Were 500 casings originally polished alloy or sprayed with Aluminium paint?

[Oddjob]

As it happens I own an original unfettled alternator case, chain case cover and clutch cover. What do I do to settle the debate? They are in fact 1977 550 F2 cases, so may only settle the case for that specific model and year?

Sand a small area with fine wet and dry, when you have a patch down to the alloy surface look and see if you can see the rings where the lacquer and paint are, they'll look like tree rings.

[Sesman]

Will do, but not till next sat as currently in Gosport tying various types of sailing knots…

[Laverdaroo]

I like an 'underhand overpush' with a 'biminy twist' personally

[Trigger]

Thread starts off as 500 cases and now it has changed to 550F2  Shall i have a look at my CD250 cases  The 550F and K had paint on the rocker cover, were as the 500 did not

[Oddjob]

All my 500 rocker covers were painted, never seen one bare alloy.

Whilst it started as a 500 thread the 550F2 also uses the same finish as the 500 so it's relevant to the topic. As I said, Honda are still using the same finish to this day, fork sliders are common in this finish, including both the 500 and 550 models.

[Sesman]

Like I said, my example may only be relevant to the 77 F2.

[Oddjob]

Like I said, my example may only be relevant to the 77 F2.

No same finish was applied.

[Trigger]

I think you need a eye test Ken, if you think that the same paint is used across the Honda for the past 60 years
The CB750 changed from 1969 to 1979 and in the 80's Honda used a lot of ceramic paint on engine casings which the first i ever see on a SOHC was a CB750F2

Do you think that this is the same finish in the picture between a original CB750K1 clutch cover and a CD250 engine 


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[Oddjob]

the casings are 100% painted and lacquered, Honda are still doing this to this day,  I've got a grab rail off a VT1100 that you can just make them out and that's after being sanded really flat, there are cavities, where an air bubble sat on the surface, paint fills those in, polishing doesn't.

I didn't say they were using it on all models Graham, I just said they were still using it. My CB1300 for instance has the same finish on the clutch cover.



Does the finish on those look familiar?

Or do the grab rails and engine covers on this VT1100 look the same?



You really don't like admitting you're wrong on this.

[Cappodimonte]

Gentlemen, let us not fall out over such ab issue, just to put my two pen’orth in. Take a vintage British bike of any make and the engine cases are of Aluminium which respond to polishing up to mirror finish and do not readily corrode. Japanese bikes of any make or marque use Mazak or Zamak which without paint protection will bubble and corrode really quickly. Even with paint protection the underlying material can bubble and ‘rust’ by which I mean it returns to a white powdery substance.
Just to put this into perspective, I have a Mazda MX5 which has an aluminium bonnet, this has a couple of raised nodules which have lifted the paint but not broken it, in part due to poor initial preparation, followed by weathering which exacerbates the problem.

[Matt_Harrington]

I was thinking of cerakote (mebbe silver) on the engine I'm going to rebuild rather than VHT type paint. Anyone had this done a while ago? If so, is it still OK?
I had my Guzzi rocker covers cerakoted and I have to say they are very durable.....

Roo, did you say Nathan Cerakoted your engine??

Matt

[Oddjob]

Roo has his engine done in Cerakote IIRC.

[Laverdaroo]

Nathan has done two for me , they look mint, have a look on my 550 started thread. I'd grab the page but sitting in deprtures at Savannah air port and off in ten so need my adult head on and concentrate. I only saw this as i was closing down before boarding. Give him a shout, I havent spoken to him for a bit but hes more than likely flat out as ever so give him 3 weeks to sort it if you decide to go that way. Remind him to get some heatproof tape to cover the mating surfces, he forgot on mine as it was a saturday morning cash job, it comes off dead easy with a brass brush but its more particulate and another job. Just saying. Well worth it though it looks mint. Adios.

[Matt_Harrington]

For those of you who maybe interested, Nathan runs this firm https://chameleonvapourblasting.co.uk/ (No connection apart from a v. happy customer.

Matt

[Laverdaroo]

Have you managed a chat with him then Matt?

Seconded by the way, great chap