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Author Topic: 76 rickman honda restoration  (Read 14222 times)

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Offline HYPWR

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76 rickman honda restoration
« on: May 01, 2011, 05:41:50 AM »
Hey guys, i'm starting a restoration project on a 1976 Rickman Honda 750 four. Its all pretty exciting at the moment but finding it difficult to find much information about the the bike. i was happy to come across this forum as it seems very rich in information.
  although i was wondering if anyone knows where i could find a parts list for the bike or possibly a workshop manual?

  I'm in perth, so i would be very interested in anyone else here that may have done a similar restoration??

      Cheers.

   


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Offline petejohno

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2011, 02:51:32 AM »
G'Day,
           I have a CR750 dual seat just like yours. You can find a copy of the parts manual on ebay - or check out rickman motorcycles in the UK - they still have some parts. Your looks fairly complete. There is no workshop manual as such only the Honda manual available on the net. PM me if you want ( I'm in Wagga N.S.W.)
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Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2011, 05:10:17 AM »
i was wondering if its possible to change the duel seat to a single?
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Offline petejohno

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2011, 05:07:53 PM »
You can have both. You can fit a single seat to your existing tank, of you can get the longer tank as well. The longer tank came as either a steel tank with a cover ( same as your tank ) in Aus or as a fibreglass tank as fitted to US models - looks better. Rickman have the tanks and also an alloy tank - very nice but expensive. Tail seat is available from prixhistoric fibreglass at phillip is. or airtech in the us ( they do the tank as well )

Johno
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2011, 05:36:14 PM »
What ever you do do not modify the standard Rickman stuff....Those bikes are worth a pretty penny here in Australia.... ;)
Nice bike mate , very good find...Oh...welcome to our happy {most of the time  ;D} family.... ;)
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2011, 10:09:44 PM »
Have a look here for a pic of a rickman single seat...Its a Kwaka but just to give you an idea... ;)

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=88690.0;topicseen
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2011, 12:08:12 AM »
thats good news! i was hoping i could get both seats and swap them as needed and that long tank looks great.

as of now i've stripped most the bike down as below. waiting on a mate to weld up some bolts so i can mount the 750 onto the engine mount.

once its out i'll be focusing on the frame and parts that i can clean and prepare for a new plating.  Now i'm wondering is it worth re-nickeling or should i be going for chrome?  Also what is the best way to prepare it without damaging the braze welds?
 also what would be the best way to bring the rims back to a good condition?

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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2011, 01:12:49 AM »
I would go with what Rickman used, nickel, i have been told chrome is not good for frames, something to do with the heat it absorbs, {i could be wrong, someone else may know more}. You need to keep everything as Rickman had it to maintain its value.... The place that applies the nickel will chemically strip the frame for you..  Are the wheels just alloy or are they magnesium? there will be a different approach to renovating them if they are magnesium....
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2011, 01:46:15 AM »
Quote from: Retro Rocket on May 07, 2011, 01:12:49 AM
I would go with what Rickman used, nickel, i have been told chrome is not good for frames, something to do with the heat it absorbs, {i could be wrong, someone else may know more}. You need to keep everything as Rickman had it to maintain its value.... The place that applies the nickel will chemically strip the frame for you..  Are the wheels just alloy or are they magnesium? there will be a different approach to renovating them if they are magnesium....

with the wheels. i'm not sure.. i cant see any markings on either rim.  any easy way to tell the difference?
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2011, 01:56:45 AM »
I would probably contact Rickman by email with some pics and i am sure they will tell you far more than i can.  ;)

http://www.rickman-motorcycles.com/about-rickman-motorcycles.php

Keep us posted.... :D
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2011, 03:33:47 AM »
Hey nice bike mate, well done! If that green is the original color (and I'm guessing that it is) then leave it alone and just tidy it up, those old Rickman's are very collectable now.

Mick is right about the frame, I was always told that you shouldn't chrome frames as it makes them brittle, but I don't know the metalurgical reason why. Get it re-nickled, and keep it original, and nickle plating is cheaper than chrome anyway.

Back in the early 1980's, I could have bought an orange Rickman CB750 from Vic Wreckers for 900 bucks, it was leaning up against the wall looking very forlorn, and I thought about it, but didn't act. I wish I had. Cheers, Terry. ;D
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Offline petejohno

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2011, 10:42:31 PM »
Be VERY careful if you're going to re-nickel the frame. If you get the frame chemically stripped it will destroy the bronze braised joints and you'll end up with a box of frame tubes. Search the web and you will find plenty written about it. I think you have to rub it back manually, which will take some work. If it's not too bad, just polish and buff it up with a decent metal polish - they usually come up OK.

Johno
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Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #12 on: May 08, 2011, 04:31:59 AM »
I've had a chrome exhaust "de-chromed" at a chrome platers, and apparently they reversed the plating process to remove the chrome, without using any acid.

