View Full Version : Bad Condition Forks
Afternoon Peeps
After a long time in the shadows, I am coming out of retirement :)
I'm going to be focusing on making my Curvy SV supremely gorgeous so was after some info.
The front forks have succomed to the normal bad condition the sh*t roads in the UK will get them to, so I want to get it sorted.
You can see what I mean here (the right one is the worst):
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/ifoughtthelaw182/Suzuki%20SV650s/P1010136.jpg
I am based in North West Kent and would like to know if anyone knows of anywhere local(ish) where I can get the forks "polished" so that they look brand new? I might also be considering getting the frame, sub-frame and swing arm done as well.
On the side, I have come across a company called MO-CLEAN. They say they can clean your bike to a showroom finish for £50. Not bad on the face of it, but would be interested to hear anyones storys about said company.
Cheers my children :D
Wideboy
30-12-07, 04:04 PM
i don't know how well it will work but some of us on here have used autosol on the forks, i cant remember who did it but they had a good result with plenty of elbow grease, im yet to try it with a polishing wheel in my demle but mine is only 1 or 2 patches so its not that bad
EDIT: mind you for 50 squidly that ain't bad
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=75065&highlight=polished+forks
Hope that helps:D
Thank you for the autosol idea. Someone had suggested that in the past, but I thought that the condition of the forks was a bit too bad for just a little elbow grease.
Maybe worth giving it ago tomorrow.
Not going to be able to to the frame etc properly though mind.
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=75065&highlight=polished+forks
Hope that helps:D
Cheers for that.
Quite a nice finish all things considered :)
Fancy doing mine for me? lol :-P
Wideboy
30-12-07, 04:23 PM
wow! yeah and me :thumleft:
sv182 if you've got a dremmel drill or something that spins:p try getting a polishing wheel for it, its so much easier and takes virtually no time at all
i did my whole exhaust in about 30 mins
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m97/Gavino5/7.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m97/Gavino5/8.jpg
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m97/Gavino5/6-1.jpg
p.s. sorry about the shoes :smt037
Good thinking that man :) Very good results!
Might not be doing it on the exhaust though. Unless Autosol is completely ok on Titanium?
Cheers for that.
Quite a nice finish all things considered :)
Fancy doing mine for me? lol :-P
Stick em in the post..................I'm bored:D
Thank you for the autosol idea. Someone had suggested that in the past, but I thought that the condition of the forks was a bit too bad for just a little elbow grease.
Maybe worth giving it ago tomorrow.
Not going to be able to to the frame etc properly though mind.
Regardless of how much elbow grease is applied, Autosol is only worthwhile to remove surface discolouration, once pitting has been ground/polished out with a series of ever finer rubbing compounds.
I am toyng with the polishing idea - to be done in the new year. Once polished I would definitely either apply a laquer to tone down the shine or use protective wraps on the forks.
Regardless of how much elbow grease is applied, Autosol is only worthwhile to remove surface discolouration, once pitting has been ground/polished out with a series of ever finer rubbing compounds.
Which is what has worried me with mine. Just looks too bad already.
Will know tomorrow though I guess.
[QUOTE}Stick em in the post..................I'm bored:grin: [/QUOTE]
Don't tempt me lol :)
Very nice Wideboy...............but you missed your starter motor:p
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/Lissasv650/shinyshiny0042.jpg
Wideboy
30-12-07, 04:34 PM
Stick em in the post..................I'm bored:D
do they mike bike sized envelopes?? if so :D
i wouldn't know if autosol is ok on titanium
i wouldn't know if autosol is ok on titanium
I'm nearly 100% sure that it is not.
Our Stubby had the matt titanium finish, but we polished that up so it shines. The problem is, nothing really removes serious discolouration on titanum short of a polishing wheel, and it will never shine as well as stainless steel.
There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip:D
Wideboy
30-12-07, 04:40 PM
Very nice Wideboy...............but you missed your starter motor:p
craping hell!! what did you use on that agent orange:smt104 thats fantastic:thumleft:
.There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip:D
:D
craping hell!! what did you use on that agent orange:smt104 thats fantastic
We took it off and just used Solvol:D
There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip:grin:
Ouch! lol
Wideboy
30-12-07, 04:45 PM
We took it off and just used Solvol:D
will be getting meself some of this
There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip:D
and i will be using this :D
will be getting meself some of this
and i will be using this :D
If you can't find Solvol, look for Belgom Alu. Does exactly the same job, but also leaves a thin protective coating on the metal. It's a little more expensive than Solvol, but very good.
And feel free to use that anytime;)
Dangerous Dave
30-12-07, 04:55 PM
Our Stubby had the matt titanium finish, but we polished that up so it shines. The problem is, nothing really removes serious discolouration on titanium short of a polishing wheel, and it will never shine as well as stainless steel.
