LEO - off topic - your whitewalls are still looking sweet!!
oldchopperguy
Trailheadmike, Thanks, but...
Oh, BROTHER... Those WHITEWALLS... The FRONT is a stock Shinko whitewall 120-70-12, and it's a GEM! But it would take PAGES to outline what I've gone through trying to keep that rear tire white... But, I like the look so much that I just keep at it.
Nothing, and I mean NOTHING I've come across has actually worked very well for painting a whitewall on a NEW tire... No matter HOW you prep it... LOL!
I finally got "Motor City" whitewall paint to stick. Sort of. However, it still exhibits a few bubbles where it did NOT stick. And, it still turns brown/gray, but not nearly as badly as other stuff. It is STRONG, behaving like genuine rubber. So when a bubble shows up, I slice it with a knife, lift the paint and clean under it with lacquer-thinner, then GLUE the slice back down flat with "E-6000" (one of those wonder-rubber-cement glues) then paint back over it next day.
After doing this ALL SEASON, I have ALMOST gotten both sidewalls mostly "stuck" to the tires, and a tad "off-white". Heck, so long as I let the front tire stay a tad dirty, they MATCH! And, they still photograph nicely. OK, I do bump up the contrast just a tad in the pix, but not enough to be "cheating"... LOL!
So... Finally, with the Motor City paint that STAYS PUT, I should be able to paint over THAT with a different white. Duplicolor Vinyl and cloth paint seems to be the rage with rat-rod guys, standing up to refinishing restaurant seats!
It's hard to find, but I just got some off eBay. I still plan to ride the wheels off "Minnie Mouse" to be sure ALL bubbles have popped up and been cut and glued down. Then, I will sand the whitewalls and try the Duplicolor vinyl white paint.
All my trouble stems from attempting to paint a NEW tire. I sanded, ground, cleaned, bleached and attacked the tires with lacquer-thinner as recommended, but the mold-release agents are SO prevalent in the new rubber, they just keep on seeping out and ruining the paint. One thing the rat-rod guys agree on is that paint works best on tires that have been in the sun for 10 or 15 years, ROTTED, and CRACKED, and crumbling like graham-crackers... OOOH-KAAY... So paint works BEST once tires are no longer safe to use. Yup.
I truly CANNOT recommend the painted whitewalls on new tires for most riders. But... As I said before, I'm so happy with the way they totally alter the scooter's appearance that I'm willing to put more effort into them than I really should. They just absolutely MAKE the scoot's personality. I get all sorts of inquiries about Minnie Mouse, and what makes her look SO different. Well, it's simple: It's the SADDLE BAGS, the FISHTAIL exhaust and the WHITEWALLS!
I just wish SOMEBODY (like SHINKO...) would make a 140-70-12 whitewall to match the 120-70-12 front. Their matching 130-70-12 whitewall "rear" is too small-diameter. It WOULD be good for the FRONT though since it would about "accurize" the speedo... LOL! But it Won't quite fit under the fender.
On a POSITIVE note, I can happily report after a year, and 1,500 miles (many at WOT near 80 mph) both the Michelin Power Pure rear, AND the Shinko SR723 front tires have been a JOY to ride. The mix of styles has exhibited NO handling problems on any road condition, and well-balanced, they "groove" smoothly at any speed the Mouse can attain. At a steady 70 mph the old Kymco is as stable and smooth as my old Harley bagger was in the seventies. In fact, laid-back, feet up, relaxed and peering through that GIVI windshield, it's almost like I'm back on an old Harley again... Sweeping around a gentle curve in the hills, I sometimes reminisce and think "oh, yeah. THIS was what riding was all about in 1970... and it STILL is!"
After all, boyz n' gurlz... IT IS THE RIDE!
All THIS cruising enjoyment, and the Mouse is STILL a SCOOTER that sneaks into small places... CHEESH! I do believe I LOVE these little guys like I used to love the big bikes!!!
And with 1,500 miles, neither tire shows ANY noticeable wear.
So... I can fully recommend the Shinko/Michelin combination. But NOT the painted whitewalls... LOL! Unless, you want that look as badly as I did! We old geezers never grow up...
Ride safe!
Leo in Texas
