My idea of a good restoration and your idea of a good restoration may differ, but you know deep down inside that I’m always right. I am the arbiter of cool. I am the final word, I am…Omni Joe. Here are 5 common restoration mistakes that drive me crazy:
Sin #1: Gas tank liners.
That sealer crap people pour into their motorcycle gas tanks is the worse invention of all time. Guys swear by this junk but don’t listen to those lazy bastards. When I read the words, gas tank liner and/or Caswell sealer in a motorcycle description I know an amateur’s hands have been fiddling the motorcycle. Who would pour that devil’s goop into a nice motorcycle gas tank? It makes me wonder what else they screwed up. The way to fix a leaking, rusty gas tank is to get rid of the rust and weld/braze any holes. Any other method is destined to fail. There’s no excuse for using devil’s goop, YouTube is lousy with videos explaining how to clean out a rusty gas tank and how to stop it from re-rusting.
Sin #2: Repainting serviceable original finishes.
Nothing annoys me like a guy posting up a 90% perfect, original-paint motorcycle and asking where he can get it repainted. Stop! If the paint has a few chips or is faded a tiny bit leave the damn thing alone. One of the most underused old-sayings is, “It’s only original once.” No matter how shiny and beautiful you think your topcoat turned out its still vandalism. There are many phony re-pop’s running around, don’t make your motorcycle one. By painting over your once desirable survivor you lower its historic value. Listen, I’m not against repainting really bad original body parts, lord knows my Z1 needs it but I know anything I do that covers over the factory work erases a story, and vintage motorcycles are commodities without a story.
Sin #3: Over restoration.
When the Japanese bikes that are considered classic today were first sold they had acceptable build quality. For some strange reason many motorcycle restoration experts go way overboard making the motorcycle a show bike that bears little resemblance to real motorcycles. Chrome back in the day was thin and yours should be too. Nothing depresses me as much as these tarted-up travesties. The nerve of some Johnny-Come-Lately with a fat wallet and no soul thinking he can render a better motorcycle than the factory. Keep it simple and try to match the level of finish that you remember. Otherwise, what’s the point? It’s already worth less because you damaged the original build by trying to improve the bike. Why pour money into the thing making it something it never was?
Sin #4: Giving a damn about numbers.
As people get deeper into the vintage bike hobby they grow ever more insane. It’s not enough to have the correct parts anymore: Now you must have the exact build date on the part to suit your motorcycle’s VIN number. This is madness. Nobody except lunatics and bike show judges will care that your sprocket cover was made a year or two after your bike left the factory. The only part number that matters is the one that can get your bike registered for the road. I’ve seen people on vintage groups debating a slight casting change or a vestigial nub as if it were the most important thing in the world. People like that have no business owning a motorcycle; they should go into accounting or better yet, prison.
Sin #5: Parking it.
The final and biggest sin of all is to restore a motorcycle and then park it. I can over look all the other sins, even tank sealer, if the owner rides his vintage motorcycle. Get the thing muddy. Do a burn out. Ride it to shows in the rain. Honor the motorcycle by using it. A show motorcycle that is too valuable or too clean to ride is nothing, less than worthless. The machine was built for you. It has a seat and controls for you. The engine wants to pull. Do the right thing by your motorcycle and your sins will be washed away, my brothers.
Keep up with the Zed restoration!
Where’s the thumbs up emoti?
Every time we make a typo, the editor in chief cuts off a finger. The thumbs were the first to go. We may have to stop riding when we lose our middle finger.
Strong personal opinions abound! Is there not enough room for many interpretations of “restoration”? Of course the answer is yes.
You’re a boor!
I agree with you so and I have been saying all this for years . What’s worse than over restoration ? Fake patina! But most of those are ridden . Over restored machines that become collectors items , too valuable to ride , or otherwise parked in museums , are no longer machines. They have become statues! I will walk right by a shiney resto every time to check out a survivor that yes! Tell a story . Wears its history . Takes the onlooker through a journey intime. I have often said they are only original once , but I love period mods. When some would be restorer takes off a set of Anderson pegs and replaces them with square stock pegs or dhit cans a set of Flanders risers , I cry . As far as tank liners go I like Red Cote , which is simulat to what BMW used from the factory. I will usually have new tanks pro seal with redcote. It’s not a repair , it’s a sealer . So on that I have a slight difference with joe. But he is right on the rest of the way .
