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Bike Week '25- JUDGE'S CHOICE AWARD WINNER!!

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     Hot Wheels had an amazing time at Thunder on the Strip 2025 in Geneva-on-the-Lake!! Bike Week 2024 was uneventful, there was even a little snow on the ground, and the Bike Show was cancelled, or so we thought. 2025 showed up BIG TIME! Hot Wheels entered in the "Reasons to Ride" bike show, and was an absolute head turner!       Hot Wheels has a special ability to appeal to everyone in a crowd- from moms and kids and grandparents to even the most hardcore bikers! Sometimes, life doesn't need to be so serious. Evidently, the judges agreed! Hot Wheels took home the prize! This could not have been a better weekend for Hot Wheels, even though we forgot the final coat of turtle wax before the show! Oops!     Special thanks to  Reasons To Ride for putting on this incredible show! Be sure to check out their page to see if there are any upcoming shows near you! Also visit Thunder On The Strip 's official website for info on Bike Week in Gene...
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Seat Swap! Finally!!

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       Hot Wheels' original seat was designed so that all types of riders can use the bike. However, that isn't the most comfortable option for people who are proportional to the bike. The new seat much more closely resembles a typical seat for a cruiser or chopper motorcycle.       After much careful measuring, planning, and shopping for the best option for the seat, it was time to make a move and remove!      And now, the big reveal!       It's much better than the old one! This seat was done over a longer period of time than typical projects for this bike, so the photos are not as in-depth as is typical of this blog. Apologies!
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Switch Box Part Two

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   The left side switch box was even more fun than the right! This side did not have the correct connector on the end, so it required a complete re-wire. Surprisingly, this side matched up color for color! After soldering and painting, the install was similar to the other side of the bike.     Unfortunately, the story does not end there. Upon attempting to plug in the new part, it was discovered that it was also approximately three inches shorter in the cable than the original part. Back to the soldering bench!     Once the wires were actually long enough to plug in, the bike was re-assembled yet again. It's looking great!  
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Switch Box Swap Out

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   The chrome on the switch boxes originally on the bike were beginning to look worse for wear. Due to the fact that these are incredibly cheap, and for that reason difficult to properly restore, it's easier to simply purchase all new housing for this purpose.     The new parts are supposed to be plug and play, but that's simply never true. The right side of the bike, with the throttle and ignition, were first up to be replaced. The first step was to figure out how the wiring needed to run, and making that happen.     Once all the wiring was correct, everything was soldered into place. Then, the buttons all got fresh coats of black paint, for that extra finishing detail. Nail polish makes a great paint for this purpose- it dries fast and holds up extremely well to wear and tear from hands and elements alike.     After all the details are ironed out, the housing is re-assembled, and placed back on the bike. Up next: the other side!
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Muffler Baffle For Engine Drone

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    Hot Wheels has a very distinctive, comically lawn-mower-esque sound. This easy little slip in muffler baffle helps bring some of that noise down a tone before it escapes- it sounds a lot better, and a lot more like a real motorcycle now that this piece is here.   Upon installing it, the holes were discovered where the original muffler baffle sat. Ah, the wrongs this bike has endured from previous owners...     Hot Wheels should also see an improved performance now, because the pressure of the gas exiting the exhaust is more similar to what the bike was built to expect to see.     Stock photo courtesy of Amazon.com
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Goldie

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   Some of you might have noticed that other mini-chopper that seems to like to hang out with Hot Wheels! That's Goldie! Goldie is a Diablo 125cc mini-chopper.    Goldie came from a friend, who got it from a different friend in the group who passed away a while back. Originally, legend has it that this chopper was discovered in a man's shed, next to a few others, each with its own different theme.     Goldie needed a lot of work as well when it came in. The front forks were completely shot as far as the finish was concerned, and the chain kept popping because it wasn't assembled correctly at the axle- it never had a spacer it was supposed to get.    After the basic routine maintenance, some major cleanup, ironing out all the mechanical and wiring kinks, it was time to add the headlight, paint it up, and take it to Bike Week!     Wait, no, of course not. This thing doesn't have a clutch! Goldie was born to have a suicide shifter...
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Tire Bloom Solution

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   Hot Wheels has a very special tire size on the front that doesn't seem to be available anywhere anymore. It is a 70/70-15. So far, other than the bloom, the tires are in overall okay shape, if not slightly poor, but if possible it is probably best to keep the originals healthy and strong for as long as possible.     It has had some tire bloom on it since it came in- and there might finally be a solution! Enter: Weathered Membrane Cleaner! Results may vary... Time will tell how long this lasts!     Very exciting to have black tires to match the black bike again! If anyone has tried any other products and had success, or has any other bits, feel free to comment!  
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High Score! New Official Top Speed!

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   Hot Wheels was ready for some major action after being out of commission for its most recent repairs. It's running better than ever! The performance improved so much, that Hot Wheels was able to reach a higher speed than ever before, topping out at about 55 mph this time! Too bad there was a cop, because it might have even had a little further to go! For a show that exciting, Hot Wheels deserved a VIP parking spot at its destination!  
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How Hot Wheels Earned Its Patch

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     There's a story behind this one! You might have wondered why the Hot Wheels has this particular badge. This is the official story - this bike was hit by a white SUV while parked in a parking lot. The bike, unmanned, fell to its side, and was bulldozed about five or six feet forward, to the absolute bewilderment of the driver.     The driver behaved amicably, was very apologetic, and a settlement was reached civilly. The bike sustained some damage, mainly to the left forward control. Things still aren't always right with that particular part, and a replacement is impossible to find. And that's the story of why you should never tread on the Hot Wheels Chopper.     Stock photo courtesy of Amazon.
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Underglow? Ten years ago!

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   The underglow look is so last decade! Welcome to the 20's! This logo projector light was such a fun little Easter Egg to hide on the bike. Maybe it'll catch on! 
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Handgrips!

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     The handgrips originally on the bike were interesting, that's for sure! It turns out they are entirely plastic, which was not surprising. What was surprising was how little sanding and shaping the new metal pair really needed to fit the existing housing! These new grips look great, and are much easier to grip than the previous ones. They are also much easier to polish! Bonus! 
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Time for Some Fiberglass Repair!

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     After two full summers of use, and two summers before that when all the repairs were happening, the fairings that remained on the bike were starting to look more than worse for wear. It was time to completely rebuild the fiberglass, including the wishbone fairing, plastic behind the seat, and the rear fender itself.     The fangs on the rear fender were especially difficult, as they had nothing beneath them to support the fragile plastic. The solution was to build a steel frame for the fender to offer more rigidity and support.   Vinyl wrapping the plastics after the repairs was not only the most cost effective choice, the finish achieved far out-performs any paint that could have been applied in a home setting.
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