Topic: 100 point restoration

[Pain]

How exactly does the point system work? I assume 100 points is the same as "museum quality"? This question started for me when I wondered what all aluminum parts of the bike should get polished. Would polishing everything (i.e. hubs, fork) increase the quality of the restoration or hinder it?

[MoMo]

Do not know how the point system works but in my mind highly polished hubs would take away as that was not original from the factory. Sure someone with knowledge of the rating system will come in...Larry

[Bodi]

It's not museum quality. A 100 point "concours" restoration bike looks like it was just uncrated and assembled, a 69 CB750 would look like if you walked into a Honda showroom in 1969. For a car it should even have the option sheet stuck to a window.
Any deviation loses points.
The only way to keep such a bike is in what amounts to a museum, even if it's in your garage or living room. You can't ride it. You have to keep it out of the sun.
This does not sound like fun.

[Pain]

I read from one source that a 100 point actually looks better than it did new.

http://classiccars.about.com/od/buyingadvise/qt/ratingtip.htm

[Bodi]

Even a brand new bike out of the crate will have a few cosmetic blemishes. A 100 point vehicle is essentially the unattainable ideal: perfect paint, perfect chrome, all the sprags on the tires, unscuffed paint on the bottoms of the side and main stand feet...

[donny]

 I saw somewhere on the telly, some auto restorers overspray paint, etc, to make it a "correct" reproduction of the actual blemishes on cars they made back in the 70's or so,  with crappy quality control, like many Detroit cars were completed .  Not perfect by any means.

[splitt]

For simply swapping a stainless bolt in place of an original nickel plated bolt will give you a 1 point deduction. Depending on the judges, they might allow an exception if you have to substitute for a fastener that is no longer manufactured. So it's pretty easy to lose points.

Polishing something that was unpolished from the factory will definitely cost points. For the judges, it's not about the one that's the shiniest, it's for the one that is factory correct. That's why they have the people's choice award.

I've judged antique bikes before & it's not easy.