the top tubes are worn thru the paint right to the metal, if u look closely u can see surface rust.

Didn't see that wear, probably from frame surfing. I would try and clear away the rust and put some black grip tape over it.

[ January 31, 2007, 03:17 PM: Message edited by: twintoptuber ]

painting over that white rl20 II would be one dumb move. My two cents

Jesse D

Every time I see a a white RL20II, I wonder if it's my old one. I don't think that one is. I'm pretty sure I peeled the blue stickers between the chrome and the paint off the seat stays.

I often do my best to persuade people to leave certain bikes or parts as they are. Some people just have thier mind made up on it, so the best I can do is preserve it and at least keep it from getting blasted smooth at a less careing shop. Making a customer aware of what may give him the best long term value is a priority for me. I may loose a job here and there, but pick up way more from being honest and showing a genuine concern. What's best for that Bravo is debateable. Personally I would weld the pegs back on, remove the rust, and take every measure to get the paint redone as it was. Some others may just want to ride it as is.

Yep---I'm with ya there, I'd only do it if I could get it just right. Probably practice the "splatter technique" on a couple random frames first.

I`ll spray it. It`s like doing a big 80`s mini truck. lol. The only problem I`ll have would be time. I`m so booked right now. My Riv needs paint on it before the end of the month and thats tough considering I`m going to be in the NYC area on the 10th

Yeah i seen that frame. Killer paint. I to thought it should be left untouched. Build it like it is. It screams 80's.

Wow. My idea of a "full restore" on that RL-20II would comprise tires, brake cables, pedals, cleaning and lube. Maybe a seat post or a Flight chainwheel. But re-powdering? Yikes. To each his own, I guess.

I'm with ya Dave, I would not touch that frame and fork. The fact the paint is worn through to me is character, and it's something that happened by using the bike doing what it was made to do, and that cannot be recreated or restored - ever. I would trade my immaculate fully restored 88 for that 85.

the guy who currently owns that RL20II is from here and comes in the shop sometimes. i told him not to touch it, but i'm pretty sure he will. he rechromed a TS that really didn't need it, too.

I see both sides of the coin...I like a full on resto build, and I totally dig a true survivor also, but when it comes to the rare stuff, I would say just leav'em alone unless there completely trashed.
ya just dont see to many of the splatter paint Kuwis, I'd leave it be, as thats a paint job that could likely never be duped. I luv them bikes btw, I always thought they were one of the coolest bikes bitd...
The Redlines are much more common, but the one in the pic looks pretty clean to me, I wouldnt touch that one either, I'd try to find one that would be in more need of a repaint than that one.

[ February 01, 2007, 04:10 AM: Message edited by: Spicoli ]

I have a survivor fetish myself when it comes to bikes still in very decent condition for being 20 years old. changing a white rl 20II to a yellow one if thats what the guy wants so be it, but if he wants a white one I'd leave it alone. now that splatter painted Kuwi I wouldn't touch

mr coasterbrake,
Just out of curiosity.... about how old is the guy that owns that 20II? I get the feeling he's pretty young. He's the same guy that I had a disagreement with about 87-88 PFT/Pro Performer frames and the "FS" stamp at bmxmuseum.com
He says he paid $840 for that 20II as it sits... now he wants to "restore" it.

[ February 01, 2007, 08:35 AM: Message edited by: RL Paulie ]

James, really sorry for the threadjack! The grip tape idea is the best solution with respect to the Kuwi.

It's all good. We need more threads like this to keep ideas flowing on this board.

Looks like most wouldn't try and touch a splatter painted Kuwi. I'd like to hold two framesets side by side to compare the splatter design/color. I know they won't match, but to see if it's consistent.

Absolutely...I wonder what happened with the rear stands though...I guess the thing to do would be to leave them as-is?

It might go for a decent bargain because of the stands and, well, pretty much forget about ever having the right fork for it. Just stick a chrome FS fork of some sort on and there ya go, that's what ya get. Rider/survivor style.

Raul and I were talking about this frame via pm a few days ago. I told him I had that frame back in the 80's and the frame standers were in a position that caught your heals when you pedaled or did certian tricks. The thing to do BITD was to either take a hammer and bash them in or an adjustable wrench and clamp it on to snap them off the frame. I know my frame, used when I got it, had the standers bashed in.



