shaunc
L plate rider.
Posts: 11
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Restorers
Feb 5, 2021 6:29:05 GMT 1
via mobile
Post by shaunc on Feb 5, 2021 6:29:05 GMT 1
My two projects (RD250LC and YPVS) have been on hold for over a year due to my daughter’s illness. Sadly, things aren’t likely to change for the foreseeable future. I don’t want to give up on my dream of seeing these two bikes back on the road but I just don’t have the time to do the work myself - I don’t have time to even clean my teeth at the moment!
Reluctantly I thought about contacting a bike restorer firm who specialise in LC’s and/or Power Valves.
I’m guessing the bulk of the work would involve stripping down; sending bits off to specialists (engine rebuilders, fork specialist etc etc); and then rebuilding the bike. In short, everything I’d planned to do myself.
Can anyone recommend a bike restorer firm who could do what I’ve described, above?
Obviously, money will be an issue (and I don’t imagine this kind of work will cone cheap - certainly not if I’m looking for a pristine finish) but first of all, I wanted to find out out if such a firm exists?
Thanks in advance.
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Post by dusty350 on Feb 5, 2021 9:48:12 GMT 1
Hi Firstly, so sorry to hear your daughter is ill - every parents nightmare for sure. I hope she responds well to treatment and makes a full recovery. Kids are very resilient, and often recover far better and more quickly than adults do. It would help to know whereabouts in the country you live ? There are many talented guys on this forum who know how to put these bikes together. I also think an enthusiast would be a better bet when it comes to money - there are a few firms that do restorations, but can be expensive and dont always come with a good rep. Engine wise - Muttsnuts on this forum - Dave Whattam, can build these in his sleep, and does lots every year. A busy guy, but the good guys are always busy. Arrow (Gary Jones) is the man for your oil pump builds. Andy (avb) will do your vapour blasting. Guys will recommend your powderoaters and painters depending on where you live. Norbo runs the site, and an online shop full of goodies - the link is at the top of the page. Covid and social distancing will make forum help a little more difficult, but I bet there will be guys local that would happily give some time to at least strip the bikes down. I would do one at a time though, otherwise you will have a monumental task putting them back together. I do think, as time moves on, you will find having a jigsaw of bike parts to put back together may be good for you - it's certainly kept me buoyant in the past I hope your daughter responds well to treatment, and her health returns to normal Dusty
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Feb 5, 2021 9:49:29 GMT 1
Firstly sorry to here about your daughter
Secondly it may help if you say where abouts in the country you are
I've done a few ypvs's for other people over the years but unfortunately I've just taken on an LC for a mate
Cost for parts now is getting horrendous. Even engine service parts are creeping up. A full engine build can easily swallow up £1000 of parts
Also if you are paying someone to do it to a high standard there can easily be over 100 hours labour in it which gets scary if you are paying a company to do it.
Steve
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Feb 5, 2021 9:51:13 GMT 1
We must have been typing at the same time Dusty
Steve
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Post by veg on Feb 5, 2021 9:56:56 GMT 1
Shaun firstly I want to wish you but more importantly your little one all the best, I hope that she is getting all she needs and more.
With regards your bike I don’t personally know of anyone nor can I recommend a restorer per see. Most on here do there own bikes and may sub contract for certain things, I don’t have the time and get no enjoyment out of engine building so had my motor built by one of the key members on here. Rarely do people get the whole bike done and I’m guessing that some of that is price but some they like to work on or tinker.
I would ask where are you based? There may be members on here near you that can help you out? They could even maybe work on the bike but with your assistance? That may be a nice release if you have an hour or two a week? There are some incredible bike builders in here but they generally only build their own bikes.
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Post by veg on Feb 5, 2021 9:58:45 GMT 1
Steve dusty when I started writing mine there were no replies seems all three of us have similar thoughts 😁
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Post by shaunthe2nd on Feb 5, 2021 10:01:58 GMT 1
I'd be very happy if it took me 100 hours. Most my builds take 200-300 hours typically. That includes working on the bike, and also sourcing parts and chasing around suppliers etc.
Sorry to hear about your daughter and understand that time spent with her is a priority. I take on one big build each year, usually standard builds, and a few smaller jobs in between and wont be looking for a project until late autumn to take me through next winter. Some good points above, I'd concentrate on one at a time I think. You could still be sourcing parts for the other in parallel but I would only strip one at a time unless you have a big workshop.
