Featured First Rattle Can Attempt

With the wife out and our boy napping, I thought I'd take the opportunity to address the headlight rim on my Twin which was getting a bit tired. It'd be my first go at spraying anything, having watched 'Views from the Man Cave' too many times and finally plucking up the minerals to follow suit. Also, my local dealer sells these for £25 so I wasn't going to have sleepless nights if it all went Pete Tong.

On a personal note, I think the silver front end looks kind of cheap on these, so will follow on with the speedo surround as VftMC did too, in lieu of being able to afford a shexy BAAK headlight and instrument combo (drools...), and will get a set of the Tec Parts headlight mounts. I have emailed George asking but got a holiday bounceback, so will put the same question out here to see if anyone knows; what do you mount the speedo to if you switch to that kind of headlight mount? Link to the mounts are below but doesn't suggest where the speedo goes.

https://shop.tecbikeparts.com/products/cnc-alloy-headlight-long-brackets-for-t120t100-and-41mm-forks

Anyway, I started documenting after I'd had a good go at scraping back the flaking paint and keying the remaining with some 800 grit wet and dry paper, so it wasn't in as poor condition as appears in the images, but wouldn't have been long before it went that way. I don't know how much I could have done by using some primer filler but don't think it'd have made a huge difference to the state of the metal. Most of the rust was appearing at the bottom of the rim, where the water would have gotten in, so hopefully will be hidden for the most part. Primed it twice (and most of my thumb and forefinger) which dried in no time due to the advantageous weather, and then gave it two coats of Halfords Matt Black spray paint.

Pretty happy with my first run out with a rattle can, and will more than likely have a crack at the speedo surround, and then buy and spray a new headlight surround so it doesn't have the failed metal sat underneath.

 

Cheers, @mpplineman.

I've sorted the speedo/headlight fitting issues, two separate mounts on order; speedo mount from Motone Customs and headlight mount from Tec Parts. I'll post some snaps when they've been fitted.

Also ordered some new pegs and gear shifter...don't tell the wife...

 

It is from 2016, and whilst I've had the bike since May 2018 when I got my licence, I was inexperienced and rode through last winter with limited knowledge on care, which I reckon exacerbated an existing issue from before my ownership. I now have my regime in place! You live and learn, I guess.

And yes...Slightly nervous of the £600 that speedo could cost!! I'm gonna have a crack at the gear and brake levers tonight ready for to fit the upgrade I've ordered from Motone (dispatch email received an hour ago )

 

Not enough!

I've bought the brass gear shifter peg (below) and the speedo mount as I've ordered the 'long' Tec Parts headlight mounts to be rid of the nasty silver stock mount for both. The speedo mount is pretty reasonably priced from Motone, but couldn't consider their headlight mounts at nearly twice the money as Tec's, plus having to buy their mount to relocate the regulator which I don't need to do with Tec's long bracket.

https://www.motone.co.uk/motorcycle...gear-shifter-lever-end-peg-ribbed-brass-p2049

 

Great looking machine! Mine is all matt, so it's nice to see the difference with the gloss finish.

That front end looks a whole heap tidier, nice job. Thanks for the heads up on the extra pair of hands, will keep that in mind!

 

Thank you, these vids are what started my spray painting obsession! I did my pegs and foot controls last night, pictures in due course. Im taking the words of the Stones’ Paint It Black all too literally...

 

Painted up all the foot controls the other evening (put the spray can down and step awaaaay), plus the Motone order came through today too. Had a multitool in my pocket so added the gear shift peg. Love the little brass detail amongst what is rapidly becoming a 100% matt black machine.

Here are a few more in-progress shots. Colder evening so set up an electric heater under where I was spraying to dry the primer/paint quicker. Worked a treat.

 

So much...and it's gone more black. Fitted the Motone speedo mount, and Tec headlight brackets and rear pegs yesterday evening, plus also a new set of rear brake pads (much less fun, although highly useful I've heard?). Removing the original mounts meant I needed to remove the pitiful/unnecessary fly screen, which did nothing for me anyway. I've seen the latest thread about the Dart screen on the homepage, and agree with one of the comments. I'm 6'2" and the original screen did nothing but push bugs and crap into my face/torso whilst ruining the look.

Below is a quick shot of the new front end look, as well as a shot from yesterday evening before I rode home. Will get another this evening as the bike is pretty much at the look I'm going for without the boss noticing I'm spending cash on that, and not on the house...in an ideal scenario I'd swap out the rear shocks and put the ECU override in. Any advice on these is welcome.