I realize I'm just crowing in public here, but I just have to share this. The rear passenger grab rail on my '67 CL77 was painted silver when I got the bike. From what I found under the paint, the chrome was a little pitted, but probably would have cleaned up well enough for an original look. But the PO seemed to have a penchant for using those metal resurfacing discs that look like scotchbrite and scuffed up the entire surface before painting.
It drove me nuts that this bar was painted. I found a NOS one but half the chrome had peeled off while it was on the shelf all those years. That killed me, too. So I called Brown's Plating, generally accepted as "the best" and talked to Ronnie Brown after talking to a few local chromers up here in the NE. His price was right in line if not a little less than some of the local guys and his turn around time was 5 -7 days where others were saying 6 weeks at best. Not that I need it right away with 2 feet of snow in the yard, but I hate having stuff at vendors and wondering if I'll ever see it again.
Sent it on Wed via priority mail, it arrived late Friday. Monday Ronnie called with the real price, which was at the bottom of the range he estimated on the phone. He said it would go into the process that day. That week passed and the following Tuesday (this week) UPS showed up at my door with my rail packed in a new box full of styro peanuts and with my rail wrapped in 4 layers of newsprint paper.
The rail looks exceptional. Obviously better than it ever looked from Honda and being triple chrome plated should last a lot longer with care.
In all my years of playing with bikes, I never felt the need to have parts chromed for a custom look or even to restore them. I did put a chrome front end on a new Harley, but that bike was already loaded with fresh new chome bit so it was not as big a deal. But this rail looks so good compared to what it was, that I'm worried I might have just created a monster.
The grab rail cost me $100 to rechrome plus shipping. The NOS rail was just over $70 plus shipping. So I look at it as really only costing me $30. I don't need anyone to debate this belief, thanks.
The problem is, now that rail is going to make the pretty decent OEM chrome fenders look ratty, not to mention the exhaust. I feel like a crack addict that keeps justifying just one more toke. Fortunately, the price of rechroming fenders is kinda steep so I think I'll be able to restrain myself. But you never know. Ronnie knows what he's doing because he sent a brochure with a CL77 on the front cover that looks like new inside the box with the grab bar. He gets $65/ft for doing exhausts. Gotta go measure my exhausts. The straight pipes won't be that expensive. Maybe he'll give me a deal on fenders and exhaust as a package. Gimme another hit off that pipe, willya.
First zinc, now chrome. It's gotta be the fumes.
regards,
Rob
Just gotta share this...Rob, you've it the nail on the head! I refrain from re-chroming parts, as the rest of the parts on the bike look dull in comparison! When I was restoring my 67 CL77, I bought a NOS rear fender from fellow member DONZIE for about the price of having mine re-chromed. Thing is, it looks right at home with the rest of the origional chrome on the bike.
Davo davomoto
64 CB77 63-7 CB77 Cafe' 67 CL77 64 CL72 66 CL77 big bore flat tracker Many others! Yeah, I hear ya, Davo. But fresh chome sure looks good. I just picked up a fully restored BSA T-bolt that the guy spared no expense on. Everything was rechromed to beyond perfection. The bike is a jewel. Of course the sum of his receipts would have bought about 4 or 5 decent T-bolts or a pair of restored Nortons. Needless to say, I bought it for a song.
regards, Rob Rob
It's a habit that's really hard to kick once you have had some parts nicely chromed. I have a really good chromer close by. Prices are good and the service is wonderful despite the long wait of 10 weeks...  Chroming.jpg by graham.curtis, on Flickr It means that I have to plan ahead somewhat. G '60 C77 '60 C72 '62 C72 Dream '63 CL72
'61 CB72 '64 CB77 '65 CB160 '66 Matchless 350 '67 CL77 '67 S90 '77 CB400F It's a habit that's really hard to kick once you have had some parts nicely chromed. I have a really good chromer close by. Prices are good and the service is wonderful despite the long wait of 10 weeks...
G - the chrome looks great. I notice that you have some exhaust pipes included in that grouping. I've read in the Forum that people have had problems getting exaust pipes chromed due to contamination issues. How were you able to get the pipes done or was it even an issue? If you want to share it, what was the price? Thanks, CW Hi Hotshoe
I'll have to check on the prices, but these guys have done several sets of pipes for me. I think that it was about 95 GB pounds each for the scrambler pipes, so not that cheap but still economic considering their rarity here. I have a friend who is an ace with a TIG welder and he welded new rear sections on for me. Contamination did not seem to be an issue but they do refuse some muffler types - the ones with wadding in, I suppose. The prices are less than half of the previous chromer I was using and they have constant demand without needing to advertise. For the benefit of UK residents, they are Prestige Electroplating of Mexborough. It's a family concern and they are very helpful and diligent with the work. I have had several sets of scrambler rims done and they came out really well. G '60 C77 '60 C72 '62 C72 Dream '63 CL72
'61 CB72 '64 CB77 '65 CB160 '66 Matchless 350 '67 CL77 '67 S90 '77 CB400F You are a lucky man, G-man to have a good chromer near you that does not gouge you. Browns gets $65/foot for exhausts. That would make a scrambler at least $500 to do, and I suspect that the muffler welded on the end of '67 pipes would bump the price up a bit.
I considered calling Browns about my exhaust. I do need to repair the end as it was sawn off by somebody about an inch from the end. I have a friend with a welding business and his son said the NYS Police are using him for their aircraft repairs. I need to go see him about welding on a new snout. Those parts look great! regards, Rob
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