Well, the upper, middle and lower right side fairings are now with Larry Frost at Illusion Race Paint who is repairing the minor road rash and will airbrush repair the OE decals. Can't wait to see the results!
In the meantime, I have started to strip down and clean the rest of the bike which has clearly been very well kept and maintained by the previous owners as it's not taking a great deal of effort to clean it up. A big plus is there is no furring of the aluminium which tells me it hasn't seen much rain in the last 24 years (5 Jan 93 registration).
I have also been doing some physio on my right wrist (old motocross breakage) to gain more movement in it with a view to keeping the Blade (with my wife's encouragement); it's a very painful process, but hopefully worth it!
Yep, will keep the pics and updates coming - I want it to look the best it can be without throwing silly money as it (just in case the wife's reading this over my shoulder :angel).
Andrew, mine was similar to yours under the plastics, you can soon tell a bike that's spent its life in a dry warm garage, so glad you're being persuaded to keep it, you know it makes sense!
Very happy you haven't thrown in the towel on this one. One in such good nick as that needs to be properly cared for, and you're the bloke to do it.
Trying to work the wrist injury out in an effort to keep it shows the type of dedication and love you have for it. Stay the course matey, your doing a damn fine job :thumb:
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the comments and encouragement - I've never been one to give in to an injury (and I've had a few!), but now I also have 'being older' to contend with.....but when it's finished I'm determined to ride it to the best of my ability.
The more time I spend cleaning and working on it the more I'm coming to appreciate its build quality and how well looked after it has been; it's difficult to believe it's just turned 24 years old!
A small but satisfying improvement today, as apart from continuing to clean up the old girl I managed to remove the Datatag sticker from the top triple clamp and anyone that's removed one will know how satisfying that is!!
A PO had clearly had a go but only managed to pick off some of the edges and make the thing look even worse..............
Top work Andrew :thumb: Your top clamp now looks the treat.
Now please do me a favor and toss the key fob. Nothing drives me nuts more than a mucked up top clamp from crap attached to the key.
Example from my 99:
Thanks guys, I'll keep the photos coming Bill and one day soon it'll all be back together!
Ian,
That's a photo of the bike in the shop with the dealer's fob; the first thing to get taken off the bike..............for exactly the reason in your 'before' photo - your finished work looks a top job BTW.
:thumb: Yeah, I cottoned on early to the fact Ian is a bit of a Blade 'Tech-Ninja' and have been stalking his threads for tips and info since I joined.
Yep, will keep the updates and photos coming - rear cowling came off today and the chassis and plastics are incredibly clean underneath (just dusty) which further confirms this one hasn't seen much rain in the last 24 years.
Well, Larry was laid up with man flu last week so will be collecting my FireBlade's fairings this Saturday morning at sparrow's fart. He's doing the upper, lower and middle fairings of my 93 this week, plus the spare upper fairing I bought last week (minor cracks) whilst he's got the paint mixed up and I'm getting touch-up pots of white, red and purple.
Really looking forward getting it all back and, all being well (weather permitting), I'll have the bike back together by the weekend. :woohoo:
That's looking good. The 93 blade in that colour scheme is one of my all time favorite sports bikes. I remember first seeing one blast past us a on a local moors road heading towards a place called Whitby when I was about 12 sat in the back of my dads old Austin with the top down and thinking wow Id love one of those when I'm older! I spent a good deal of my childhood bike spotting from the back of that car on weekends on the way to various shows and outings.
Yep, I've wanted one for years too and I now have a cracking UK bike with full history!
Personally, I prefer the 93 colours of red, white and purple than the 92 red, white and blue but would have bought a 92 if a really good one was available when I was looking; good 92/93s are becoming rather scarce.
Day off today, so cleaned up and started to put the 93 back together to get it ready for the fairing which I collect from Larry at Illusion Race Paint tomorrow morning. Can't wait, and subject to some decent weather the bike will be fitted up by Sunday afternoon.
You've done a brilliant job on cleaning that triple clamp mate!! I bought a 92 black and grey blade about a month ago and it has similar small issues very similar to your own and i follow your posts to see how you are progressing.
My triple clamp is in the same condition as yours was. How did you clean it up so well?
Thanks, and I'm lucky as it was in reasonable condition before I started - apart from the damage to the fairings and other minor stuff.
Things still to do: change pillion seat (one on its way), replace screen with OE (now have one), have wheels resprayed black (coming off on Sat) and consider what finish for the down pipes (want to get close to OE as poss) - I'm sure there will be other things, but that enough for the time being...........
I think i picked up a good one .
35,000 miles everything seems mint except the old owner resprayed for some reason ,
The little bits that arent right il put right easy..
Just have to consider what to do about colour ,
Its a swiss bike imported to ireland ,
Make sure you get him to do them gloss and not satin, they were gloss from the factory and look amazing clean and polished, having said that I had my silencer done satin which ended up being the right decision, I thought the gloss was a bit too much on the exhaust.
If I wasn't saving up for a 2007 Blade, I'd be making you an offer for it, it's stunning!
Yes, gloss black they'll be Gunk as Larry has already told me he's painting them gloss - I couldn't change to satin even if I want too!
Thanks for your kind words on the 93's condition, but as for flogging it, I'm not sure that'll happen anytime soon as I'm sticking with the physio (as painful as that is) and a few of my mates are circling over me like vultures, and one has already bagged first refusal............
The white were growing on me and lightened the bike up a bit Bill, but must admit I prefer them gloss black.
Cheers
Andrew
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