Muttsnuts is worth speaking to as he is a full time 2 stroke guru. AJ's in Hull also do rebuilds on a commercial basis. Some capable forum members might take it on. As above it might help if you state location as logistics could be a factor.
Good luck with bikes and family life.
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Post by dusty350 on Feb 5, 2021 10:42:28 GMT 1
Yep, I think we were all typing at the same time ! All valid points - cost of rebuilding can be horrendous even when doing it yourself, so farming it all out could get very expensive. But, if you could get help stripping it down to it's component parts, the process then becomes one of sending certain bits off, and getting them back refurbed. Builds have no time limit - some guys build them very quickly, others take much longer ! The other thing to consider is what you want to end up with. A nut and bolt, period correct time warp bike with green bolts and tyre pressure sticker intact, or a rider with stainless fasteners, pattern tank etc, or even hybrid, where anything goes ? That will affect costs, who does the work, and maybe how long it takes. Definitely one bike at a time - throw a sheet over the other one and concentrate on 1 strip and rebuild. We are all guilty of having more than one on the go at a time, and it can get very messy !! They are easy bikes to work on, and if you follow a well trodden path, restoration is actually quite easy, once you know who to use. I'm sure you will have times when a trip out to the garage to bolt something back on will be a real tonic for you, and hopefully your daughter will get involved too We all need to escape life at times Good luck, and there is always lots of helpful advice from the forum collective Dusty
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Post by ozzysbikes on Feb 5, 2021 11:51:03 GMT 1
Hi
I am on the outskirts of Leeds and I am setting up a small restoration and repair service for pin money in my retirement, consequently the charges will be very reasonable, I have been repairing my own bikes since 8 years old and by the time I was 16 I was repairing bikes for friends and friends of friends, I rebuilt a GSX750 engine with a new crankshaft when I was 16 for a customer/friend of friend, I was being asked to tune mopeds for that many people that I had "Austin Yamaha" stickers, the popularity of FS1E tuning was helped by the original low state of tune and the fact that a friend/customer told people that "he had 85 out of it" complete nonsense of course but who was I to argue 😀
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Post by 4l04ever on Feb 5, 2021 14:34:42 GMT 1
Hi Myself and a few other local guys are based around Dudley in the West Midlands and we could help between us. We have local engineering companies etc in the area so can get most things sorted. We even have a local Dyno
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Post by muttsnuts on Feb 5, 2021 14:53:34 GMT 1
Welcome in Shaun.
Sorry to hear about your daughter
Firstly your location is going to determine a good few things, there are a few people around doing full restorations, some good, some not so good (I get plenty of those in here)
One guy worth speaking to is Kev Schofield (redbimota on here) he has built/restored hunderds of LC's etc, he is based in Sheffield
I use to do full restorations, but it took up so much time that it wasn't cost effective, if your local to me than I can do loads of stuff for you and get stuff done, I even allow customers to come and do some of their own stuff using my kit if they are so inclined (it helps keeps costs down for them)
I've got 2 LC's in for completion at the moment and several YPVS's (customers tend to get so far then run out of time, steam or ability), your's is a different case of course
As you have identified the problem with farming it out is the cost of labour, parts prices are just what they are, each bike to do it right will be at least 100+hrs, you can do it in less, but it won't be a quality finish, of course you can spend alot more time than that on it as well.
HTH
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shaunc
L plate rider.
Posts: 11
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Restorers
Feb 5, 2021 22:53:47 GMT 1
via mobile
veg likes this
Post by shaunc on Feb 5, 2021 22:53:47 GMT 1
A big thanks to everyone for all your advice but particularly for your warm wishes for my daughter - really touched. I’m going to try and reply to each of you individually but in response to some common questions, here goes:
I’m originally a Bolton lad but moved to the French Alps about 20 years ago (a ski resort some 50 minute from Geneva with roads to die for).
Based on the replies, it’s clear, given the number of man hours involved, that costs could easily go through the roof if a restorer is expected to do the lot.
The key seems to be a reality check/cheque about what’s reasonable in terms of finish versus costs. Then, given the inevitable compromises, see whether or not I can make the time to do that amount of stripping down, myself (and sending the various bits off to specialists). As someone said, rather intuitively, a bit of time in the garage (and the resulting bloody knuckles) might be a welcome break.
Not sure how to go about getting photo permission but it can’t be rocket science and then I can post a few photos of her current condition and my thoughts on the level of restoration (and the usual caveat of being open to suggestions from those who know far more than me).
Thanks again, everyone.
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