I'm curious what restored means. To me it means the bike looks like it did on the show room floor and also runs like it did when new. I see people say they restored their bike but when you really look at it it's different than when new. Aftermarket parts. I understand consumables like tires, chains, sprockets and cables need to be replaced. They should look correct. It should also be at least as mechanically good as when new. I mean a daily rider if you want to.
I do what I like to call "resurrections". Bring them back from the dead. Make them mechanically as good or better than new. Run and ride as good as new. Looks let them be what they are. As the old saying goes they are only original once. The difference between a resurrection and a restoration is money, paint and re-chrome. Mechanically it should be the same. The bike should run and be as reliable as a it was when new.
I've been working on a XS2 resurrection. It's not quite done yet. I need to get 500 or so smiles on it to make sure everything is good. Then after a oil change and a once over twice I may sell it.
Last October I went for a old biker get- together. I ran into the salesman that sold my XS2 when it was new. He was blown away not just that it was still running but that it was still mostly original. He liked the patina I had kept on the bike. Like me he fells that restorations are cool but if you can't ride them everyday they belong in a museum. Look but don't ride.
To some I may have false pride in what I have done because it's just basic maintenance to make a 50 year old bike a dependable daily rider. Or even a trip taker.
I do what I like to call "resurrections". Bring them back from the dead. Make them mechanically as good or better than new. Run and ride as good as new. Looks let them be what they are. As the old saying goes they are only original once. The difference between a resurrection and a restoration is money, paint and re-chrome. Mechanically it should be the same. The bike should run and be as reliable as a it was when new.
I've been working on a XS2 resurrection. It's not quite done yet. I need to get 500 or so smiles on it to make sure everything is good. Then after a oil change and a once over twice I may sell it.
Last October I went for a old biker get- together. I ran into the salesman that sold my XS2 when it was new. He was blown away not just that it was still running but that it was still mostly original. He liked the patina I had kept on the bike. Like me he fells that restorations are cool but if you can't ride them everyday they belong in a museum. Look but don't ride.
To some I may have false pride in what I have done because it's just basic maintenance to make a 50 year old bike a dependable daily rider. Or even a trip taker.