Black spokes/rims?

[xwhatsit]

I've got spokey-dokey wheels Those that own them, know they either require way too much cleaning (esp. for an all-weather commuter), otherwise they get pretty ugly. Mine fall into that category.

Anyway, I was browsing Yahoo Japan Auctions, and saw this 250RS Deluxe. Black rims/spokes! Looks tasty to me. What do you guys think? Worth doing? How much is the paint to do this? Spraycan? Black engine enamel? I don't know anything.

Unlike this guy, I have a black engine and fork legs as well. Also my fork stanchions will soon be covered in black gaiters. Tank/tail is silver, although the seat will eventually be a GB500-style all-black-leather item.

[Bullitt]

To my mind it just looks like the owner is covering up that the rim/spokes have gone rusty.

I had the same issues with my last bike, but I always liked the way it sparkled when I did have the wheels clean.

Unless yours look grotty even when theyre clean Id leave them alone. If theyre already stuffed what have you got to lose.

[xwhatsit]

The rims are aluminium, so they look nice, but the spokes are pretty much arse. Surface rust all over them. I could take some sandpaper and autosol to them, but for how long?

Is engine enamel an appropriate product? I ask this because I want to paint my engine as well, and I don't know much about paint. Otherwise, standard black spraypaint?

[Angusdog]

Looks all right - I like it. I'd spray rust converter (changes the rust into a hard plastic-like substance) on the spokes then spray with loads of thin coats of black gloss spraypaint.

You'll want high temperature spraypaint for the engine. Repco etc have all the gear. Obviously mask off all the bits where you don't want paint - this is where jobs like this let down the whole bike.

Your bike might end up looking like a wee Harley Nightster - paint the tank in matt black or grey - job done!

[Kickaha]

How much is the paint to do this? Spraycan? Black engine enamel? I don't know anything.

They might be black anodised

[bungbung]

Can you get stainless spokes? would solve the rusting problem

[Angusdog]

Respoking front and rear wheels is probably not economic on a CB250RS. Doing a careful job with spray cans will work okay - might not look too crash-hot in ten years but should be bling for quite some time if done properly. Track down a good source of paint (Union Hardware in Wellington is great) and tell them what you want to do.

[The Lone Rider]

If you were OCC, you would black powder coat them :P

[F5 Dave]

Can't anodise steel, only ally. [edit] Ahh may be able to anodise the rims. Some ally anodises real well, -Some like poos & it is hard to tell which unless you know the original. Cast is virtually no, spun like rims would be far more likely.

Could powder or 2 pac the rims, some theorise that bake of powder may be too hot and weaken the ally. I've done mag wheels before, but thin rims maybe this is a concern. Any other paint would likely fail with tyre changes.

Painting chromed steel spokes would be dubious but suspect std spokes are zinc plated. Stainless are expensive & more prone to breaking as they are stronger but more brittle (so the story goes) but wouldn't be a prob for a 250. Expense may be.

So that leaves some hoady paintjob or replating them (spokes). Any paintjob will make them impossible to adjust or leave gaps where you have to mask them. Powdercoat will be hard to apply.

So you could just take them to a plater and ask for a nice quality zinc plate & clean up the hubs and rims while apart. A decent silver powercoat on the hubs may be nice. Silver spokes & black rims looks nice like on some KTMs. They can also plate them (spokes) a sort of gold, but that would be naff in the extreme. Have to ask questions like embrittlement. A decent plater would know the answer one would hope. WWW may help answer plating questions.

But would need to find an anodiser to try it I think.

[brainwave] Actually I've seen a dirtbike recently that had the rims etc done, was done at Eastern hutt road wgtn, Could search in yell pages, or ask Damon at Cycleworks (his bike).

Obviously to do any of this will mean despoking & rebuilding the wheel. Avoiding this will look like a Muppet has done it.

However rebuilding a wheel with it's original components is pretty easy and quite therapeutic.

[xwhatsit]

Anodising/powder coating is out of the question, unfortunately. I'm struggling to find the cash for a new engine so I can keep the thing running, let alone extra bling

I too have heard that anodising spokes is not a good idea because it's just plain steel and brittleness is to be avoided.

I think if I'm going to do anything, then spray cans would have to be it. My uncle has a spray gun type thing for doing proper painting -- maybe I can track down some black gloss and go with that, but even the paint is >$120, right?

Harley Nightster gets me moist. That sort of colour scheme would look good on a café racer style bike, which is where I'm going eventually.

[jonbuoy]

I've been thinking of the same thing with the wheels off the spares bike I got. I can get spoke sets for $30 US a wheel, then looking at $80 NZD each to respoke + tyres and tubes. Still cheaper than any coating/plating option.

I've been thinking about sanding the rust off and painting them with an artist brush and some thick chassis enamel/hamerite, I've also seen some zinc rich paint in bunnings both rattlecan and brush tins as a temporary measure - I'm not sure how the finish will turn out though. Wire wheels won't be done till the bike is on the road anyhow.

[F5 Dave]

. . .
I think if I'm going to do anything, then spray cans would have to be it. My uncle has a spray gun type thing for doing proper painting -- maybe I can track down some black gloss . . .

you have been warned, you will regret it, it will be naff & doubly so after about 2 weeks.

[xwhatsit]

you have been warned, you will regret it, it will be naff & doubly so after about 2 weeks.

I'll give it a miss then More pressing things to worry about with this bike right now, lol.

In the summer hols I'll get out there with some sandpaper and autosol and spend way too much time un-browning them.

[F5 Dave]

Do you have a bench grinder or access to one? They are real cheap & with a wire wheel you can bring back gungey finishes & threads. I really don't know how I did without my $45 bench grinder (+ another $45 for the wire wheel). Maybe 2nd hand TM?

This would make a simple job of stripping down the wheels. Buffing the components inside an hour. Then fire it back together. All for free.

[xwhatsit]

I thought truing a spoked wheel was a bit of an art?