Two guys and a bikeTwo guys and a bikeHey everyone,
Bought this Dream back in November 2011. After some harsh daily riding and neglect I found enough issues with it to justify a complete teardown. With the help of a friend we have begun tearing it down to the frame. We are prepared for the long journey ahead of us and look forward to the comments and guidance from individuals on this forum. This will not be a restoration but rather a.. rebuild? It is the first time either of us has "built" a bike and we expect to have some tough, good times. I attached the earliest photos of the bike and will be posting photos along the way. Thanks in advance for your support! This photo was in Nov '11. Lost the left header on a ride. The metal battery bracket broke. I was popping tail lights and now the brake light won't work. Tail light is cracked. The kick start flew off mid ride. Missing left foot peg rubber. Push start not working. Rust in the tank. Lost the battery side cover mid ride, then a car ran over it. Just enough has gone wrong to justify the tear down. Haha.
Rebuild?I find wrenching on these bikes to be very therapeutic. But, I find riding a Dream to be lot more fun. If it were me, I would just fix the things that are wrong and get it back on the road as soon as possible.
It is a nice looking bike. If you are not going to do a show level restoration, I am not sure how much you are going to improve it with a "rebuild". My $0.02. To each his own. Best wishes with your project no matter which way you go. Here are some photos of the tear down performed over this past weekend. The plan for next weekend is the engine, replacing all the gaskets and any screws that need it. We had several stripped screws during the tear down and some that were only hand tight! A little scary to think I was riding this thing around. If anything the peace of mind knowing that everything is in complete working order will be worth it. Also if anyone has any tips for taking apart the engine they would be appreciated!
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