[earnies2]

I have a 1988 1500.....I always wanted a 02-03 orange 1800..every one i find ie either a rat or i'ts priced to high..or its to far to go to look at it...I found an 04 with ABS its white..107 K CB heated grips and a CD in the trunk... wired for GPS,Radar,Ipod,and heated clothes...It was droped and the mirror, wind shield, and Cb antenna was replaced...the owner rode it for 11k after it was droped...it still has minor dammage to faring behind mirror,the exhaust header cover is dented and there is some scrapes on the lower bag...I rode the bike and it runs great and everything works...i can buy it for $4,ooo..i was thinking of painting it and fixing it up...has anyone here ever painted a 1800 how diffacult is it to dissasemble....and do you think it is worth the time and money to rehab a 1800 with 107K...I can do all the work myself including the paint...and i will still have my 1500 to ride until i finish this project....ant thoughts or advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Congratulations on finding an inexpensive way to move from a 1500 to an 1800.

That price seems like a good value to me. I am not sure what the costs would be of replacing the Tupperware that needs replacement, but I would go that route and keep the bike the stock color.

I would suspect that if you took the $4000 initial price.... add in the repair labor and the parts costs, that you would get really close to the blue book price of that motorcycle.

However, it does allow you to buy the bike outright and do the repairs awhile later. Much better for me as I hate to make payments. Every bike I have ever owned has been bought for cash.

One thing to think about. When a person wrecks their bike, often times their pride of ownership goes out the window. When that happens, so does the regular maintenance. They may continue to ride it, but they don't put any money into it. Look for deferred maintenance very carefully and ask that question if you see it. It would help in negotiation a lower price if you see some things that have been neglected. Fluids..... fork seals..... old tires, these things cost quite a bit and is often over looked on these types of projects. Remember, that seller is at a major disadvantage, as the majority of people want to buy something ready to ride and looks good.

.

 

[earnies2]

Metalic orange

(That price seems like a good value to me. I am not sure what the costs would be of replacing the Tupperware that needs replacement, but I would go that route and keep the bike the stock color.)

I dont think i need to replace any tupperware...and i am planning to change the color to a metalic or meatelflake orange....I just dont know how much laber it would be for dissasembley to paint ...

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I am sure there will be some folks with experience chiming in on this very soon.

If that was me, I would get two quotes from good body shops on the paint. I would get the manual out and see what it takes to get the major body parts off.

I might not even disassemble the bike. I would consider a two tone orange and white and some pen striping to tie it all together.

If you went Orange and Black, you would be in style for Halloween!

 

[earnies2]

paint

I thought about not dissasembling the wing and tape it up ...but i dont think you could get to all the places with paint like on the top of the bags and the underside of the fairing....

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I thought about not dissasembling the wing and tape it up ...but i dont think you could get to all the places with paint like on the top of the bags and the underside of the fairing....

Are you looking to paint this yourself?

 

[earnies2]

Paint

Yes i am looking to do the hole job from start to finish....

 

[LarryinSeattle]

Well that will be both educational, challenging and rewarding.

I admire people who do take on such projects. I have neither the skill set or the place to do that extensive amount of work.

Good luck with the project.

Please do document your progress with lots of nice pictures as we all enjoy following along on your journey, whether it is on the road or in the shop!

 

[dan b]

I had an 03 Pearl orange 1800 (beautiful bike). blew a rear tire and totaled it. Insurance wanted $4200 to buy it back. They paid me $14,600 for the total. Mine had 63k but I wouldn't worry a bit about 107 on the 04, just getting broke in. I can tell you to replace the right side of the fairing would be $550 and the right mirror is $275. I would go for it if I were you.

 

[earnies2]

Paint

well i took off the mirror and i belive it needs a cowel stay....the mirror is new and the fairing is good the crack is in the peice over the headlight...its only 1/2 inch long and i belive i can fix it or replace it with a chrome one....it also needs the black dash visor and the end peice...

 

[dan b]

also you might want to check the availability of that color, I went to a Pittsburg Automotive paint store to get paint to paint my helmets and they couldn't match it. They said Honda GW colors are propiority(sp) Good luck

 

[earnies2]

paint

I plan on painting it with House of color meatel flake orange using the finer meatel flake

 

[L2R]

earnies,

I disassembled a 1500 last year with no prior experience. I know these are different but it took me a little over a week ( while working regular job) to tear it all off. Many more parts than I figured. I lost count at 146. 42 went to the painter.

The painter was a pro but did mostly cars. I think his biggest challenge was holding so many odd shaped pcs.

It sounds like you have the tools in the toolbox (skills) and the time so I would go for it. It is an excellent way to get to know the girl. I also found many things to do while I waited for the paint to dry. Fluids, timing belts, and some broken bolts. When it was done, I felt I knew her pretty well and had good confidence with all the other stuff done.

Good luck. I have before during and after pix. You should do the same so we can see an 1800 undressed. a 1500 looks like something from MadMax beyond the Thunderdome.
I seriously wanted to ride it like that -just way too many cables and wires dangling that I feared would get jumbled up in the wind.


do a seach for paint here. there are 2 places online that make the paint for bike companies and will sell to you.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

earnies,

I disassembled a 1500 last year with no prior experience. I know these are different but it took me a little over a week ( while working regular job) to tear it all off. Many more parts than I figured. I lost count at 146. 42 went to the painter.

The painter was a pro but did mostly cars. I think his biggest challenge was holding so many odd shaped pcs.

