My 1992 VT1100C (Re)build thread

[metalguy]

When I had my '89 VT1100C, I installed the progressive springs in the forks first, and for the money was the best thing I had done. Before the new springs, I would bottom out on a cigarette butt! After, the hhandling, and ride were MUCH improved! I later put on the progressive heavy-duty shocks out back, after I put on a serious rake, and 10" longer forks, as the bias had moved rearward, and the stockers just didn't cut it any more. The ride was pretty stiff, tho... Just the experience I had. I am around the same weight, but would ride two-up often, too. Looks like a good start to a winter project! I would love to pick up another VT1100 that had cosmetic flaws for cheap like you did.-------Metalguy

[Camo2]

Thanks for the info Metal. Sounds like I better install those springs. I will install them just not so sure about the front drop part of the equation as for looks I'd rather stretch than shorten. I assume you raked the neck to achieve your stretch? You got any pics of your old bike? You enjoying this wonderful weather we're having this time of year?

[Camo2]

I spent a lot of time in the garage yesterday polishing and painting. I can't wait until I'm actually able to start putting things back together. I got the carbs pulled as well and man, there's a $hit load of tubes on that carb. I'm going to eliminate that canister and see how it runs (probably a class C felony). Did some poor mans anodozing. I think it turned out pretty well. The Vtwin logo cover had a nice dent in it and some scratches. I didn't want to spend the $25 for another cover. I think it turned out decent enough to keep.

[tclemens]

Lookin good Camo how do you anodize those parts looks nice.

[Camo2]

Duplicolor Metalcast paint available pretty much everywhere. You wanna get your parts all nice and clean of course and the shinier the parts to start with the better they turn out. The red turns out like a candy apple. The big secret to the whole process is to bake your parts in the oven at 250 degrees for half an hour. When you first spray the stuff you get a lot of orange peel and it looks pretty dull and crappy. Throw them in the oven and it spreads into a perfect candy apple surface. You get a nice aroma in the house when you do it so make sure the wife isn't around (if you happen to have one

http://www.duplicolor.com/projects/howto_metalcast.html

[Camo2]

I got quite a bit done today. It seems like such slow progress. I've probably spent 10 hours in the garage in the last two days and the bike doesn't look hardly any different than when I started. So much painting, polishing, cleaning, taking apart and putting back together. It's coming together though. It's an 18 year old bike that sat outside for god knows how long so I guess at lot of TLC is to be expected.

I got my fork legs polished today. They look a lot better than they did but they're not that mirror finish I was going for. I finally threw in the towel and said "good enough". They look a lot better but I don't think my buffer is up to the job on the fork legs for some reason. I don't think it's generating enough heat so get a good shine since the fork legs are so big and dissepate the heat. Oh well, I can always tear it down again some other time and go at em again. I've got too much other stuff to do to spend hours on the fork legs. I got the Progressive lowering kit and fork legs installed. I went with the 1" drop and 10w oil. I'll see how it handles when I finally get to ride it.

I fabbed some brackets for my front a rear turn signals. I'm really happy with how they turned out. The pictures don't do them justice. The brackets came out like chrome and I really like the location. I didn't get the rears wired but I got the bracket all done. $4 for the aluminum from Lowe's so I'm not complaining

I also got the Barons T-bars on. They look really trick! I tried to take some pics but the lighting in my garage is horrible and the pictures just don't do them justice. They transform the look of the bike.

Going to try to get the front end complete reassembled tomorrow. My wheel bearings are toast so I wish I had some on hand to replace them but I'm just going to have to put it all back together as is and just pull the wheel again to replace the bearings. I'm also going to clean the carbs and install my Factory Pro jet kit tomorrow and see if I have enough time to get the Vance and Hines Classic II's installed as well. Gotta wire in this rear signals as well. Seems like the list never gets shorter. That's why they call it a project right?

[Thayter]

I have a 92 as well and am enjoying watching your progress. The home anodising looks great and I can't wait for the wife to go visit her mother for a week or so. As you strip down that wreck keep in mind there are other 92 owners out there who are always willing to entertain spare parts. No sense junking up your garage when we can do ours instead.

[Camo2]

Thanks Thayter. Unfortunately I don't have much to report since other things have taken priority for the past couple of weeks. I found a guy locally that is going to polish my wheels for $100 so that is on the horizon. I just don't have the time to get the results I want and for $100 I'm willing to just let someone else do it that has the right tools and experience. I'm ditching the spoked 21" front wheel idea and sticking with the stock wheels. In the end, I made up my mind that there's a lot of reasons in favor of sticking with the stock wheels.

I did get my Vance and Hines bolted up loosely. They look really nice (as many others know). I'm not bolting them up permanently yet as the top muffler gets in the way of the removing the rear axle bolt. My 200 Metzler is on the way so I need to wait until my wheels are polsihed and the tire is mounted up before putting on the exhaust permanently. I've got a set of wheel bearings on the way too as the old ones are completely seized. It's all a big puzzle in that one piece depends on the next. It's difficult to keep up momentum when you keep running into something else that you need before you can move on to the next step.

I'll definitely keep updating this thread but it will be a "slowly but surely" kind of thing. I posted in another thread a problem I was having with the throttle and choke cables hitting the tank after installing the t-bars. I've got that solved. I'll take some pics and post up the solution.

I'll definitely have some parts left over and plan on passing along what I don't need. I'm just not getting rid of anything just yet until I'm positive I won't need it somewhere down the line.

[Thayter]

I am really interested to see how your wheels turn out. I am not excited about the look of the factory wheels and have thought of either polishing or some sort of anodizing to dress them up a bit. Where did you get and what product line of anodizing spray did you use? Are you planning to powder coat the frame or blast and repaint? The turn signals look LED are they? The weather that we enjoy here in the PNW makes me hesitant to put on smaller lights because of lower visibility. If those you are putting on provide a larger light signature then they sure clean up the look a lot. What is your plan for the hole in the grab rail for the old turn signals - weld fill and rechrome?

[Camo2]

Yeah, IMHO the wheels on the VT1100C/Spirit are an eye sore. The poor man's anodizing is Metalcast paint. Look back in this thread for info. I'm not doing anything to the frame so it will stay as is. The signals are bulbs, not LED's. I went with bulbs because I still wanted running lights in the front and I didn't want to deal with flashing and complex wiring issues to get the fronts to run as running lights. They're as bright or brighter than stock. I haven't decided what to do about that gaping hole yet. I've got a couple of ideas I've been kicking around. One option is to fill it with something else. Maybe a spike or something.

I notice you have Jardine forward controls on your ride. How do you like them?