Fastners

[Tun up]

In view of comments made about the use of stainless steel fastners on motorcycles; I thought it might be interesting to establish the majority and minority view point.

[JFerg]

I use stainless.  I like stainless.  I make my own nuts, bolts and screws from bar stock.  Polished stainless is much more yellow than chrome, not quite the colour of nickel plate, but a squillion times more durable and close enough that most people don't know.  And maintenance free.  So long as you get the period form of hex size and hex depth, I think they're fine.

People tend to forget that the great bulk of the machines that we obsess over were built for a fat pom in a flat cap to ride six miles to t'mill and back.  What was used was what was cheap and convenient, which meant that consistency of appearance was never even vaguely considered.  That which could be assembled and paint dipped was black painted.  That which wasn't could have been anything.

[rosko]

the great bulk of the machines that we obsess over were built for a fat pom in a flat cap to ride six miles to t'mill and back.

such a comment should be treated with the contempt it deserves, unless of course you count the number of these fat poms machines that transported them, and their colonial discards all over the globe?

now do tell  about the great australian motorcycle industry and its glory?

and your poll  is inadequate,surely it should specify Vintage bikes as that was the subject of the original question?

PS no self respecting mill worker would buy a bike to cover six miles to work  they'd walk it.

[runesika]

iee and start at four int mornin an live in shoe box int middle ot road .

[robbsa]

four, FOUR, you wer' lucky!!

[Tun up]

No rosko you are quite wrong. I worded it that way deliberately as can be seen by my use of the noun "Majority". You see people that own modern and classic bikes have views as well . However you are entitled to your opinion and I observe you are not shy of expressing it.

Keep  coz it takes more muscles to frown

[Rex]

Sheer luxury! My Spagthorpe Whippet worked down t'saltmine for two hundred years and never even ran out of petrol.

As for the dopey Aussie's comments......stainless....in Oz...on a "vintage" bike? FFS...

[rosko]

well, on my "modern bike" 1961, I will use whatever is at hand no preference.

On my vintage bikes I use as period as possible either nickel or black,can I vote for both?

there is no point in having an opinion if you keep it to yourself is there?

personally I ignore anyone who rides a bike with an electric starter,  nancyboys

electric lights yes,  thats it.
some of us fat poms had to start dads bike wi' oor tongues

[Tun up]

keep on ridin rosko, keep on ridin

[rosko]

can't start me bike...........................

[33d6]

To get back to the original question, I've been making stainless steel parts for years and years and think its by far the easiest and cheapest way to go. They are fit and forget which I'm very partial to. I tend to keep my bikes for a long time and found that plating was expensive and only looks good for five years or so then starts to go off.
Many of the original finishes are no longer available where I live. The environmental authority doesn't like cadmium and the old phosphatizing processes like Coslettising, Parkerizing and Bonderizing aren't viewed with any enthusiasm either. The alternatives are zinc plating, black zinc plating or the modern black oxide finish. Only bright nickel plating is available commercially and looks nothing like the original vintage nickel.
Zinc plating is cheap and can give a vaguely reasonable alternative to Cadmium. A friend in the plating business was very disparaging about modern black oxide finishes and recommended black zinc plating as a better alternative. I've followed his advice where various parts were originally phosphatised and so far so good. Its acceptable.
So, parts on my bikes are either stainless steel, painted, standard zinc or black zinc. I'm happy.
Cheers,

[twolitre]

I have no great opinion. Except, as has been said, stainless is "fit and forget" which is why my wheels and spokes (I know they are not fasteners) are stainless because of the salt on our roads in Winter.
I know that stainless steel has a lower tensile strength than modern steel bolts etc. too. But high tensile steel bolts were not available (or much used) when most of our bikes were built
 I keep my bikes for the fun of riding them and don't care if they are not as originally manufactured - I have no time for the "concourse" mentality, because ANY vehicle more than a few years old will have collected non-concourse parts to keep it running.
I regard myself as a custodian of an ageing vehicle which I hope someone will respect and care and maintain in the way he/she pleases when I am gone
I am much more concerned about fasteners being the correct size (e.g. Imperial and Metric sizes are different however close they are), than about whether a fastener shines or rusts on the surface.
Jim.

[Goldy]

I think that some people assume that because bolts are stainless they are perfect, but stainless steel comes in different grades just like any other steel. what concerns me is that the companys selling to classic bike enthusiasts don't seem very keen to disclose the steel grade. If you are just holding a mudguard bracket then ok, but for more highly stressed engine parts might present problems.

[johnnyboy-wonder57]

Stereotypes!
Who you calling FAT!
Look @old films people were fitter & less fat in the old days, unless you had a good wage you couldn't afford a motorcycle!

I am a Lancastrian so I should know about mills & shitty weather, mind you, they were a lot fatter in Yorkshire! People lived "ontop" ot mill in the old days. no transport needed!

You can check with a good manufacturer the tensile strengths you need, use SS for fixings, but the right strength EN steels or whatever they call them now, h it matters.  Corrosion is an enemy not a friend.

Cheers

JBW

[Goldy]

There,s one thing about stainless steel it always causes a debate.