Should I change bolts/etc - and tidy it up? Or not really worth it?

Hey all,

I know that ultimately this is a 'if you want to' kind of thing, but was wondering what others may think about this?

Basically after my bike not starting and needing to charge my battery - I found I couldn't full take off the side panel

to get at the battery, one of the bolts is stripped (I think is the correct word)? Couldn't get an allen key/screwdriver

in to actually undo it.

Luckily I was able to kind of rotate the panel to reveal the battery - but this is not ideal in the long run.

So as I was going over it and just looking at the bike, wondered if it'd be a good idea just to go round any and all easily

accesible screws/bolts that look crap and/or stripped and replace them with new ones.

Along with attempting to clean up parts of the bike (it will be in use in this time though) that look like

they could do with it. Just all the rust would be nice to be gone! But wondering if it is a bit too much

of a big job (I am not looking to take the bike apart), or a pointless exercise?

Also, this tail end part is broken, it doesn't affect it at all, but wondered if anyone knows if that could be replaced easily enough?

This is all when I have the money to do it, right now i'm quite low on funds thanks to Christmas, and can't get all the tools just yet.

Still need to get something to hold it off the ground to do the chain when it is needed.

If you're taking the bike off the road for a few weeks it's worth doing a light strip and overhaul. I do this every year.

I have two tins of paint, one by hammerite called stone chip, which is a black paint. And I'll find a good grey/silver engine paint as a secondary paint. Get some wire wool and rust treatment, buy job lots of the clips you find all over the bike, and stainless bolts.

I also have a tin of brake cleaner, WD40, tubs of grease (red 'rubber' grease and multi-purpose grease for metallic parts).

Target an area of the bike and break it down into a bunch of individual projects. Like the front end and handlebars, strip down the rusty parts, clean, paint, refit.

I used to ride full time and I'd do this at the end of every Winter, or whenever I had the time.

Always worthwhile keeping the bike clean and rustfree. I use smooth hammerite aerosol, with some basic masking. My 650 Dragstar looks much better without the aluminium oxide and rust. Replace damaged bolts with new zinc or alloy, preferably Allen socket heads. At least clean up the rusty bolt heads and dab a bit of nail varnish on em.

Some Kurust and Hammerite painting and replacing the screws and bolts with new ones will make a big difference and stop the bike from ending up where it is just scrap.

For frame rust Dinitrol Converust is good then a couple of coats of Ronseal NoRust. Hammerite tends to dry too brittle in my experience. I used to paint my boat trailer annually with Hammerite. One year I couldn't get any so used NoRust and it didn't need doing for the next ten years.

A good soaking with ACF50 will keep the tin worm at bay.

That rear shock and linkage look like they could do with some attention.......

But, as the others have said, get yourself some new bolts.....and a wire brush and hammerite........

NoRust, Coverust, and a wirebrush!

I'll look into those

As for bolts, would something like this be sufficient? Or are these bicycle ones? I can't tell, and i'm not sure the size

i'd need.

Assorted A2-70 Stainless Steel Bolts and Screws

I don't think i'll have time to take it apart as such, i'm still going to be riding it. So it is a case of getting to parts I can get to easily, and doing the best I can.

As for the shocks, I did wonder if a new one would be in order. Seem about £280 for a new one as far as I can see. I'll probably have a look into it.

Not so flush with money at the moment to replace it ;/

Thanks for the advice guys!

I'd want to take a look at the rear linkage as it looks a right state (sorry) but if it keeps passing mots and doesn't feel bouncy or grindy maybe it's ok.

If you don't mind it looking like that then I think that the only difference the state of it (sorry again) will make is that every job will take twice as long because you might not be able to get it apart without breaking something. I can't see the point in doing anything like that preventatively though as you may as well just do the bits you need to when you need to do them.

If you do want it to look nice then I think that that horse may have bolted some time ago as it screams neglect I'm afraid (sorry again, again).

Well you can't make it worse, clean paint and tidy up what you can while using it, the rear shock can be swapped out easy enough when you have funds