Been back on GStwins a few too many times lately and met up with a few members so I thought I might share my TLR build with y'all! For those of you unfamiliar with the TLR, it was the second best bike Suzuki ever built 



I've been a massive fan of the TLR since my best mate showed up on one. We bought a TLR with a busted motor and rebuilt it as a streetfighter for another friend. Since then it has changed hands twice and now it sits in my garage awaiting the day I get my license back... except this time it will be built the way I want it to be built.

It started out like this



The it looked like this



Now it looks like this



Frame, swingarm and a host of other parts are at the powder coater and anodizer and all the exposed nuts & bolts are ready for the electroplater. I've got another 4 months before I can ride it so the rebuild will be slow and meticulous. New shock, rearsets have already arrived as has full bearing set for the front & rear suspension is in transit.

Stay tuned for more

  ... Wish I had a like button!! 

Edit ... Oh and I don't think it's possible to be back on this board 'too many times' .. Wash your mouth out young man! 

Love a good and complete tear down

Now I see what you mean!

Got to love a tiller of the non dirt variety

Stopped by the powdercoaters on Tuesady and they are clearly f%$king me around - even though their shop compressor broke down they have a couple of small compressors going so work doesnt stop... but a week after they received the parts they hadn't even started. I gave them a small ripping and dropped by this morning - all parts are primed and ready to bake prior to the top coat.

While I was there though, the bike frame dropped off their painting rack about 5 feet to the ground. It was excellent display of self control on my part not to go completely mental. They are going to re-coat it but nevertheless the frame now has a dent grrr!

Im happy with the anodizing though!

  they gonna deal with the actual dent? ... friggin muppets!!!! 

We'll see... i walked out of there in disgust so they know i was pissed about it. I hope they don't expect to get paid for parts they damaged

Nothing sh*ts me more than dropping your bike off to get it fixed, and it comes back in worse condition than when you dropped it off.. makes me wanna stick a boot in their ring!

That's unbelievable?!?!

Parts finally finished by the powder coater... but still required several hours of wet & dry action to remove all of the overspray and runs. Preparation is the key here and unfortunately there was not enough. Nonetheless the surfaces that are painted feel fantastic - like ceramic. All of the large parts and wheels should be back later this arvo... better go buy some more sandpaper

  .. having to rub back items done by a 'professional' ... "priceless" 

I hope you get a discount on the work.

I just took the triple clamp back so they could coat it again - they put the hook thru the key barrell hole and it marked the finish.
Started discussing final $$$ and yes they will be giving me a discount

With the benefit of hindsight, I would not choose to powder coat again.

I'm not sure if its just the dude who sprayed my parts, but holy batfuck the coating is so thick that it has to be scraped, buffed and sanded off every single mounting face and under every bolt head and every single thread has to be chased. I've been in the garage all afternoon and evening prepping all of these parts and I'm nowhere near being finished... it all started with the rear sprocket not fitting onto the cush-drive and it spiraled out of control!

Next time I will just wave a few coats of good quality engine enamel on the parts and have them baked!

Ill be goin powdercoat IF facility can match the maserati charcoal grey finish. if not ive a local facility ill have paint it. i furnish paint, and materials they furnish equip. to do job. unsane, how was it you found these folks? recommendation?, or? took a stab at it?

Internet search Yama - they were local, had government and military contracts and had a good reputation

Quote from: Unsane on September 23, 2013, 03:25:41 PM
Internet search Yama - they were local, had government and military contracts and had a good reputation

That's oddusually ones that have a decent rep like that don't goof off. heres hoping whomever was at fault is no longer there Eh?understand making mistakes. but the trouble you described sounds like sloppiness  on their part. am dreading the stripdown of the pig when it comes time. thinking ill go paint tbh. cause that colour does not exist in powdercoat. although powdercoat is far more durable

Yeah I thought the powder would be more durable but it chips extremely easily - just washing the parts in my sink I chipped the cushion drive!
Apparently the finish is so hard after curing that it becomes brittle. Not good for painting anything that cops stones or need to flex a bit.
I found this out after going ahead with the coating 

errr... its been ages since ive spoken to a mate about this issue... he had a 1960-something valiant with a big block all done up... had the axles and tailshaft plus other bits under there powder coated... and found the chipping problem also... pissed him off no end .. also....

he ended up getting a rubbery type clear coat with a satin type finish sprayed onto the bits .. i dunno what it was exactly... but it wasnt a car type product ... more a pool sealer or similar? .. it did take some of the chipping problem away.. not fantastic .. but improved slightly.. 

might be more of a pain in the ass though... 

... thing is also... it might have been handy for the powder coater mob to think a bit and mention it... but then they would have missed all your dollars..