Bike transport needed, Texas to ISDTRR

[Tony Price]

Hi Jim, and welcome to POG!

Ron is correct in that getting it running is your first order of attention.  First things first though, ditch the airfilter for a new No Toil or Uni Filter.  It's served you well, but sucking 20 year old filter foam into the intake is a no win situation.

There are, however, some things you can do that are almost free and a great way to pass the time.

Not knowing just how much work your rims need, I am going to go on the assumption that she has been stored inside for most of the time and the rims are not rusted through out.  If this is the case there are several cheap ways to address this.  Go to any good sized auto parts store like Auto Zone and check out the chrome cleaners and polish.  Just about any of them work pretty well, and I have used rubbing compound more than once.  If the areas are pesky, use some fine steal wool with moderate to light pressure to clean them up before you polish them.  After you get them cleaned up, put some wax on them to help keep the Houston humidity at bay.

Fine steal wool also works well to clean any small scrapes you may have in the frame paint as well.  Again, wax the frame after you get it clean.

As for your pipe, I would go ahead and take it off, plug up the exhaust manifold to keep debris out of the jug, and have some fun with a wire wheel on a drill and some sand paper.  After you get the gunk off, hit it with some High Temp black paint.  This is avialable at you local Auto Parts store as well.  There are lot's of opinions on what works best, but I'm partial to the Dupli Color Hi Temp Flat Black Epoxy engine paint.  Might not hurt to check the packing in the end cap as well.

For you lower fork legs, use a scotch brite pad to bring them back to a luster, and wax when done.

Pop out your wheel bearings and check them out.  If they are still good, clean them up and grease them.  If replacements are needed, just about any bearing house will have new ones, just take them in with you or get the numbers off your old ones.  When I rebuilt my Berkshire, I was able to purchase every bearing for the wheels and engine locally.  The wheel bearings are cheap, but yours are probably just in need of grease.

While your wheels are off, pop out the brake shoes, scuff them up with some sand paper, and use emory cloth to clean your hub surfaces. In the event you need new shoes, they too are available.

As Paul mentioned, checking out all of your rubber peices is a good idea.  They tend to get brittle and crack over time.  Replacements are available for most everything if you need them.

If it were my bike and I was just going through it, I would pull the engine, take the tank and seat off and start cleaning.  Pay particular attention to anywhere you have electrical connections, especially gounding points, and make sure they are shiney clean.

If you have been running her around the lot, your cables may be OK, but I would check and lube them just to be sure.

When reassembly starts, check every nut and bolt for tightness.  At last years ISDTRR in Arkansas, I ate it in the last Special Test on Sunday when my front brake stay came off and lodged into my front wheel.  Bikes built in 1972 were not meant for free style activities, do not try this at home........

It may sound like a lot, but it can be accomplished in a couple leisurely weekends, or a few nights a bit at a time.  With the exception of the bearings and air filter, everything I have mentioned should cost about $25-35 to accomplish if you don't already have the sand paper, emory cloth, grease, and cleaner/polish hanging out in the garage.

Welcome back!

Tony, just North of Dallas and clearing his throat loud enough for Ron to hear about riding in Kerrville. []

[firstturn]

Tony,
  How could we have a ride without you and Walt??

Ron Carbaugh
Kerrville, Texas

[jimpal]

Tony,
  Thanks for all that good info. I think even an old man like me could do what you suggested, and have a great time doing it..When I did put it together after it had sat for so long, I did put new filter foam in it, and oil, but don't remember the brand. I will get what you recommend..Before I do the cleaning up on it, I want to get it running again with the Amal instead of the Mikuni carb..Ron has offered to help me with that. I guess when I tried to clean the Amal, I must have missed something...Thanks again for your welcome and your interest in helping me...Looking forward to future contacts!

Jim Palmer

[Knute]

Hey Jim,

Welcome to the group!  You won't meet a better bunch of people anywhere.  If you ever get a chance, the 3 best times to catch a lot of us in one place are the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, the ISDTRR, and the annual POG meeting at the AMA Museum.

As far as your bike goes, I agree with the other guys.  I would clean it, detail it, and get it running right first.  You are very fortunate to own your original 'piner.  You two have a long history together and I think there is a chance you'll find that a full restoration might diminish the character of the bike.  Remember, it's only original once.  You can always restore it later but you can't unrestore it later.  Whatever you decide to do, we'll be here to help.

As far as your rims go, I've had good luck cleaning lightly rusted chrome with 0000 steel wool.  000 can also be used on the bigger blemishes.  Anything coarser (00, 0) will scratch the chrome.

Take care,
Kent

[Tony Price]

quote:Originally posted by firstturn

Tony,
  How could we have a ride without you and Walt??

Ron Carbaugh
Kerrville, Texas

Yahoo!  Doing the Snoopy Dance.

I know, that's a visual you don't really need......

Tony

[Tony Price]

quote:Originally posted by jimpal

Tony,
  Thanks for all that good info. I think even an old man like me could do what you suggested, and have a great time doing it..When I did put it together after it had sat for so long, I did put new filter foam in it, and oil, but don't remember the brand. I will get what you recommend..Before I do the cleaning up on it, I want to get it running again with the Amal instead of the Mikuni carb..Ron has offered to help me with that. I guess when I tried to clean the Amal, I must have missed something...Thanks again for your welcome and your interest in helping me...Looking forward to future contacts!

Jim Palmer

I have very good friend who has a 72 Six Days that he is the original owner of.  I think he followed the delivery truck to the dealership just make sure no one beat him to it.

I sort of think of it as marrying your high school sweetheart and still being together after all of these years.  If nothing else, you were right once, and been right for a long time.

The carb thing can drive you a bit nuts and it's easy to miss the forest for the trees.  There were way too many witnesses to this last year at the ISDTRR when I had a plugged up jet in a carb I just knew was good to go after having been cleaned and rebuilt.

If I hadn't pulled that float bowl and slide off and checked, I'm pretty sure Dane was gonna slap me in the back of the head. chuckle chuckle





Tony

[jimpal]

Kent,
 Thanks for the good words and welcome. That's what I have decided to do..is just clean her up real good and leave it original. She has been kept in a garage all her life so she really isn't too bad looking. The only things not original are the tank strap and the kick start lever and one petcock. What you and Tony said talking about her being original made me think about my wife..When I met her she had another boyfriend, but I stole her away and we have been married 50 years next july..The Piner actually was bought by a friend of mine..I couldn't afford a new Penton in those days. When he brought it home I drooled over it..and wished I had it. Kind of like when I first saw my future wife...Well, when my friend and I would ride in the woods (he never rode in an enduro, he just puttered around in the woods..I mean he rode slooow!)I rode my yamaha and coveted his Piner..One day we were on a gas pipe-line, somehow he got it at just the right rpm and throttle, it came on it's pipe and jumped forward real fast..and off he went. When I got to him, he said "I'll never get on that thing again, it's too much bike for me..You interested in buying it" I stole it from him, just like I did my wife from that other guy..Paid him $500..and we have been "married" for almost 34 years..Through my stupidity, we almost got a divorce but Paul helped us thru that..So, I will really take care of her now...and thanks for all you guys helping us..

Jim Palmer

[firstturn]

Jim,
  I am happy you are going to leave it original.  Did you get my email??  Got to go finish loading for the Reunion Ride.

Ron Carbaugh
Kerrville, Texas