What have you done to your XS today?

New mom n pop operaion

If you decide to powder coat your frame, ask the guy if he knows about 'out-gas'. This is bubbles showing up under the powder coat. My guy knew about it and even had to re-due my frame and swing arm. It is caused by oil in the metal coming out during heating. Get him to guarantee his work.
 
You above tag removing guys...your the best! I must of missed that mailman: The Man....and the part bout just laying the frame over and unbolting the engine...found that last night after hoisting out using 2 hand and two legs...relocating the long bottom mount bolt to pivot engine under top frame rail.
OK, Two pics here depicting one swipe of soapy hot water to revile silver paint above dip stick and one fin behind rt. spark plug. So, after the horrors of cleaning up the ft. chain sprocket area...I just washed the whole engine after putting cover back on. Then, just decided to strip the sliver paint for a refresh...wash again.
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The painter I used for my tins this last winter told me he had a guy who could reproduce these VIN stickers. If you can provide a quality photo of your original they can re-print them on vinyl stickers. I believe he told me he charged in the neighborhood of $40. I'd be happy to share the painter's contact info it that is something you wish to look into.
 
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Today, well yesterday to be honest, I spent a few minutes wondering what form of restorative work can be done to my wheels
I don’t know much about anything but I can’t help but think the chrome plating is compromised, making this a winter job. Anybody do do anything that helps? I polished quite a bit with steel wool and wd40. It helped I guess
 
got me thinking about buying a tubing bender and building a whole new subframe. hmm.

If you have the tools here are plans for a bender. I worked at a waterjet company and made myself a clone of the JD2 from scrap materials. However if you have to pay someone to do it, just but one. I priced out material to make a die and after you add in time it's cheaper to spend $300 to buy a die.

https://chopperbuildershandbook.com/bender1.html
 
View attachment 168751 Today, well yesterday to be honest, I spent a few minutes wondering what form of restorative work can be done to my wheels
I don’t know much about anything but I can’t help but think the chrome plating is compromised, making this a winter job. Anybody do do anything that helps? I polished quite a bit with steel wool and wd40. It helped I guess
You’d be amazed at how much rust on chrome can be removed with chrome polish and elbow grease. Tbh though, your wheels do look like the chrome may be peeling or stripped enough to not be salvageable. I use turtle wax chrome polish, and another great product is evaporust. I’ve never used it this way, but the instructions say you can saturate a rag and simply lay it over the area to be treated. It works like magic on parts that are submerged. Honestly, after the price of buying all these products, spending hours trying different methods, you might be halfway to a nice used wheel or a new hoop.
 
Yep, the VIN number is stamped on the steering head but I don't know if it's legal to remove a VIN sticker or plate. I figure that manufactures knew the sticker might get damaged and so stamped the head also as insurance. I just masked around mine and painted. :shrug:
 
Not quite there yet, but I can taste it. Waiting on my exhaust brackets to come back from powder coating along with some other bits. But other than that it’s just finishing up a little electrical in the headlight bucket and torquing everything down. I have yet to put gas in the new tank either. A little apprehension there.
 
Got the café bike out to meet a friend at the local brewery to talk a little treason. On the way home I got on the rear brake hard to see how well it was working. About 1/4 mile later the rear brake locked up solid and I had to push my bike off the road. Fortunately I was right at my 2nd driveway so after a cool off period I was able to get on it and bring it home. Looks like I'll be tearing into the rear brakes.
 
I`ve got about 3 1/2 hrs in the cleanup, bead blast and polish. Not done yet I still have to Dremel polish the small places.
 
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