It sounds like you have the tools in the toolbox (skills) and the time so I would go for it. It is an excellent way to get to know the girl. I also found many things to do while I waited for the paint to dry. Fluids, timing belts, and some broken bolts. When it was done, I felt I knew her pretty well and had good confidence with all the other stuff done.

Good luck. I have before during and after pix. You should do the same so we can see an 1800 undressed. a 1500 looks like something from MadMax beyond the Thunderdome.
I seriously wanted to ride it like that -just way too many cables and wires dangling that I feared would get jumbled up in the wind.


do a seach for paint here. there are 2 places online that make the paint for bike companies and will sell to you.

Good info. Did you post your process? I would love to see before and after..... at least.

 

[Two Wheel Wing]

There are a number of Wing owners who painted their bikes. Most of them are older models, but the process should be pretty much the same regardless of the year. You would need to disassemble and put back together, but it is something you could do over time. A 1800 with that kind of mileage still has a lot of life and miles left in it.
Good luck and keep us posted with pics through the process.

Ride safe..

 

[L2R]

Good info. Did you post your process? I would love to see before and after..... at least.

pix are in my albums if you go look. purple to roadkill to RED.

I didn't really post a step by step. I asked but the bike told me what to do. I hunted for the first interlocking piece which was the center piece under the seat. Then I kept picking at tupperware and found myself working towards the front, around the radiator. Repeat on other side. I did the bottom pieces around the belly and pipes. Then the mirrors, windshield and dashboard. Finally found all the bolts to free the fairing. The Trunk and saddlebags weren't too bad.

BTW, you won't need the service manual but a few times to rip this all off. the dash has a couple of hidden cams holding it together and was hard to see unless you knew about it; however, a manual doesn't tell you ship about how to reassemble it. As you hug the fairing and pull it off from the front, multiple wiring harnesses are slithering thru holes in the back that I didn't think about as I was removing it. Holy #$% when I realized what I had to work thru putting it back together. Not that hard but a pucker moment when it happened.

I have mechanical experience tearing down equipment (not bikes) so I knew to put bolts back in holes where I could and kept little containers and marked them 'trunk', 'fairing' etc. It still overwhelmed me there was so much and in fact, some bolts were broken and some were just missing. While I was waiting for the painter, I went to a couple of sites and bought 10) 10mm bolts and 10) 8mm bolts that I saw were common along with a full set of grommets for all of the bike. Also they have some weird washers, I would get a few of those too. I know ACE carries metric and I use them in a jam but I think it looks weird to have black bolts mixed with stainless steel on the same piece or part. (a decent set of taps / dies is good to have too to rethread as you go even if it's just grime in the holes.

I suggest anyone else do the same, it sucks to wait days for the mailman to bring a bolt. That is my 2 cents. I enjoyed it and like I said, I came across a lot of little, unexpected things that I did as I came across them that made me feel better about the bike.

 

[LarryinSeattle]

I like it! Nice write up and the pictures were great. I need to find out how you can post so many pictures and folders. I can only post 5 pictures on my account.

 

[budoka]

Ok, I give up... what write up and what pics? You're right Larry, only 5 thumbnails per post.

 

[earnies2]

paint

WOW nice pix of the dissasembaly.....How many hours to dissasemble....and how many to assemble... what was your costs....paint,new parts...any rechromeing done....i wish somone would chime in who did an 1800....4 piles of parts..OMG...i work in heavy equimpment..thats not a problem....i never did a bike ....

 

[L2R]

I would guess 30 hours to disassemble. Some of that is breaking down small parts that are bolted to each other, chrome to painted plastic. Even the foot heater ports take time to disassemble and keep screws springs etc. organized.....That includes all the rear console so I could install new speakers.

I am also guessing- 50 to 60 hours to reassemble. Some things got done twice. Fairing was one of them (wiring harnesses in the proper holes etc) It was hard to see some things until I put it on and then saw how cables, wires or order of events became clear. No doubt, someone with experience would have done it in half the time.

I used a Toyota service manager (good friend's friend) to paint it. The tri-coat is very popular and expensive. Also, many colors can't be touched up, the entire part comes off and gets totally repainted.

I ended up picking a Ford color that looks like tri-coat but actually a single coat that can be touched up without disassembly. German paint, pretty expensive to me. $400 quart. He promised it would hold up against bumps, nicks, time and weather better than many paints out there.

BTW, I ended up with parts covering half the living room, one entire bedroom and finally rented a 5 x 10 storage room for all these stuff coming and going or sitting and waiting for reassembly. I could not believe it could all hang on that da#n frame.

Painter also repaired some lower metal parts that were beat up. Filled in the chew marks on the front fender from previous owner's dog. Did it all with clearcoat and then pinstriped over the old pinstripe. $1350. He also said not to quote it to anyone else, it would be more next time.

On last thing, someone told me I could fill in cracks, holes with various glues or paste. He told me that paint would not cover it the same nor would it bond as well. Also, heat and cold would expand and contract different than the ABS plastic. So he filled in the bad places with a plastic welder and ABS rod.

I spend maybe 600 on new plastic. The right shelter was over 300. No way around it to do it right. Chrome wasn't bad. I still need to replace or polish the engine covers.

As for other things while I was waiting:
timing belts
spark plugs
all fluids
all filters including both cruise control filters
4 speakers


went back later and did these and should have:
tires replaced
aggressive wheel cleaning
brakes front and rear
fixed reverse gear (it was just a freakin' loose bolt)