BADGE RESTORATION
Steve Cooper restores metal badges.
The manufacturer’s name on almost any modern motorcycle is normally a vinyl decal protected by lacquer. The company logo of the firm that produced the bike is still there for all to see but it’s done via the cheapest possible route. There was a time however, when the Big Four crowed loud and proud about who they were and what model of bike you were looking at. Typically the badges/emblems/ logos affixed to the bikes of the period were either made of cast alloy or moulded plastic. Countless years on many of either type can, potentially, look rather shabby. If you are fortunate it may be possible to source replicas and why wouldn’t you? The British bike enthusiasts have been doing just this for years. It’s great if the badges you need are still being made but what if they’re not? Or if the cost of them along with shipping, import duty, handling and the insidious VAT added to the deal makes you wince? Is there an alternative or will you be doomed to forever scour ebay for that elusive bargain? Perhaps you’re sufficiently pedantic to want to retain as much of the original bike’s history as possible? If the name Yamaha, Suzuki et al is emblazoned on cracked and discoloured plastic, sorry, but the chances of restoring the badge are very low. Yet if the badge is metal based presumably there’s a possibility that it could be reworked somehow? Perhaps not too surprisingly the infamous Project Stinger has thrown up yet another curved-shape ball. The replacement tank badges I once had have disappeared off the face of the earth despite being stored in a safe place. One scrappy offering came from a spare tank I’d acquired with another from life saver Michael Catchpole of Mid Life Cycles in Victoria, Australia. Both had seen better days looking more than a little shabby and careworn but at least I had a pair. And at the same time I found myself getting talked into a makeover of a round tanked Yamaha RD250. The RD also runs plated alloy badges so it seemed like a good idea to have a crack at both sets with the aid of some expert metal refinishing.
For a first attempt I’m more than happy with the end results; the badges have turned out much better than I expected. In retrospect it might have been better to paint one letter at a time in the Yamaha badges and not have the odd crease where the top coat has moved against the underlying still liquid paint. That said they’re immeasurably better than what I started with. In a world where NOS anything is fetching stupidly obscene money I’ll happily settle for a little DIY based compromise. The last time I looked, NOS badges were nearly £100 each; unless you’re going hell bent for a show winner this may very well be your best option.