I’ve thought of doing mine as they’re a bit weather beaten. I’d just remove the wheel, mudguard and tie the callipers out of the way, slip off the rubber dust caps, mask everything off and just dust them with some silver rattlecan paint.
Hello Gunk. Right, full disclosure <deep breath>: Yes, my bike is a UK '93 RR-P and is A Keeper. I was planning a maintenance refresh of the front forks, but, also had planned changing to have compression damping adjustment. I want to maintain OE appearance, so I needed 2nd Gen SC28 (UK '94/95 = RR-R/S) forks with the Bronze tubes. After a while, a Used pair turned up on eBay that looked OK. They were mechanically/hydraulically fine. Viewed from 3m, or on a Track bike, they are cosmetically fine. However, from 1m on a - to be pampered - road bike, the appearance needs to be improved. So these forks, are those forks ........ they are stripped for oil/bush/seal refreshing, and while in that condition, it's an ideal time to address the cosmetics. The question is, what is possible ........ :smile
I had a mint set of RR-R forks that I sold on eBay a few years ago never thinking that I might have a use for them in the future. You live and learn! :banghead:
I think @89forever did his lower fork tubes, but can't be 100% sure.
In the UK you guys call a "vapour blast"? I would take all the innards out, and get the lowers blasted. Removing the bronze portion on these old girls may end up being pandora's box. Back in the day too there was a recall for them cracking, so the less tooling they get the better (can't recall which years got the recall lol). Even a vapour blast and a nice durable paint job would look tidy.
I have RRT forks on my RRP, sweet eBay find for the compression damping, and as you said retains the 93 look.
In the UK you guys call a "vapour blast"? I would take all the innards out, and get the lowers blasted. Removing the bronze portion on these old girls may end up being pandora's box. Back in the day too there was a recall for them cracking, so the less tooling they get the better (can't recall which years got the recall lol). Even a vapour blast and a nice durable paint job would look tidy.
I agree, IanDoohan. I was hoping to minimise the visibility of the rash/scratching on the bronze anodising in some way as well. But, if not, you are right.
Hah! I agree Gunk. My only lucky foresight (so far) was keeping the RR-N Honda Workshop Manual that I bought around 1996 when I had my original RR-P ......
With regards your awesome RR-T forks, IanDoohan ....... what is it about beautifully engineered stuff that is so appealing?
On a minor aside, a female friend recently told me that she had just spent a (FRANKLY INCREDIBLE!!! OUTRAGEOUS!!!) amount of money on a ..... handbag.
It has taken me many, many years, but, now, I have a coping technique: I mentally substitute the word "handbag".
So, what I actually heard was:
"Hey Duncan, I think that I have done something really silly. I've just spent £X,000 on <delete> 'a Handbag', <substitiute> some NOS RR-P forks and a Nitron race rear suspension unit with hydraulic pre-load adjustment. What do you think?".
It makes it very easy to be supportive, and I can say with great honesty:
"Well Done! I'll bet you are really pleased! I am sure that is a great investment! AND, I'll bet that you get great pleasure every time you look at them ....... er ....... it!".
That’s a great paint finish to the lowers, 89forever! I’ve seen a couple of non-silver finishes and it makes a big difference to the look of the forks.
Your anodised tubes look very Ohlins Gold in colour. Did you refurbish that area of the forks as well?
Are your compression damping adjusters OE, anodised red? Or, an upgrade?
Hello, 89forever. To find the fork refresh info, I’ve just read the whole thread “RRW Fireblade, my take....”. I was going to skip through, but got caught up in the details & the dramas. A fascinating story, lots of useful information and with a really great result. Thank you for sharing ?
? I wasn’t expecting the On-road drama of a high-side ? and certainly wasn’t expecting the On-line drama with our friend about oversized bores ? the On-bikebuild dramas were made minor by your pragmatic pursuit of the vision. All good reading ? ...... but maybe not a book, just yet ?
Duncan, for us US folk, can you put up a picture of what the Honda "Bronze" actually looked like? We didn't get those tubes here in the states. :thumb:
If it helps (although it might hinder) ....... on examination the brake pistons are all a bit sticky and the hoses are OE and therefore 26 years old, so over winter I am going to perform a full brake system refresh.
In preparation, I bought some spare calipers (this bike is A Keeper, so spares will be needed at some point) - which, along with the seals/banjos/pins/stainless bolts, involved a cosmetic re-paint - and while I was at it, I may as well have changed the colour, right? So they have gone from Black to the "Honda" Gold ....... and the HEL hoses are Carbon.
Oh, Crumbs! I really should have a had a holistic plan on the various colours: I feel like I am playing "one-move-at-a-time-chess" <sigh>.
...... Mr Boxer seems to have had a highly consistent plan on his colour scheme!
Along with all of the other Black Powder coating (frame/swingarm) the fork bottoms & calipers are all black too, offset nicely with the U.S. style White colour scheme for the fairing & tank.
It has something of an Erion Racing 929 vibe to me. Good Job!
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