Agreed. I have just come in after Autosol'ing my M4 titanium exhaust can, I have been doing it for years now. Its best not to leave the polish on to long. If it is the down pipes you are worried about, they ain't titanium on the Akrapovics.
As for the forks, have you got a decent pic??? Most of the time it is just the lacquer that has been pitted and it can look worse than it is. Give it a go with Autosol, to make it easier try a dremel with a polishing wheel as advised earlier.
Agreed. I have just come in after Autosol'ing my M4 titanium exhaust can, I have been doing it for years now. Its best not to leave the polish on to long. If it is the down pipes you are worried about, they ain't titanium on the Akrapovics.
As for the forks, have you got a decent pic??? Most of the time it is just the lacquer that has been pitted and it can look worse than it is. Give it a go with Autosol, to make it easier try a dremel with a polishing wheel as advised earlier.
Our Akra system is the full titanium job, so it's all titanium. Never been able to get it to shine as well as our old system, but it's a quarter of the weight:D
I used Nitromors to strip the laquer on the forks, then they polished really easily.
sv-robo
30-12-07, 05:01 PM
There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip:D
:rolleyes::smt021;)
Wideboy
30-12-07, 05:01 PM
is THIS (http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=110) the stuff
couldn't find any of that solvol stuff
Agreed. I have just come in after Autosol'ing my M4 titanium exhaust can, I have been doing it for years now. Its best not to leave the polish on to long. If it is the down pipes you are worried about, they ain't titanium on the Akrapovics.
As for the forks, have you got a decent pic??? Most of the time it is just the lacquer that has been pitted and it can look worse than it is. Give it a go with Autosol, to make it easier try a dremel with a polishing wheel as advised earlier.
You cheeky thing you. The exhaust is all titanium thank you very much. :cool:
*Goes to collect toys that were throw out of pram*
lol
I'm starting to think that I will settle for getting the downpipes and can just very nicely cleaned.
I'm off to be making some chicken stir fry for me tea, so will post a before photo up of the forks tomorrow and also (I'm hoping successful) after photo as well.
is THIS (http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=110) the stuff
couldn't find any of that solvol stuff
That's it.
Try this place, it's where I get all my polishing mops and compounds from, and they also sell Belgom and Autosol.
http://thepolishingshop.co.uk/?gclid=CLbZ84G_0JACFQ9uMAod7FZ4PQ
Dangerous Dave
30-12-07, 05:08 PM
Our Akra system is the full titanium job, so it's all titanium. Never been able to get it to shine as well as our old system, but it's a quarter of the weight:D
I used Nitromors to strip the laquer on the forks, then they polished really easily.
Hmmm... not all are titanium it appears then, guy round the corner is stainless with titanium can. Oh... well.... I have had no problems with polishing my downpipes on the M4 either, as you said Lissa it won't shine as well (its all blue now anyway)
Nitromors is a great idea!!!
Ha,ha.... There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip. Well done Lissa!!!
Wideboy
30-12-07, 05:13 PM
That's it.
Try this place, it's where I get all my polishing mops and compounds from, and they also sell Belgom and Autosol.
http://thepolishingshop.co.uk/?gclid=CLbZ84G_0JACFQ9uMAod7FZ4PQ
cheers me dears will put an order in:thumleft:
Hmmm... not all are titanium it appears then, guy round the corner is stainless with titanium can. Oh... well.... I have had no problems with polishing my downpipes on the M4 either, as you said Lissa it won't shine as well (its all blue now anyway)
Nitromors is a great idea!!!
Ha,ha.... There is a bike sized envelope for a pointy.................it's called a skip. Well done Lissa!!!
Just remember to wear gloves to use the Nitromors. I didn't.............and found out why you should............the burning, the burning:D
I'm now hiding from ALL Pointy owners:D
tactcom7
30-12-07, 06:26 PM
SV182
If you have some mild to serious pitting on your forks and you don't mind a bit of hard work, get yourself some MicroMesh, It's like sandpaper for metal and comes in all sorts of grades. The final stages are smooth enough to leave a completely optically distortion free finish on canopies and windows etc and it's the stuff we use in the aircraft industry so you should be sorted! if you can't get hold of any give me your address and i'l nick you a load from work.
Si
P.S Same goes for anyone else that wants some.
SV182
If you have some mild to serious pitting on your forks and you don't mind a bit of hard work, get yourself some MicroMesh, It's like sandpaper for metal and comes in all sorts of grades. The final stages are smooth enough to leave a completely optically distortion free finish on canopies and windows etc and it's the stuff we use in the aircraft industry so you should be sorted! if you can't get hold of any give me your address and i'l nick you a load from work.
Si
P.S Same goes for anyone else that wants some.