AB

[ February 01, 2007, 09:43 AM: Message edited by: Canuck - Anthony_B ]

Dang that sounds like a poor design. Catching your heels on the standers could definetly get annoying. You'd have to have small feet.

Same problem with Generals.

..If memory serves, the rear standers were the same as General standers, just welded in the other way ( both frames came from Anlun)..just pick up a Blood Pro and take the rear standers off and have them rewelded..should be able to do it with a minimum of touch up...if only someone made a similar rear stander...oh, wait! I did!

I never actually saw a Bravo Pro. I'm surprised that they went with welded-on rear stands, since they had been using bolt-ons on Bravos and Bravo KTs in 85 and 86, and they didn't do the welded-on stands on the Magician series.

Heh--almost forgot about that Jay! You did come up with those. So yep, it can be done, and probably not much touch-up involved. Although if it were mine, I dunno---I might just as well leave 'em off if it's gonna be a rider. After all, they broke off once already; I'd feel safer with some bolt-ons or pegs.

I always hated welded on rear frame stands, I'd wouldnt try to put new ones on. If I ever get a Trick Star or General, I'll look for one thats already missing the rear standers, thats a bonus in my book, and it can save mucho bux. I always thought they looked sloppy, and tacked on, the Haro standers suck too, but @ least that was a clean design.

Well i never riden a general or kuwie with the standers, but from looking at them they look functional. The haro's on the other hand i can't even get the tip of shoe on there securely enough.
Definetly need pegs for them.

Man, those were sweet lookin' bikes.

From the ones on ebay to that ad you can see tons of variance in the splatter. Thus making each one unique in it's own way. With that in mind a full resto wouldnt be out of the question.
I believe AJK has one coming soon...cant wait to see it.
Notice that this one has lots of pink...which I like!


For survivors with minor knicks and scratches a good cleanup and airbrushing would be all you need.

The Bravo Pro in question is actually my neighbor's auction. If I remember correctly, it is actually in pretty good shape. The grip tape on the top tube is actually a good idea. The rest could probably be buffed back to a nice shine and built as a survivor. As far as the frame standers are concerned, they defiantely were not cut off- it looks as if the welds broke. Some of the weld is still visible but, no rips or tears on the chain stay tubing. I guess you could almost grind down the remainer and touch it up w/ some black paint? Just my 2 cents.

Whistle I understand what your saying about the way the stander remains look I would have to disagree

As a welder I can honestly tell you that there is no way you could snap one of those off without doing some type of other damage to the frame.

If you think about it they probably cut the standers in the center and bent the halves till they snapped off but trust me you would be hard pressed to rip one of those style (welded on) standers off without damaging the frame any further

just my .02

We were talking about those frame stands last night while looking at a General Pro. The welds on that frame are really nice and the standers are no different. I can't see them just neatly snapping off by bending back and forth.

They don't get in the way after about the first day of riding. You get used to the annoyance and just realign your feet to bypass snagging them.

The bike has been a daily rider for 20yrs with frame standers left intact.

if i were to somehow get that bravo, i'd leave it as is. the only issue i can see, is brians, that the rear stands, if pulled off, might of cripled the chainstays. i wouldn't even get someone to weld on new ones (i have hatred to framestands built into frames though)

[ February 02, 2007, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: carldrexler ]

Wish there was a closer shot of that area...

hm.

I have a splatter Bravo Team, and yes, I hacked off the rear stands. Like all rear stands, they were completely useless and just got in the way. You'll also notice that I had drilled and welded the forks for front pegs. Smith decades would bend front axles really easy, so... It was my rider, and I made whatever changes were needed to make it the best it could be.

Here's a pic of it from last year when I got i back in my posession.

Oh, and once the front welded point of the rear stand is cut, the rear portion that is attached to the dropout comes off really easy. Just a few back and forth movements and pop.

Take a look at those, the ones in the auction and TGTIW's bike...Is it me, or does it look like they had the stickers on first, masked them off and THEN did the splatter?

Oh yes, the splatter does NOT run under the stickers.

oh, what the heck...

Heh---Beat me by a dollar! LOL Anybody here get 'er?