[lilredridingliz]

While we no longer have these bikes, here are some before and after shots of bikes my very talented boyfriend, Tony, has put together in the past four years. Last year, he put a 1978 CX500 together for me. I'll dig up the photos of that, it was a beauty, but I felt it was too heavy for me to learn on. Wish I had it now…


Anyway, here is a beautifully restored Suzuki GS450…

 

[lilredridingliz]

And a Honda CM450:

Before:

Just some of the rust:

And after:

 

[lilredridingliz]

And the ratbike. The ratbike was built from a very rusty Yamaha XJ650 Maxim. The whole exhaust system was laying on the ground where it had fallen after rusting off the bike. All the rubber tubing was brittle.

Tony put the bike back together using a variety of bike parts—Suzuki GS550, a Honda CB750, Honda CX500, Yamaha SX650 and a variety of cables and switches—hence the ratbike designation. He rode the bike more on dirt than pavement in the year he had it. It had several incarnations of paint, and in the end got a Seca's seat, gas tank and fenders and was sold that way.

Here ya go.

The bike in our friend's yard:

The engine:

The engine after cleaning:

First incarnation:

Second incarnation (my favorite, though I never saw this bike in person):

And we're looking for a photo of its last incarnation as a Seca! :biggrin:

 

[A2rider]

Thank you! He is very talented! It is people like the two of you that warms my heart. Sometimes creating a running bike means using what you have. If you find anymore pics, please post them, I love seeing them.

 

[CheriAnn]

WOW! What talent!!!!
I can't get over the difference in the before and after pictures of these older bikes!!!!! How awesome!!!!!

 

[NCDave]

Wow...those are cool. What did he use to clean the motor case on the Maxim?

 

[lilredridingliz]

Wow...those are cool. What did he use to clean the motor case on the Maxim?

I'll ask him, and post the answer back here.

I've got Tony looking through his digital files for other project bikes. Yes, he is quite an artist when it comes to putting bikes together. He can see a rusty pile of parts and visualize something so totally cool I'm always amazed! That's why we need a shop!!

 

[gpzrider]

Nice bikes.

 

[lilredridingliz]

Dave, Tony starts out with a wire wheel grinding as much rust away as he can, and then finishes up by hand, using those brown synthetic scrubber "things" (his word, not mine).

 

[jeepurz]

And a Honda CM450:

Before:

Just some of the rust:

And after:

did you have to split cases to do motor work? Ive got one im working on and man those counterbalancers are a pain , ive since scored another motor with a good bottom end, info on them is scarce as far as lower end work.
Nice job.

 

[lilredridingliz]

jeepurz, he rebuilds the upper end sometimes (carbs, pistons, timing chain, etc.), but he never splits the motor open. If the transmission is bad, he doesn't take a bike, or he will simply drop a different motor on a bike rather than split one open.

 

[lilredridingliz]

Here is the CX500 that was for me. Ended up selling it to a local guy who loves it.

 

[lilredridingliz]

Here's the Vulcan VN700 (first year of that model, though we're not sure which year that was). It was so rusty when we brought it home, and here's what Tony did with it.

Before:

During:

After:

 

[NCDave]

Man, he's REALLY gifted!

 

[lilredridingliz]

Yep, I think so.

 

[NCDave]

Yep, I think so.

LOL...wait....I think you didn't understand that! :lol:

 

[lilredridingliz]

LOL...wait....I think you didn't understand that! :lol:

My sweetie is gifted in many ways!

 

[KwakaKZ1000]

Those bike are fantastic, he sure does some nice work.