HOT WHEELS CHOPPER

   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!

    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

   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...

   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!  

   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!  

     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.

   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! 

     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! 

     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.

     Hot Wheels goes to Bike Week! Hot Wheels attended its first ever, and then second, Bike Week at Thunder on the Strip in Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH, in 2021 and 2022. It was fun to enter into the bike show, put on by Reasons to Ride Ohio.     Also pictured is the 2021 Vulcan 650s Cafe, 2004 Honda Rebel 250, and 2000's era El Diablo Mini Chopper. If anyone has more information on the gold bike, feel free to comment below! 

  While the saddlebags were shipping, it seemed time to do something about that god-awful shape to the exhaust pipe. It looks so much better straight and wrapped!

   This bike needed a LOT of work when it first came in. The exhaust was cherry hot within minutes of starting, the tank was leaking, the wiring was completely messed up, and the previous owner had "put the carb in a soup"- it was barely running. First up was an attempt at a total carb rebuild. Once that was completed, it was discovered that Chinese carburators were incredibly cheap nowadays! So, on with the brand new carb it was!   Then it was on to fixing the fairings- the side pieces were the first to go. Replacing them with saddle bags was definitely the move to make- it was just a matter of finding ones that would fit the 3/4 scale.    This was also the time to do some much needed routine maintenance- oil change, check the chain, everything - the full treatment. The headlights turn signals, mirrors, and brake light were all replaced. A lot of the parts got new paint, and all of the unpainted metal was polished. The fins on the engine were polished to stainl...