Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Which Bits of the Bike do I Take Photos of?

Everything!
Don't worry if you think you'll never use the photo again.  Just keep snapping away.
Here's a short list describing the photos I like to take when restoring a motorcycle.


1)  The complete bike (as you bought it).  Get as many as possible from all angles.  Useful when you need to know where that obscure bracket used to live.
2)  Remove the tank and any bodywork/fairings and take loads more.  We are looking for cable runs, wiring looms, hoses, small brackets and guides etc.  It might not seem important now, but when you've just fitted the entire wiring loom and you find its sat the wrong side of a frame tube, you'll be surprised at the expletives that can fly from the most pleasant-natured restorer.
3)  As you remove something, take a pic.  It might be that various brackets, engine plates etc. need to be removed and refitted in a particular order.  I've been caught out several times myself and, when you hate wasting time, it's very annoying!
4)  When you disassemble a part, take pics along the way, down to the last nut and bolt.  Sometimes workshop manuals aren't available and, even when they are, mistakes happen.  Having your own guide to how it came apart is a godsend.
It might seem tedious but it's worth every second spent and, what's more, you'll have a journal of the entire restoration process to bore all your friends with!


Just in case!



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