need help on restoring my H1 frame

[lhr52]

I am stuck at the moment with what to do with my frame.
I purchased a zxr400H1 in black and silver for £225 with some fairing scuffs. the motor hadnt been started for 8 yrs so bought on a bit of whime, for spares untill i got it home and pulled the fuel hose from the tank and placed it in a fresh lot of fuel and put a spare battery in and after a minuite of trying to start it burst into life and sounds like it was rode yesterday all bar sticky cabbles and cobwebs. So have decided to keep and have a go at transforming her back into life.
The main issue is that where it has been stored for years the frame/swingarm/and wheels have got the white dust which i am told is like a dry form of rust and is causing the frame to flake from where the subframe meets the main frame and down around the E-Box stickers.
Would like to know the best methords for solving this issues, would it need rubbing down/polishing etc,
Any help or pics would be great, will try and post some pics 2mrw.

Lee

[lewisdale]

hi mate it all depends what you want to do with the frame, such as powdercoat it,paint it,polish it?

[lhr52]

Would just like some idea's on what people found was easyier or harder to do?
Do like the sound of black powder coating, b ut heard that it doesnt wear that well.

[lewisdale]

im not sure about powdercoatin as never gone down that route but im sure its supposed to be harder wearing, personally i think i would rather have the frame mirror polished, ,

[lhr52]

Can that be done in house or How much is it for someone to do?
If in house what sort of kit will ineed to do it and how long will the process take?

[jake]

polishing is labour intensive, and a nightmare to keep looking good.
powder coating is very hardwearing as long as its done properly. Ive had my H frame done in satin black, and it been raced in rain, sun, covered in petrol,grease,oil, takin apart lots, crashed, cleaned..
still looks great

If you do want the polished look. My mates H1 race bike has a powder coated frame, with just the main frame spars polished, look good.

[RedexRobB]

Exactly what jake said.

The white powder just sounds like corrosion, which can be taken off with an ally cleaner. Polished anything is a nightmare to keep good and if its going to a be an all year round bike than id say powdercoating is a must!

[lhr52]

pics as promised of frame plus, would also like some help with the exhaust system as it doesnt look like a standard system, the can is a slipon and would like to know the best way to get rid of the rust without damaging it.

[lewisdale]

[RedexRobB]

Well to be fair to the bike, is a 20 year old machine now. But the frame id say is a case of old paint mixed with cirrosion that got underneath, not alot you can do about that other than get it repainted/powdercoated.

Thats definately not a standard system, standard systems are all one unit and the end cans bolt on. Probably not a great deal you can do about the rusting considering its probably made of steel. So other than not riding the bike at all or only on sunny days theres not going to be alot you can do about it. You can clean it off with some wire wool and metal polish and paint it with high temp paint but unfortunately it will rust through eventually.

Other than that, thats a nice clean bike!

[Scott221]

Scorpion system init?

[RedexRobB]

would be stainless if it was wouldnt it?

[lhr52]

Thanks for the help,
If it was a scorpion or micron it would have the retaining springs i think, thought it may be a beet but there are no markings.
Not a bad purchase for £225, Having the fairings repaired and resprayed back to the original black/grey with gold lining, so will post when done. may leave the frame till the winter and just enjoy riding her now before a full strip down.