Refurbishing scratched yoke?
 

My yoke is all scratched up from the previous owners keys and I want to make it look like new again. I've searched this forum but I couldn't find anyone who has actually successfully made it look like new by either polishing it or painting it that has posted up before/after pictures.

Any ideas? Has anyone got before/after pictures?

If all else fails, I'm going to have to buy a yoke brand new which will probably cost 100+ notes.

You could get it powder coated, it's generally pretty cheap and the finish is good. I have had my Sv wheels powder coated black. Jus be sure to stick some old bolts in the threads for the fork leg, and mask off the holes where the forks go as the powder coating will make these holes smaller.

You probably will have to get it shot blasted first too. Or if you get it blasted you can paint it yourself it's very easy. Just get some self etch primer as you will be spraying on bare aluminium and give it a good few coats of whatever colour you what. If you get the top yoke nice and hot between coats the paint will grab better too.

I painted a GSXR bottom yoke that I put on my pointy for the GSXR conversion.

Re: Scratched yoke
 

Polishing is dead easy, and will look better than new with a bit of elbow grease or polishing wheel and a bit of solvo:cool:

Re: Scratched yoke
 

I did my top yoke by hand and it was stunning for a few months, now I cannot be bothered to polish it and it just looks great.

To aid this, I smoothed off the casting marks, machined down the riser mounts and then went for it with various grades of wet and dry. Starting with 600 and moving through to 1200, once I had finished with the 1200 I got the polishing soap and wheel out and buffed it until it was a mirror finish.

All sides polished up lovely, however if the sun gets in just the right position, the top surface becomes a solar mirror and it is quite distracting! Still would not do it any other way though. I polished my risers too and they also gleam with loveliness!

Good luck! ;-)

Re: Scratched yoke
 

If I were to get it powder coated I would get it done professionally. Anyone have experience with powder coated yokes? And the cost?

This sounds like a good idea, and dirt cheap to do too, but I've yet to see any photos of before and after pics. I don't really know whether I'd like it polished, and then you have the problem with the sun reflecting off of it into your eyes. I'd love to see some pictures of it done though, that could tempt me.

Re: Scratched yoke
 

Could you take some pictures of it when you have time please, I'd love to see it. If you're too busy, don't worry about it :)

Re: Scratched yoke
 

I did take photos ages ago and if you go through this thread you can see some of the results. Bare in mind I did a lot of work on other aspects of the bike at the same time.

Anyway, have a look in my handlebar thread for pics of my work.

I admit polishing does look good if you can keep it clean and polished lol. Powder coating is cheap and durable it cost me £25 to have a wheel blasted and powder coated so something small like a yoke shouldn't be too much.

Re: Scratched yoke
 

Was that done professionally? Seems really cheap if it was!

Yea it was done professionally, it is not actually hard to do. You just have to have the right equipment. The guy that does it is fairly local to me, and I have been very happy with his work.