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Roy Gavin wrote:As an aside Rub n Buff also comes in black which is just as good on old weathered and or scratched paint or plastic, freshens it up a treat without loosing the patina of a well used old bike.

Good tip Roy - I used it on some heavily weathered indicator (turn signal) bodies and the results were superb.

Ordered the Rub n Buff. We'll see how that goes.

1981 RS
Black Sliders
Wire Brush
400 wet and dry
Degrease
3M etch primer (SupaCheap)
3M satin black



Final drive with patina



Final Drive like new
Wire Brush
Degrease
3M Aluminium Heatproof Engine Enamel
S.S Drain/Fill Plugs still to be fitted
Frame powder coated

Wu-Wu! Lookin' good!

I used a slight modification of GSPD's method. By the way, it is the method used by other people I have met who either rebuild BMW engines or have spectacular looking bikes. I sprayed the paint right onto the parts and then used the scotchbrite to buff it down. Basically, that makes it fill the pores and not just look like it is silver painted. It just makes it look like a better than new part. I think that Rub-n-Buff is pretty much doing the same thing. Whatever works.

I should mention that before I paint treated my parts, I cleaned them with etching wheel cleaner from Eagle One.

By the way, Rub-n-Buff is available in the USA at craft stores. I got some at "Michael's" in So Cal.

Chuey

I received the Rub N Buff. I have done the front cover and the clam shell so far. It looks pretty good but I'm holding my breath. Once the whole block is done I hope it is not to silvery. I will probably finish it up this weekend.

x1Buellist wrote:I received the Rub N Buff. I have done the front cover and the clam shell so far. It looks pretty good but I'm holding my breath. Once the whole block is done I hope it is not to silvery. I will probably finish it up this weekend.

Best to apply sparingly with an old tooth brush, and hold back on the buffing - polishing adds to the shine...

It won't look too silvery. It will look groovy and clean. It will clean up well. You will experience engine aesthetic nirvana. Try to keep your feet on the ground when it hits you.

Chuey

Chuey wrote:It won't look too silvery. It will look groovy and clean. It will clean up well. You will experience engine aesthetic nirvana. Try to keep your feet on the ground when it hits you.

Chuey

Chuey - your excellent words remind me of the time I was explaining to a friend why I prefer the challenge of changing gear on my R90S to doing likewise on my much slicker, driveline shock-absorbed R65LS. I explained how I tried to plan ahead so that unnecessary gearchanges were avoided, tried to avoid having to come to complete stops wherever possible and generally treated the gearbox as carefully as I could by matching road speed to gear selection and pre-loading the lever before each change. Downshifts, I advised, need a lot of care, but the rewards when I got it right were worthwhile. I said it's possible that getting a good gearchange on an old airhead is one of the things that adds greatly to rider happiness..

He asked me if I was some kind of Buddhist...