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Monday, March 28, 2011

Repairing classic or vintage motorcycles

By Mick Moore


Restoring timeless or antique bikes is a kind of pastime that will require a lot of creativity and mechanical understanding. You also have to be patient about it to enable you to transform an apparently junk motorcycle in to a work of art that you can be proud of flaunting in the display room.

You need to keep in mind that classic or retro motorcycles were created a long time ago and because of this simple fact, it will require exceptional care and upkeep to be able to keep it in good running condition. So, instead of letting your grandfather's vintage bike sit in your garage to rust, you might want to give it some attention by fixing or restoring it and give it back its former beauty.

Nearly all of the bikes constructed currently are made with corrosion proof metals or even fiberglass. Before, antique bikes were made with steel, which is very prone to rust and is also very heavy. This is one of the causes why parts for antique or vintage motorcycles are very hard to come by. This is particularly true for motorcycles whose manufacturers are no longer in business.

This is why a lot of retro bike owners are forced to scab together parts to be able to repair their antique or retro bikes. Some also try to alter generic replacement replicas or if you are fortunate, you can even come across usable parts from other bike aficionados.

Finding the parts you need to entirely repair the motorcycle is not the only thing that may be hard about this kind of endeavor. You also need to sustain and install the parts, which can be quite tricky. Even working on the basics will be rather difficult to do with a classic or vintage bike.

You have to consider that finding bike parts for antique or vintage motorcycles can be quite arduous. However, fixing them or installing them is even trickier, particularly if you are not well-versed on the inner processes of the particular bike you are rebuilding or restoring. It is very important to get the step-by-step instructions in order for you to commence with the refurbishment process. This helps make the entire process easier and much more convenient.

You can get repair instructions as well as do-it-yourself refurbishment guides for your motorcycle. These are necessary in order for you to get started with the restoration task and it is also a very trustworthy way for you to set down the footwork for the entire project, especially for antique or vintage motorcycles.

These things are hard to find because they are no longer being published. But, you can locate them on internet sites where online motorcycle repair manuals are being sold. You can also get them on swap meets for bike enthusiasts.

Without the repair manual or a do-it-yourself tutorial, you'll discover that the restoration project will be very difficult, if not undoable.

Antique motorcycle refurbishment projects can be an exciting pastime. It may be very difficult to execute at first but you can be sure that after finishing the project, you will have that sense of satisfaction and really have with you a valuable item that you can sell for a lot of cash.




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