Bringing back a Bonneville
Even though the metal was corroded and the paint faded, the bike still was totally complete and untouched. Two things that make a restoration of this type much easier.
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In November of 2023, I received a phone call from Tom (for our customer's privacy, we do not provide personal data). He had recently been to a museum in New York and had seen many beautifully restored vintage motorcycles. It had awakened in him a desire to restore his 1979 Bonneville T140D-A. His ultimate goal, to make the Bonnie like new and then donate it to the museum.
I get that. First and foremost, I'm what my wife calls a rescuer. I love making old things new again - especially old and neglected motorcycles. I also get the part about donating the motorcycle to a museum. For me, there's nothing better than sharing a beautifully restored piece of machinery with the world - especially if you have no intentions of riding it. By allowing a museum to become a caretaker of the motorcycle, it offers a perfect, year-round environment where the bike won't deteriorate, as well as a fairly high level of security from ravaging storms, fires or theft.
While Tom was on the phone with me, his Bonneville waited in a small shed in upstate New York.. The first decent snow of the year left several inches of snow on the trial to the shed in Tom's back yard. During our initial conversation, Tom explained that he was the second owner of the motorcycle. About 30 years ago, he purchased the special UK-version Bonnie from a veteran who kept the bike it in his bedroom in near-perfect condition. After buying the bike, Tom rode the bike for a few years, then put it away for storage one winter, never thinking it would would sit under a cover in that little shed behind his house for the next 25-plus years.
Unfortunately, the shed offered no protection from the humidity or, more importantly, the rodents. It didn't take long before mice and rats found their way beneath the bike's cover and began nesting in every cozy corner of the retired Bonneville. I didn't blame Tom for the bike's condition. He was a lot more prudent than most when it came to storing the bike. He had it up on the center stand on blocks of wood. The fuel had been removed from the tank and carbs; the battery was removed; and he put a cover over the bike. I'm sure if he had seen the damage I've seen from done by mice and rats, he would have put out a bunch of traps and poison too. It would have saved us both a lot of grief.
Urine secreted by mammals, no matter how large or small, acts like a corrosive acid when it comes into contact with metals. If you ever seen a motorcycle left near a beach, you understand the corrosive power of salt air. Urine is much worse and acts quicker. Not only that, mice and rats eat almost anything. They love to eat upholstery, vinyl, cable coverings, plastic and especially the insulation on wiring. There little teeth can cut right through steel cables and copper wire. The were so many missing pieces of wire on this bike, we've planning to install a new wiring harness. Incredibly, they didn't get to the set yet, but they were making their their.
When we picked up the bike for Tom, he was aware of my busy schedule. He understands a museum-quality restoration takes time. We have photographically log every inch of the bike for accuracy. And it can often take months, sometimes years to locate or fabricate parts.
For now, much of the disassembly is complete. Our next step after obtaining a host of critical parts is to paint the frame, rebuild the wheels and make the bike a roller again. But until we get to that step of the restoration, we are providing a reference of the dozens of pictures we've taken for reference. Please check back with us soon to witness the progress on this restoration.
I get that. First and foremost, I'm what my wife calls a rescuer. I love making old things new again - especially old and neglected motorcycles. I also get the part about donating the motorcycle to a museum. For me, there's nothing better than sharing a beautifully restored piece of machinery with the world - especially if you have no intentions of riding it. By allowing a museum to become a caretaker of the motorcycle, it offers a perfect, year-round environment where the bike won't deteriorate, as well as a fairly high level of security from ravaging storms, fires or theft.
While Tom was on the phone with me, his Bonneville waited in a small shed in upstate New York.. The first decent snow of the year left several inches of snow on the trial to the shed in Tom's back yard. During our initial conversation, Tom explained that he was the second owner of the motorcycle. About 30 years ago, he purchased the special UK-version Bonnie from a veteran who kept the bike it in his bedroom in near-perfect condition. After buying the bike, Tom rode the bike for a few years, then put it away for storage one winter, never thinking it would would sit under a cover in that little shed behind his house for the next 25-plus years.
Unfortunately, the shed offered no protection from the humidity or, more importantly, the rodents. It didn't take long before mice and rats found their way beneath the bike's cover and began nesting in every cozy corner of the retired Bonneville. I didn't blame Tom for the bike's condition. He was a lot more prudent than most when it came to storing the bike. He had it up on the center stand on blocks of wood. The fuel had been removed from the tank and carbs; the battery was removed; and he put a cover over the bike. I'm sure if he had seen the damage I've seen from done by mice and rats, he would have put out a bunch of traps and poison too. It would have saved us both a lot of grief.
Urine secreted by mammals, no matter how large or small, acts like a corrosive acid when it comes into contact with metals. If you ever seen a motorcycle left near a beach, you understand the corrosive power of salt air. Urine is much worse and acts quicker. Not only that, mice and rats eat almost anything. They love to eat upholstery, vinyl, cable coverings, plastic and especially the insulation on wiring. There little teeth can cut right through steel cables and copper wire. The were so many missing pieces of wire on this bike, we've planning to install a new wiring harness. Incredibly, they didn't get to the set yet, but they were making their their.
When we picked up the bike for Tom, he was aware of my busy schedule. He understands a museum-quality restoration takes time. We have photographically log every inch of the bike for accuracy. And it can often take months, sometimes years to locate or fabricate parts.
For now, much of the disassembly is complete. Our next step after obtaining a host of critical parts is to paint the frame, rebuild the wheels and make the bike a roller again. But until we get to that step of the restoration, we are providing a reference of the dozens of pictures we've taken for reference. Please check back with us soon to witness the progress on this restoration.
Pre-delivery photos taken by the customer
Photos from pick-up in New York
