1976 Honda XR75
This piece of vintage motocross history was found in nearly
complete condition outside a barn for what appeared to be
many neglectful years. After I asset the
condition this poor bike was in the first step was to break
down the entire bike. A thorough sandblasting to
remove the vintage paint, accumulated rust was needed to
check for any cracks or bends in the frame and
components.
Everything looked straight and un-damaged, looks like it was
just years of neglect not abuse for this little Honda.
I was planning to powdercoat the tank as well, but regular body filler would most certainly melt under the heat of my powder curing oven. This is when I decided to try a new type of filler designed to be used with powdercoat. This filler is capable of withstanding temps up to 450 degrees F, perfect for the typical 400F curing temp of most powders. The filler is also filled with aluminum particles to help make it conductive for applying powder by electrostatic spray.
The engine, to no surprise was seized, as is typical of a
bike being stored for years outdoors and subjected to our
harsh Manitoba weather. The cylinder, piston and rings all
had to be replaced along with a cracked clutch cover
(perhaps the reason it was parked) and the flywheel, which
was damaged during removal to replace the points and
condenser. While the engine was apart and I was awaiting the
mailman to deliver my top end goodies, I decided to sand and
polish the engine cases and covers. I started with a medium
grit sanding sponge to get into all the curves and tight
spots. Once I was sure the surface was sanded and smooth, I
attached a 4” sisal wheel to an air drill and began
Nearing the end of this project I still have a few items to attend to such as; polishing the front hub, replacing the fork seals and getting a new set of rubber. But, as it sits I am very pleased with the way the bike has turned out, all the powder coating turned out great and the bike seems to run great although could use a little jetting to fix a mid throttle bog. I hope the story and photos inspire you to dig out that neglected bike behind the barn and restore it to its former glory where it can be enjoyed by another generation of motorcycle enthusiasts.
After (Click to enlarge)
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going over the cases with black emery compound
and high rpm’s on the drill. An hour or so later, it was
time to move to a cotton wheel with white rouge compound.
In about the same amount of time as the first wheel I had
glistening engine cases that look great but are tough to
keep clean. Once the cylinder and other parts arrived, I
gave the outside of the cylinder and head a coat of high
temp gloss black from a high quality rattle
can.
