Honda CBR600 F3 - refresh

[Kerzo]

Thought I would just put up a seperate thread rather than spam the other one!

So as I got it in August:



Got a great few weeks of driving after passing the test but the bodywork was seriously shoddy and showing its age plus more. I knew I wouldn't be out much in the winter so decided to take it upon myself to give it a bit of a refresh.

Started off with some of the basics:

- Oil and filter change
- Brake pads and fluid change
- Manual CCT to replace the faulty automatic one
- New bar ends and adjustable levers to replace the scraped ones on it.




- Some carbon wrap to cover a very scrappy looking top yoke and other bits and pieces




So pretty much as it stood for most of the winter:





Initial plan was to plastidip it...



...however it would be way too temporary for my liking and I really didn't want to have to do it all again so decided just to bite the bullet and go down the respray route. Got myself a compressor, gun and a load of sandpaper and filler to fill in the gaps and cracks!

Inspection panels were in pieces, actually snapped off in parts, badly matched paint BRUSHED over it and various types of tape to 'match' the decals. Got to work and performed some plastic welding (and probably got high from the fumes) then filled in over the top:



Moved onto the top fairings which looked like they had been dropped in a previous life either stationary or in motion (probably both). Queue more welding, filling, sandpapering and getting high:

 

[Kerzo]

...continued due to limit on number of attachments!

After I got a flat surface on them all I began the primering to see how it may turn out to be and how much more work was required - luckily it was all decent enough.



Also took the wheels and forks from white and silver respectively to black:



The colour I had ordered was meant to be the same as the white already on the bike however it seems to be a different tone - not sure if this is due to the age of the paint on the bike, a screw up in the paint shop or just my lack of skillz. Anyway, quite like the new white, a bit warmer than what was there already and probably more like a championship white from the 4 wheeled Honda family.

I have just put the front fender on for now as I still have to do a tank but here is a taster of what it will look like:




Not a great deal more to do however I am restricted by space, time and most importantly my talent! This is the first time I have done anything of this scale so learning as I go along basically. This is the mess I am making of my garage!

 

[DaddyCC]

Flip me thats some way on how to learn lol! Brave man but looks like you're doing a good job so far Will it be out for the better weather this year i assume?

 

[Kerzo]

Realistically I only have the tank and the rear wheel to do plus bolt it all back together again (which could be the biggest job yet as my organisational skills weren't exactly thought out when I took it all apart!). Hopefully have it sorted in the next few days/week or so - want to get it finished so that I can actually get out on it!

 

[corsacj]

I would love a bike like this to tinker about with and mint up, brilliant job so far mate, have you done any bodywork before or just throwing yourself in at the deep end? lol

 

[Kerzo]

Very much in the deep end, the only comparable thing I have done before is refurb my alloys. It's not a perfect result but my thinking is that it's better than how it started - I don't intend to flog the bike on either so not as if I am affecting any resale value...even if it was it was cheap as chips.

 

[Ben P]

Fair play dude !

Get the Manifold rubbed back and painted with some fresh VHT paint either silver or black

 

[Kerzo]

I was thinking about that but then again it's all covered by the fairings. What is VHT?

 

[Kerzo]

Duh, just caught on - very high temperature? Dunno if I will go down that route, would love to get them looking a bit more metallic - would that need to be rubbed down then something like Autosol?

 

[stuarty7]

any new pictures of this

 

[Kerzo]

Not really - was busy doing overtime last week so didn't have a lot of time. Attempted to do the tank last night but it was far too cold and the paint finish was rubbish so may take a while. Got the real wheel, hugger and chain guard done at the weekend though so not a great deal left to do.....fingers crossed!

 

[Kerzo]

Well the tank is still a ******* to do unfortunately, it's going to look very poor compared to the rest but I think I may be able to live with it for a while. Still waiting until it gets a bit milder before attempting to paint it but it's premered up for now.

Got the back wheel on again which was a bit of a bugger to do by myself but got there eventually. Picked up a new end can which should suit the colour scheme a bit better.

 

[Kerzo]

Almost done....just need to work out how it all fits back together again

 

[DaddyCC]

What was so awkward about the tank then Kerzo? For something you've done yourself for the first time in a garage it looks as if you've done a reet ol job

 

[Kerzo]

To be honest I think it was the cold temperature - the paint started to cure very oddly/cracking so don't know if it was that or perhaps a combination of there previously being a clear coat on it and maybe reacting with that.

It's far from a perfect finish however I suppose I was aiming too high what with me being a first timer! I'd be a bit more confident next time around, maybe next year!

 

[Gavlar]

Definatley takes years off the bike, fair play for tackling that

 

[DaddyCC]

Cracking would likely be too much paint or hadnt let the previous coat dry properly? Plus was there enough heat in the garage?

Sure so what, you've learnt a step and can have another go knowing what to do a bit more

 

[Kerzo]

Cracking would likely be too much paint or hadnt let the previous coat dry properly? Plus was there enough heat in the garage?

Sure so what, you've learnt a step and can have another go knowing what to do a bit more

Yeah think it was just a combination of things - no problems with the plastics but then again they wouldn't have been as cold as the metal tank etc. Anyway, hopefully get it all thrown together in the next few days or so (although I am doing OT every night so may not get a chance) and get some pics in the natural light.

Just busting to get back out again on it

 

[Kerzo]

Almost there

I have a couple of CBR stickers ordered to break things up a bit however the guy sent out silver ones rather than requested black

 

[midgelfc]

Wow that is some awesome work right there. Looks like a completely different bike. Nice job. Can't wait to see it in person.

 

[Kerzo]

Wow that is some awesome work right there. Looks like a completely different bike. Nice job. Can't wait to see it in person.

I will let you look at it from 6ft, no closer

 

[r6kyl]

Hats off for first time go. Looks very well and alot fresher than it did

 

[Kerzo]

Well here is the finished article





Just going to concentrate on riding it now, it's been a while!

 

[corsacj]

Brilliant work especially for a first try at that sort of thing mate

Only thing I would do is change the front indicators to clear or smaller ones, the rest of the bike looks so fresh by comparrison to the big ambers lol

 

[Kerzo]

Lol I know, got some tints for them but didnt look right at all. I may keep an eye out to see if anything takes my fancy, think flushed ones would look the tidiest but dunno how good they would be visibility wise which is very important!