Me, me, me, me, me!!!!!:D
SV182
If you have some mild to serious pitting on your forks and you don't mind a bit of hard work, get yourself some MicroMesh, It's like sandpaper for metal and comes in all sorts of grades. The final stages are smooth enough to leave a completely optically distortion free finish on canopies and windows etc and it's the stuff we use in the aircraft industry so you should be sorted! if you can't get hold of any give me your address and i'l nick you a load from work.
Si
P.S Same goes for anyone else that wants some.
Thank you very much indeed kind sir :)
Had some time to kill, so have done the before pictures now:
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/ifoughtthelaw182/Suzuki%20SV650s/301207001.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/ifoughtthelaw182/Suzuki%20SV650s/301207002.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/ifoughtthelaw182/Suzuki%20SV650s/301207003.jpg
Yes, its not good is it? In time though we will have a beautiful machine in my hands!
Mother Of God!!!
Any improvement will be an improvement!:D
Wideboy
30-12-07, 08:25 PM
flippin heck lol
I would like to take this opportunity to point out that it came like that from the dealers, second/third hand of course.
But to my shame it is only now that I can afford the £'s to get it looking gorgeous like it deserves to.
The quality of the shot probably is not helping my cause either.
Wideboy
30-12-07, 08:27 PM
The quality of the shot probably is not helping my cause either.
i like your thinking :thumleft:
The camera is much more used (and me for that matter) to taking much better, bigger and high quality photos then that. Just didn't think that a massive 1024 x 768 photo was needed.
So I conclude your honour, that the person operating the camera is an idiot.
Wideboy
30-12-07, 08:34 PM
some before and after photos would look ace when you've got it done lol
Well, weather permitting, tomorrow I shall take some photos of the whole bike. The ones that are "most up to date" are, well, not. Dated April 05. So would just be nice to have some up dated ones.
Plus of course we can use them as comparisons to what it looks like now to how it will look :)
Before and after pics are always a good idea...............then you realise what all the aches, pains, sore muscles and blisters are for:D
Before and after pics are always a good idea...............then you realise what all the aches, pains, sore muscles and blisters are for:D
That sounds exactly like my weight training progress as well lol
Wideboy
30-12-07, 09:04 PM
i think i will be doing mine tomorrow aswell... oohhh that reminds me fix the dremmel, i think i blow up last time :smt037
Right, had another look at them in the light of day (well sort of), plus my dad had a look at them too and its a professional job. More so, getting the lacquer on them once the clean up job is complete.
So need to change my question a little. Where is a good place to take the bike to get this pitting sorted professionally?
Dangerous Dave
31-12-07, 03:13 PM
No need to re-lacquer them as it will all happen again, its the lacquer that makes it all look worse. Just keep polishing and protecting them. Looking after them is a much better solution than re-lacquering!
No need to re-lacquer them as it will all happen again, its the lacquer that makes it all look worse. Just keep polishing and protecting them. Looking after them is a much better solution than re-lacquering!
Yep, agree totally. The laquer is the weak point. It really doesn't take much effort to look after the polished forks.
Well thats very interesting! :)
Maybe it will be worth giving it ago with the Autosol a go.
Going to e-mail these peeps as well:
http://www.promopolishing.co.uk/index.html
did mine late last last year and it only took a couple of hours, some wet n dry and a can of laquer. Didn't even have to drop the forks out.
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=95948&highlight=fork+finish
Alpinestarhero
02-01-08, 08:27 AM
I dunno whats been said (dont have time to read through all the posts) but my dad stripped the paint off my forks down to bare metal, and painted it thickly with some grey paint, and then did several coats of laquer; the finish is really nice, even over a year on its still looking good despite a few stone chips and a mark where it blew off the sidestand in high winds and bashed up against a clapped-out old MG :cool:
The previous condition of the forks wasnt as bad as yours I dont think (hard to recall) but it needed doing; its very nice now
Matt
Thank you for the further comments peeps.
Had a reply from the company I have mentioned. Been quoted about half what I was expecting, shows how much I know doesn't it.
Might still do the work myself, so anyone got a front end paddock stand they want to lend to a SV rider? hehe
Thank you for the further comments peeps.
Had a reply from the company I have mentioned. Been quoted about half what I was expecting, shows how much I know doesn't it.
Might still do the work myself, so anyone got a front end paddock stand they want to lend to a SV rider? hehe
I started off using rear and front paddock stands when I was testing out the fenda extendas. With the front wheel off, the front stand is a bloody menace. Any twist of the forks and it will fall off. Luckily I had slung a strap round a garage rafter and the headstock 'just in case'. Ended up borrowing a headstock lift, which worked a treat.
If you haven't got any stands yet I suggest that you get an Abba stand. I haven't got one myself simple due to the fact that I bought the front and rear paddocks before I heard about the Abba.
Ah yes, sorry, should have been more specific there.
