I'd borrowed the hollow three spoke Brembo wheels from my Daytona, pending a posh polish and paint job on the original six solid spoke SNW Trophy wheels. Meanwhile, Tim decided he had no use for his six spokers so I thought I'd make use of them (cheers Tim) as a way of returning Streaky his wheels. First off, ditch the 20 year old rubber tubeless valves. For a few pounds, it just isn't worth trusting these critical components. I've seen the front tyre of a bike blow out on a motorway. Not pretty.
Tim's wheels were a bit tired but otherwise in decent condition. I decided to give them a simple tidy up with some steel coloured wheel paint I had for years. Literally. I went for a steel colour because I thought it would pick up the graphite stripe on the Trophy bodywork, rather than the aluminium colour these wheels came in.
After a good scrub with a nylon pad, degreaser and CIF, I could see the paint on the rims was very thin and flaking. So a went over the edges with wet and dry. Also, I treated the inner surface of the rims where they had suffered from tyre irons in the past.
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| Tyre iron groove ... |
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| ... treated to a foam block and wet and dry ... |
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| ... until all is smooth again. |
I had some grey primer so treated the wheels to a coat of that to start with.
Unfortunately, there was still some flaky paint around the bare ally on the rim and it didn't take very well. So more rubbing back, more primer - still not great but as I was determined not to agonise over the finish, I went on to the wheel paint.
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| Not bad ... at a distance |
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| Rubbing back Simoniz steel colour wheel paint as it reacts again |
Well, more reaction followed, more rubbing back, more wheel paint. I think they are pretty good now.
I installed a new 160/60ZR18 Avon Storm 2 on the rear wheel ...
... and then noticed how the inner faces of the swingarm had suffered last winter. So more rubbing back - with steel wool this time - but special metals primer this time. Marvellous. Why didn't I use it on the wheels? No idea other than this time I wasn't thinking about a quick job. I was thinking of a sound one.
As a consequence, the paint took beautifully and no futher rubbing back was required so it was actually quicker anyway. When will I ever learn.
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| Good as new |
With the rear wheel reinstalled, I can see that the rear of the bike sits higher now. Tim discovered that there is a difference in the length of the rear shock absorber for bikes with an 18 inch rear wheel and the later 17 inch rear wheel. That figures, with the difference in stance of my bike, back on a wheel it was originally spec'd for.
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| Better stance with 18 inch rear wheel and original shocker |
I have not yet finished the front wheel but Ruby Trophy 12 is blasting around Somerset and Wiltshire again. Soo smoooth on the new chain and new rear tyre.
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| Ah, Summer time |
