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I've loads of work lined up for the Falco... most of which is general service/maintenance items such as braided hoses, fork oil, valve clearances and completely new chain/sprockets etc. etc.

I'd also like to clean up various bits and one thing I'm keen to have a look at is the swingarm... more specifically polishing it to remove various little scratches/dings etc.

Any tips? Anyone done it?

I really like the look of some highly polished Mille swingarms I've seen, but not keen on changing mine.

I really like the look of some highly polished Mille swingarms I've seen, but not keen on changing mine.

That's how i felt...but then i cracked

...Happy fettling Rick, i'm only going as far as a screen trim and fairy light conversion, the big stuff i'll leave to Griff and co!

Fairy light??!

I rather do everything myself... but one thing I definitely do not do is tyres... leave them to the pros.

Griff is a top fella... I went there a few weeks ago to pick up all my goodies... spent a frightening amount of money

I have seen some cool neon tubes that you can put under fairing which I thought would look cool... but then realised it may look a *bit* chav lol.

OT but are you out around Leics anytime soon? I need a couple more blasts before I start taking her apart! Weekends are the only good time now, and this weekend is out... wifey at a hen weekend :(

Yep chaving mine up to the hilt!...so far! You ought to see what i have in mind for the front...involves an oven!





I'm waiting for some cash to come in then i'll look for a Swingarm and get Griff to do the rear shock replacement and forks, might get some other bits...it's mad i think the amount of money i've spent i could have bought an 04 RSV with all the goodies on it!!!

Yep usually around Hinckley every other weekend, around this weekend then proberbly 10th or 17th...but we're into December, like you the bike maybe in several pieces at any given time! I'm sure we'll co-ordinate a ride out one day!

ooooohhh flashing lights!! they would look outstanding under my clear light covers when I eventually get round to fitting them.

Nice lights! Couldnt see them at work.

Regarding polishing swinging arm... how about this http://www.moleroda.com/acatalog/Motorb ... _Kits.html product number 41?

Has anyone polished their entire frame to a mirror finish?

rick wrote:Nice lights! Couldnt see them at work.

Regarding polishing swinging arm... how about this http://www.moleroda.com/acatalog/Motorb ... _Kits.html product number 41?

Has anyone polished their entire frame to a mirror finish?

Polishing the frame at home to a mirror finsih is going to be very tricky. I do a lot of polishing on a home made set up (1.5hp electric motor with a tapered spindle bolted to a small table) Using the right mops & soaps I can get a very good finish but most home set ups (mine included) don't have the smaller mops and mandrels to get into the tight nagery areas that you find on some frames (On the Falco between the side rails would be a pain to do) I've done swinging arms, wheels, exhaust & footrest hangers etc. with good results though

I use the polishing shop for my supplies, they do good deals and their delivery is spot on

http://www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/index.html

But I would recommend getting some instructions on what your doing first or you can waste a lot of money and soaps are not cheap. The kits you see for sale normally only cover basic polishing for metal thats already in good condition and those small bars of soap will be used up very quickly

F9

furygan man wrote:

Hmmm . . . Blackpool . . . trams . . .


sorry - couldn't resist

Falco9 wrote:
Polishing the frame at home to a mirror finsih is going to be very tricky. I do a lot of polishing on a home made set up (1.5hp electric motor with a tapered spindle bolted to a small table) Using the right mops & soaps I can get a very good finish but most home set ups (mine included) don't have the smaller mops and mandrels to get into the tight nagery areas that you find on some frames (On the Falco between the side rails would be a pain to do) I've done swinging arms, wheels, exhaust & footrest hangers etc. with good results though

I use the polishing shop for my supplies, they do good deals and their delivery is spot on

http://www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/index.html

But I would recommend getting some instructions on what your doing first or you can waste a lot of money and soaps are not cheap. The kits you see for sale normally only cover basic polishing for metal thats already in good condition and those small bars of soap will be used up very quickly

F9

Thanks for tips... the frame was just an afterthought really and having just returned from the garage where I was looking at how I would polish it, I decided against it

However I'm still mighty tempted with the swingarm and also the exhaust headers/downpipes... they're all brown/patchy and it would be nice to see them shine again.

I'll look into what I need... I have a reasonable amount of tools (several drills, angle grinders of different sizes and the world's largest vice) so its just a case of identifying what consumable I'd need!

Hmmm . . . Blackpool . . . trams . . .


sorry - couldn't resist

Fair do's, i don't see it's any worse than a load of LED's on a curcuit board...does the same thing, just to confirm they are running lights and not flashing ones...not everyones cup of tea, but as long as it's bright and get's me seen that's good enough for me...works for all the main car manufacturers!!..(Bet i'll get shot down for saying that now!)

I know i lost it a bit!!! Sorry all!

I blame Rick for starting the thread....won't post anymore offending pics

I want to see more bling on that falco!

i had same idea for singarm, tried to polish it with a few cheapo drill heads and polish, and it just didnt work for me, so it and frame are getting painted, also on the headers i did start to polish them but again, would take ages to get into all the nooks, so i got them acid dipped and zinc plated, just picked them up today, only cost a tenner, finish is ok in most places, but gonna try and hand polish to put better finish on, but that might rub plating off, will try it an see.

I bought a mop kit for a drill and have managed to get most of my spare system cleaned and polished to a good standard, although I made it alot easier by doing it the old scholl way and getting the heave stuff off with a bit of elbow grease and emery cloth.

Going to wait till the spring and swap it all over when I do my swingarm and shock. I'm in the same boat with the scratches and stuff so may fire it in for wither painting or getting covers for it.