Would certainly buy the front lifter that went in to the headstock part of the forks/frame and certainly not the ones on the end of the forks themselves.
:)
Wideboy
02-01-08, 07:59 PM
i have a bike jack that lifts the bike up by the crank case about 2 - 3 foot off the deck, don't know if it will fit the SV as i think its for cruiser type bikes (still in box:)), think i will try it at the weekend as i need to pull the callipers off, suppose i will take photos etc for you nosy types :D
i have a bike jack that lifts the bike up by the crank case about 2 - 3 foot off the deck, don't know if it will fit the SV as i think its for cruiser type bikes (still in box:)), think i will try it at the weekend as i need to pull the callipers off, suppose i will take photos etc for you nosy types :D
Pete had one of those, and they are really designed for bikes with frame rails. You may have problems as the exhaust runs under the curvy.
dirtydog
02-01-08, 08:08 PM
Pete had one of those, and they are really designed for bikes with frame rails. You may have problems as the exhaust runs under the curvy.
You will definitely have problems with the exhast being in the way and the lack of frame rails
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:08 PM
yeah was thinking that, it was bought for me as a present a while ago when i had a different bike, but i never used it :smt053
was about to toddle off to get it out
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:29 PM
just got it out the box, looks as though it will just fit, BUT i wouldn't feel comfortable putting the whole wait of the bike on the bottom of the crank case
not going to try it yet as it needs putting together and its cold:D
The other problem you may have is that the SV is a very narrow bike, so if it does fit it will possibly be unstable. You would probably need to tie it down with ratchet straps.
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:34 PM
The other problem you may have is that the SV is a very narrow bike, so if it does fit it will possibly be unstable. You would probably need to tie it down with ratchet straps.
yeah tells you in the booklet to tie it down to the jack but i think i would ratchet it to the rafters
Just supporting it from the rafters will still allow it to move, which could cause a few brown trouser moments!:-D
Tie it firmly down to the jack too, so that when you work on it, it doesn't sway around:-D
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:40 PM
which could cause a few brown trouser moments!:D
lol :D......... ok will do :salut:
the jack is rated to 400kg so can easily take the bike, but like you said its very narrow, think the casing will take the weight of the bike? :confused: i have me doubts
Wouldn't like to say a definite yes or no. People do lift their bikes on the crankcase, but with some other means of supporting some of the weight.
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:51 PM
Wouldn't like to say a definite yes or no. People do lift their bikes on the crankcase, but with some other means of supporting some of the weight.
hmm will take it cautiously and listen for strange noises (not just the ones coming from my pants:)) me thinks it will be okay its not that heavy really
cheers for the info lissa and sorry to sv182 for seriously hijacking his thread :D
Wideboy
02-01-08, 08:55 PM
sorry to re hijack but this is the one i have
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-lift/motorcycle-on-lift.jpg
toonyank
03-01-08, 07:27 AM
Hi sv182,
Slightly off the subject of fork condition but these would tart it up nicely IMHO :cool: and I still have 5 sets left.
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=99849
Hi sv182,
Slightly off the subject of fork condition but these would tart it up nicely IMHO :cool: and I still have 5 sets left.
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=99849
Thanks for the offer dude, but already got my bar ends sorted :)
toonyank
03-01-08, 11:42 PM
Thanks for the offer dude, but already got my bar ends sorted :)
Ah yes I see now by the photo there are red ones.... Nice :cool:
Got me some autosol today, so will be giving that a try. See where it gets me and then go from there.
chris8886
06-01-08, 01:31 PM
Got me some autosol today, so will be giving that a try. See where it gets me and then go from there.
if the autosol is taking too long try something called 'Loy Blocks'. a friend got them off the net for me, but they are the mutts nuts at stuf like this. especially the thick layer of crud on the forks!! there's 3 grades ie. thick, medium and fine grain. well worth a look though
petevtwin650
06-01-08, 02:29 PM
For those who say polished forks are hard work to keep looking nice. This is a pic of a fork after a month of winter riding. It's so manky 'cos the "Rudolph" legs didn't allow it to be washed down.:rolleyes:
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i184/petevtwin650/orgphoto/dirtyforks.jpg
This is after just five mins with the solvol and duster.:)
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i184/petevtwin650/orgphoto/cleanerforks.jpg
For those who say polished forks are hard work to keep looking nice. This is a pic of a fork after a month of winter riding. It's so manky 'cos the "Rudolph" legs didn't allow it to be washed down.:rolleyes:
This is after just five mins with the solvol and duster.:)
What are Rudolph legs? Do they protect against pitting?
petevtwin650
06-01-08, 03:41 PM
What are Rudolph legs? Do they protect against pitting?
:smt043 Not very well.:(
Lesson learnt for next Christmas, protect the fork legs with something before adding the Reindeer limbs. :grin:
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