2002 nomad transformation

[talon]

Beautifully done. Nice bike. What do you plan for the 1600?

[rickyboy]

Nice progress report "daddy"......The Nomad looks awesome.
It begs the question from me though,.....did it take $6000. to get you to "love riding this bike"? Really? I loved riding my 06' Nomad before I did a thing to it....just say'in.

Where did you go about learning to polish the metal? I'd like to remove some painted parts and get them either chromed or me polish them.
Oh !! and did you get the polished parts clear coated or whatever you can/should do to them?
Great job on the bike !!

[Notsoshort]

Big Daddy, I have a couple of questions for you. I'm about to order a reckless fairing for my 2002 Nomad, and like you at 6'4", I'm curios to know which windshield you ordered, and do you look over or through it?

[BIG DADDY]

Reckless sells 2 sizes of windshields for thier fairing. A 5" and a 8". Also any street glide windshield will also fit thier fairing as long as it has 3 bolts. I have a 5" and it's fine except for interstate riding. The 8" would be more like having the factory size windshield. The fairing comes with one and if you get a 2nd windshield the cost is only $35. Also I would suggest buying the stainless trim for the windshield. It adds a lot of strength to the point of connection.

[BIG DADDY]

As far as my bike. From day one I loved the way this bike rode. It was nice and smooth and a joy to ride. It was just ugly to me. Even worse when I put a black fairing on a two tone gold bike. I didn't spend 6k to fix it up that's total cost purchase price included. Now my 2006 is a beast and has a lot more power than the 2002. There is a great difference in the two and it works for me. I'm not a man that cares what other people say but it sure feels good when people walk around my buddies 25k Harley's to look at my 6k nomad. Not so much for them I guess.lol. I'm not a harley hater but I live by financial rules. Rule #1 NEVER FINANCE TOYS. It works for me

[BIG DADDY]

From what I've been told this trim adds metal to a joint of 2 pieces of fiberglass and a piece of plexiglass. With the wind always pushing the windshield over time the holes start wallowing out

[BIG DADDY]

I live only 15 minutes from reckless so I go there and talk to these guys about different things. They are bikers like us so they have no problem wanting to help.

[rickyboy]

Ok ....I misunderstood about what you had into the Nomad. I say good for you to do all that at that price. Considerably less than what I have into my '06 Nomad. You'll get your money back, likely. Me? not a chance. I could take a lesson from you.
But then again it's not and won't be for sale anytime soon.

[BIG DADDY]

As for polishing metal it's really not that hard. I went to northern tool and purchased a bench polisher with 8" polishing wheels. Watch several utube videos. Found some aluminum stainless steel pot metal steel and any other kind of metal I could find and practiced. It's really all in the sanding. 200 grit if painted or rough then 400,600,800,1000,1500, and finish with 2000. Then polish with brown compound then white then blue. Just hold on to the piece when buffing. The buffer will take all your hard work away from you and it bounces down the driveway beating it to death then you have to start over. That really sucks lol

[BIG DADDY]

Rickyboy it's hard for me to pay $500 for something then pay someone $500 more for labor. I always thing to myself " it can't be that hard" and normally it isn't. It's a technic that was learned. I'm not a brain surgeon but I'm not stupid either. With the internet you now can learn anything you want to if you really want to.

[BIG DADDY]

Not so short order both. 5" smoked and 8" clear. Takes 2 minutes to swap them out

[id-man]

Originally Posted by BIG DADDY

As for polishing metal it's really not that hard. I went to northern tool and purchased a bench polisher with 8" polishing wheels. Watch several utube videos. Found some aluminum stainless steel pot metal steel and any other kind of metal I could find and practiced. It's really all in the sanding. 200 grit if painted or rough then 400,600,800,1000,1500, and finish with 2000. Then polish with brown compound then white then blue. Just hold on to the piece when buffing. The buffer will take all your hard work away from you and it bounces down the driveway beating it to death then you have to start over. That really sucks lol

Thanks for that description. I like a lot of what you have to say about your bike and modifying - I'm a learn by doing guy also. If you're still in an answering mood, did you put any kind of clear over your various polished metals or are they going to need frequent rubbing with something to maintain the luster?
Thanks

[Notsoshort]

Daddy - I had thought the best idea would be to get both after I had read your first response. So it was good to see your second to confirm what I was thinking. On the topic of the 1500 compared to the 1600, I find the 1500 is a more comfortable bike for my size.

[pete]

Mate, that is an outstanding effort. Nicely done.

[rickyboy]

I'm not afraid of trying new things for sure. .....I have tried to polish my brake levers etc. only to have them rtn to orig. condition. Maybe this winter I'll try again .......if there isn't enough snow to go "sledding". You're right about learning anything...I've watched so many youtube videos on how to do those kinds of things.

Oh so clear coat over the newly polished items???