That pipe was brazed together, and there was no harm done to the welds, so that's the way I'd do it. Take it to a reputable plater and they should be able to strip it properly and replate it so it looks like new. Cheers, Terry. ;D
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I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #13 on: May 08, 2011, 05:58:44 AM »
researching the problem over the weekend has left me alittle worried about getting it replated.

 I'll make afew phone calls tomorrow to local platers and see what they say. seems like there are alot of different opinions on this. chemicals are the problem that ruins the brazing.  Lol last thing i want is a couple of tubes floating in acid!

there isnt alot of rust on the frame but there is abit of corrosion of the nickel ( looks like its going green/blue mold ) i'll have a shot at polishing up myself next weekend )

   Any products anyone recommends to do the job?
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Offline Retro Rocket

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #14 on: May 08, 2011, 02:39:37 PM »
Seriously, i would be asking Rickman themselves, warm those typing fingers up and shoot off a few emails mate.... ;D ;)
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750 K2 1000cc
750 F1 970cc
750 Bitsa 900cc
If You can't fix it with a hammer, You've got an electrical problem.

Offline Greggo

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #15 on: May 08, 2011, 02:47:38 PM »
Subscribed!
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Offline petercb750

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2011, 07:35:38 PM »
If you're still having issues with deciding how to restore it, give up and sell it to me and let me worry about it..... :P ::)

But, nice find that, wish I had one in my shed. 8)
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Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #17 on: May 14, 2011, 04:33:09 AM »
Well i've been emailing rickman motorcycles and had afew wins :)  I've had them send me the Assembly instructions and parts list for the Rickman CR.

I sent them some pic's and they've told me the rims are Magnesium and would need to be glass bead blasted or vapour blasted to be best restored.
Also, i asked if they knew the best way to go about re-nickeling the frame. They really didnt give me too much info other then stripping the nickel wouldn't hurt the brazed joins ( although i still think thats all depending on how you go about it ) and that when its re-nickeled it will wont get into the joints and never be a perfect job..  so in saying that i've bought some Autosol metal polish and tried my luck.







i took to the fairing mount by hand with the autosol. it come up pretty damn good. going to look for a buffing pad for my 5" grinder and i'm sure it will end up with a better finish ( and much easier lol )
« Last Edit: May 14, 2011, 04:36:48 AM by HYPWR »
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Offline Terry in Australia

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #18 on: May 14, 2011, 05:48:05 AM »
Looking good mate, well done! Cheers, Terry. ;D
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I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline bikeboy

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #19 on: June 01, 2011, 04:31:56 AM »
That's a good result. Looks like you've found your solution.

For your wheels, I'd look into vapour-blasting rather than glass beads. Vapour really does bring things up like new without any damage to the surface.

good score by the way. Going to be a nice bike when you're done.

cheers
ian
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Offline CycleRanger

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #20 on: June 01, 2011, 06:57:30 AM »
I'm sure you're aware that a restored 750 Rickman just like yours recently sold at auction for ~$20,000....  :o
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Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #21 on: June 05, 2011, 05:58:38 AM »
Quote from: CycleRanger on June 01, 2011, 06:57:30 AM
I'm sure you're aware that a restored 750 Rickman just like yours recently sold at auction for ~$20,000....  :o

Really? i had no idea it would be anywhere near that much  :o   puts alittle pressure on the project!

Quote from: bikeboy on June 01, 2011, 04:31:56 AM
That's a good result. Looks like you've found your solution.

For your wheels, I'd look into vapour-blasting rather than glass beads. Vapour really does bring things up like new without any damage to the surface.

good score by the way. Going to be a nice bike when you're done.

cheers
ian
Exactly right, i'll be looking for the rims to be vapour blasted very soon and some new rubber :)
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Offline HYPWR

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #22 on: June 05, 2011, 06:08:48 AM »
small update - engines out and will have it up on the engine mount tomorrow.

 managed to convince the wife to let me roll the frame into the games room so i can work on it in the afternoon in the warmth :)

few pics -
 








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Offline CycleRanger

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #23 on: June 05, 2011, 09:25:37 AM »
Quote from: HYPWR on June 05, 2011, 05:58:38 AM
Quote from: CycleRanger on June 01, 2011, 06:57:30 AM
I'm sure you're aware that a restored 750 Rickman just like yours recently sold at auction for ~$20,000....  :o

Really? i had no idea it would be anywhere near that much  :o   puts a little pressure on the project!

Actually, it turns out the 20K was for a CR, but I'm sure yours will be worth a good portion of that considering how the 750 market is going.
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Do you have a copy of the Honda Shop Manual or Parts List for your bike? Get one here:
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Offline petercb750

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Re: 76 rickman honda restoration
« Reply #24 on: June 05, 2011, 07:42:27 PM »
That frame looks like it's coming up real nice mate - very satisfying when hours of work results in shiney "rebirthing".
Am watching this with interest.
And your mrs is a good sport - hope it isn't toooo costly in repayment..... ::)
Peter.
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