Typos are good! They create responses!
I’ll throw some moron, then!
I agree with everything except #2. A bike with the original paint that has any flaws is not “restored”. Just like a bike that has been customized isn’t “restored”. Restoring a motorcycle means to be brought back to the original condition. If the paint is faded, chipped or scratched, no matter how slight…it’s not restored. I also believe “over restoration” is not actually “restored”. People putting mirror finishes on their cases or forks have now turned the bike into “customs” not “restorations”.
Chromosexual ,is the nickname I give for so called restorer’s, who give Japanese bikes that” show chrome” finish !
It’s the owner’s bike and money. Why and what should you care what people to do THEIR property and with THEIR money? You sound like a petty and jealous kid! Grow up. Keep your useless opinion to yourself! Period! End of story!
Yeah – Totally spot on about the tank liner. I had one of my XS650’s professionally done using Por 15 and about 15 years later that stuff is coming loose and is a total pain in the ass. Getting rid of it isn’t easily done either. I had it done due to some large rust spots on the inside of the tank and having lots of prior experience with partially clogged carbs on the XS I thought it was a good way to avoid that. Huge mistake.
Why would I care how another rider restores his motorcycle? Isn’t that his prerogative? Do you point out these deviations from perfection to the owner when you view them? I love seeing them as ridden at Newcombs, the Look Out Cafe, or Grizzley”s. Locking them up in a hermetically sealed garage is what bothers me.
My wife is a world class pin striper and often she gets a bike or two in the garage that is in my words and probably yours “over restored”. Being one of those guys who was THERE at the time when bikes of the 60’s – 70’s and later were new, I look at the bike and think…”Dude, the chrome was never that good, and paint was never that deep and shiny either”… and then I have listen to how perfectly “restored” they are now and all the numbers match and how hard is was to find the correct rear end nut washer of the correct size and lot number of their bike. I node and smile, then I usually ask when they want to go for a ride…no time is set. The bike only goes to shows on a trailer.
In the immortal words of a guy I heard say one time…. “It’s like having a pretty woman and never taking her to bed. If you want to to only look at it , buy a lamp.”
Well done article….
Perhaps, I shouldn’t comment because I tend to rejuvenate and improve instead of restoring. I ride my bikes; so, they have to suit me. I only showed one bike in an AMCA judged event and got a junior first. After that, I put a solid state voltage regulator and nearly correct seat and luggage rack on it. Since then, I have happily been riding that wonderful ’56 KHK Harley with no concern about anything but keeping it (and me) healthy and having fun.
I have had good luck with tank liners; so, I’ll continue to use them. I guess I am just one of those cowboys that have to pee on the electric fence myself!
Hey George! You do ride’em and don’t hide um!
I somewhat disagree with point #1.
I have has smashing success with electrolysis, followed by POR-15 for a rusty fuel tank…
Not goopy at all.
#6 Bragging about how you got the bike for nothing.
No restoration or acquisition has any worth or meaning UNLESS you beat your chest and tell about how some poor, recent widow paid you to haul off her late husband’s vintage motorcycle collection… (as if we should applaud that kind of behavior.)
Every Facebook or Forum post starts out with how they got their recent “barn find” for next to nothing. It doesn’t matter what the item is, only that through their skillful negotiations were they able to steal the bike. And then they wait for all their ‘friends’ to laud them for being such a great hunter.
The world is obsessed with this. There are tons of TV shows about it. We “flip” everything.
But the behavior is nothing new… it has been going on for centuries…
“Hey, Esau! You look hungry! Tell ya what…. wanna trade your inheritance for this pot of beans?”
That’s the most comments I’ve ever seen on a post. I don’t really care about how something is restored, but 40 years of doing accounting paid for a lot of bikes and Yoo-Hoo. Leave us beancounters alone.
The same guys who worry about having the correct, original washer will dump in tank liner without a second thought.
I don’t recall any gas tanks on old bikes coming from the factory with that goop in there.
Good stuff Joe. I must say I was disappointed when I couldn’t find the typos….Made me look anyway 😉 I’m looking to work older bikes in the future and did wonder about tanks but always figured as you say just do it right. Worst of all is when I do “restore”one I figure to ride it like I stole it….otherwise why do it! LMYR