to go out to clio. i grew up in clio, so its just natural for me

 

21 has pretty nice pavement all the way out.

 

can take miller til it turns into lansing road and come that way too. it does go through lansing on the south side, but is mostly 4 lane and not bad. lots of new blacktop, too.

 

I was just North of Birch Run picking up my National Parks Pass when I left for Muskegon. I just went West until the road ended. Then I'd look both ways decide which way looked best and went that way until I could go west again. Ended up coming into Carson City from the North. Then went west on 57 out of Carson City to 66. Went south into Ionia then took 21 east to home. Muskegon was my goal but it was one of those rides where you just go where the road takes you. Found some great roads with some fun curves North East of Carson City along the Bad River. If I would of went all the way to Muskegon it would of been so late I would of had to burn e-way all the way back and didn't feel like e-way riding.

[DragonRider]

Fantastic looking paint job.........given me some ideas for mine, it will be ready for paint soon.........I really like the way he replaced the pinstripes with wide stripes.........Very Cool..........Congrats...

[Squidley]

Tim,

Very nice work on the bike, love the color combo too, can't wait to see it in person soon

[timgray]

It "technically" is my first time painting a bike. I have a great friend who is a hotrod artist, Kind of like the Boyd Coddington of Michigan who let me use his shop, and helped me with it. I learned a whole lot in a short amount if time. He taught me how to spray the different kinds of paint, how to do the airbrush and other effects. etc... He was the one that after my blue paint showed up showed me a test panel with the current colors on it and then said, you still want blue?

 

I learned enough to do that kind of paint job again, like how spraying the metalflake is one ofthe most frustrating things in the world among other things.

 

So I might have had some over the top professional help.

 

Last night when my wife and I went for a ride to the local harley dealer shopping for new leathers, every rider there said they loved the paint and even some, "what is that bike? Yamaha? 83? you're kidding right?" I was also told by one guy, Nice Ducati! That one confused me a little.