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Helpful InformationSEATS Tim Parsons Tim has seat covers for most of the Honda SL's. He can also facilitate repairing the foam and seat pan. Bob’s General Services - Seat covers and restoration Bob specializes in seat restoration for almost all bikes. He is an incredible talent at restoring any damaged seat pans. I have personally used him for several seats.
PAINT Frame Paint A recent breakthrough has allowed me to offer the silver paint that Honda used for many years directly to you in the form of a spray can and then the clear coat that goes on top. This is true automotive grade Deltron PPG paint and you can get fantastic results with it. I offer this paint as a kit. Click here for more information. Engine Paint Plasti-Kote Annodizit Base Coat Part # 100 or Dupli-Color #1615 I typically have all my engines disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned and surfaces restored when doing a restoration, but sometimes when you are just cleaning up a bike and don't need a rebuild it is fine to just do some detailing. Whether you are rebuilding an engine or not, the engine deserves to have a good detailing and although you can't get it perfect without a complete disassembly, you can certainly improve the looks with a thorough cleaning and some paint on those places where boots scuff and gasoline tarnishes. Plasti-Kote makes a kit for creating an anodized look. The first step in the process is to use their Silver color Annodizit Part #100 base coat. This paint is good to 500 degrees and really matches the original Silver very well. I also have good luck with Dupli-Color #1615 Aluminum color paint and it is much easier to find. As with any painted surface it is best not to get gasoline on it. That is why I always try to get an engine running and tuned perfectly before taking it off the frame to begin with. That minimizes the amount of monkeying around you have to do afterwards.
FUEL TANK CLEANING / COATING Elizabeth Radiator 412-384-5310 This is the real deal for cleaning out your old tank. If you have ever tried the "Kreem" route, you will know how difficult, messy and actually.... how it will lift off if the surface isn't perfectly etched. Elizabeth Radiator offers an alternative where the tank is blasted and then coated with "Red Coat". This is essentially the same stuff used on the inside of radiators. It isn't thick and nasty like Kreem, and it stay's put. The job is really inexpensive as well. The only down side is that you have to ship the tank there and back. DECALS Reproduction Decals Nobody is offering better quality replacement decals than Andre at Reproduction Decals. If you go to Andres' website, you will see that he has reproduced decals for many bikes. Several of the bikes on his website are my bikes and he has used my parts for the reproduction process. If he doesn’t have your decal, drop him a line and see about him doing them up for you. It will benefit both parties to do so. PARTS Honda Parts Call or e-mail me for your needs. I can beat your local dealer pricing. Dr B. Recycle Sales A source for vintage Japanese motorcycle parts. Honda Keys Here is where you can get additional keys for your Honda. Just send Mark the key number from the lock or your key and he will fix you right up. Z1 Enterprises Specializing in restoration and replacement parts for the Kawasaki 900 Z1’s. Jeff Saunders is an incredible resource and very helpful. RE-MX Take a look at Dan's web page for some hard to find SL70 items. Headlight Ear Bolts, Reflectors, Side Covers, Side Cover Grommets, Decals, Carb to Airbox Rubber, Seat Covers, Foot Pegs etc. Brad's Bikes Check out Brad's website for some nice vintage Japanese bikes. Buy Kawasaki A source for vintage Kawasaki parts. Old Kaw A source for vintage Kawasaki parts. Also Yamaha, Suzuki (all OEM NOS) ENGINES Engine Rebuilder Send me your engine and it will come back restored, rebuilt and ready to install. TIPS Front Fork Disassembly Here is a little trick to take the front forks apart so that you can polish the lowers and replace the oil seals. Once you have the fork off the bike, remove the dust seal. Next, use snap ring pliars to remove the retaining ring. Next comes the flat washer that is on top of the oil seal. Once removed, put the front axle back through the lower hole. Put the assembly down on the concrete floor and put a foot on either side of the axle and begin pushing down and pulling back up against the stop. Usually after a few pops, the top tube and spring will come sailing out to you. Don't hit your self in the nose. Here is a picture of a tool that I made that fits over the mounting hole in the top of the upper shock tube. I put this on using the top bolt and use it to push and pull the tube until the old seal breaks loose.
Front Fork Oil Seals After you have polished your fork lowers and are ready to reassemble, place the oil seal on the upper tube and insert it into the lower. Put the flat washer on top of the oil seal. Now for the trick. Go to your local hardware store and get some PVC that is larger inside diameter than the upper tube, and as near the size of the oil seal as possible. I usually try to get Schedule 40 PVC as it is stronger. I also buy a 'cap' for the PVC as this will make this inexpensive tool last longer. Place the PVC over the tube and let it rest on the flat washer on top of the oil seal. I use a rubber or plastic faced mallet to hit the PVC which drives the oil seal down into the lower tube. You will know you've hit bottom when you can see the groove for the snap ring.
Kick Stand Springs Boooiiiiinnnnggg Frustrated with trying to take your kick stand spring on and off? Simple fix: Go to the parts store and buy a brake spring tool for a drum break car. The end that takes off the little clips on the drum brakes works perfectly for taking the spring off. The other end......which is designed to put springs on works perfectly for the installation. Wheel Disassembly / Spoke Removal Unless you are going to try to polish each old spoke by hand to restore the finish (I don't have that much patience), use a set of bolt cutters to bust the old ones in half. I usually go right where the two spokes cross and get two-for-one results. It is best to take pictures of your assembled wheels prior to this as the installation of spokes is somewhat like a Rubic's cube if you don't have a pattern. Feeding Wiring Through Small Places On the Honda SL's there are a couple of places where wiring must be snaked through a small area. Examples: The taillight wiring on an SL70, and the on/off switch thru the handlebars. I use two things to help. 1) Use an old piece of wire such as one strand of romex. This will easily slide through the handlebars. Once through, use electrical tape to affix it to the multiple wires and then pull through. 2) Spray a liberal amount of lithium grease through the holes before starting to snake the wires through. On the taillight wires on SL70's, just do them one at a time and use some of the lithium grease. It is easier than it looks. One side of the enclosure gets two wires and the other gets one. SL350 Electrical System Service
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