KymcoForum.com
General => Technical | How To => Topic started by: Stig / Major Tom on October 16, 2014, 12:28:39 AM
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Want to add to my "night presence" from the side....
(http://i58.tinypic.com/2cf84uh.jpg)
So, tried to add rim reflective strip....but found the tape did not like a 13 or 14 inch rim.....so now have some made in a curve that are supposed to work.
Any tips on applying these from someone who's done so....?
Thanks, Stig
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Funny you had posted this. I had just added 1/4" reflective tape to my Super 8 wheels over the weekend. Being the wheels on my scoot are black, I personally went with black reflective tape, which illuminates / reflects as "white". Rim tape is too damn expensive, so I went the cheaper route.
As for applying it? A clean surface, a good eye and patience. Apply to an area of the side of the rim, and either use the outer or inner edge of the rim for reference, and apply evenly throughout the circumference of the rim. tah-dah, you're done :p
I did the rear wheel first, because the wheel is already of the ground, for tire rotation upon applying the tape. I then weighted the back end to lift the front wheel off the ground.
When I get chance, I'll take some photo's and update my post.
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Goof off!!! We always use goof off to clean the rim before applying rim tape, works great.
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Acetone. It evaporates quickly, and degrease s quickly. If you have any chips in the powder coat or lettering stamped/molded in the side wall, remove it. Chips can be filled w/ any quick dry compound like Bondo, ans lettering can be hand sanded off.
If you have trouble w/ it sticking a heat gun applied to the rim will soften the adhesive enough to fill the peaks/valleys.never apply the heat to the tape. It will distort instantly.
If for whatever reason you don't like it or later on want to remove it... the heat gun makes short work of it. Same for all the stickers on the bike.
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When I applied reflective accents on my scooter, I also used a heat gun to pre-warm the surface. I think this helps with adhesion.
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A lot of you are heading into cooler months... That's the only reason I thought of it.
I also apply wraps, and vinyl graphics, and mostly in the winter months. Pre heating surfaces is a MUST for cool weather (below approx 70*f)
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For side visibility, i just ordered some amber LED lights. I figure motorists will see it better than tape when trying to change lanes into mine, since i always seem to be in their "blind spot". ??? I'll put one near the front & one near the back, at the highest points of the body panels. They were $4 apiece on Ebay.
(http://i.imgur.com/FQcrQuf.jpg)
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Well, got 'em on.
Soap & water, then wiped the rims with isopropyl alcohol. Got myself all situated on the cold garage floor, with some pillows off the couch. Get out my sheet of "12 - 15" precurved rim tapes.
Used the "wet" method, which worked a treat, then the wife's hairdryer (yes she was away at the store with my daughter who would have ratted me out in a New York Minute about the dryer and pillows on the garage floor!!)
2 hours later - OK, I take a lot of breaks - to scratch and get up and walk around and look at my handiwork, make coffee, etc. It's a process.
Found the safe jack point for the front wheel: (http://i62.tinypic.com/20zxnib.jpg)
Rear: (http://i61.tinypic.com/4uhxsp.jpg)
So, I turn the light out, pull down the garage door and get out my daughter's TinkerBell flashlight and.....
C R A P O L A.....these aren't "reflective rim tapes"!!
I go back and carefully re-read the ebay auction. Not a word about these being reflective from my American seller! The roll of tape I first tried was reflective...not these pre-cut, pre-curved strips.
So, small scooter wheels (13" or 14") might require the precurved rim strips - and I think these are only sold in the reflective form from China or Korea.
Still learning stuff here.
Will I redo these?
Maybe, some day.
Stig
PS:Yes, that's a cable to the parking 'drum' brake inside the rear hub. If you're going off a cliff you can lock up the emergency brake and grab a handfull of 'combined' disc braking. You're still a gone-er - but they'll say, "He (the late you) owned a scoot with lots of braking options!"
Actually , I like that parking brake - have used it several times in the squirrely places I park for pictures
PPS: fortunately don't think anyone will be reading this far down under this boring header.....
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Stig, what size wheels? We have pre cut 3m reflective kits that we cut out with a sticker plotter.
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Life sucks!
Michael Savage on Realizing Life Sucks and How To Deal With it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF5m2YuQXOw#)
I DARE YOU TO DISS AGREE.
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Stig, what size wheels? We have pre cut 3m reflective kits that we cut out with a sticker plotter.
Wow,.....!
I have a 14" front wheel and a 13" rear (Honda must have run out of one or the other during assembly of my scoot....or the lunch whistle went off right in the middle of assembly)
What size width (3mm or 6mm, or?), availability in Ducati/Ferrari Red?
Price for a set?
Take PayPal? Cash. Yen?
That would be great if I could "buy local" so to speak.
Let me know.....and thanks, Stig
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Try this guy for highly reflective rim tape:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624)
CustomTaylor
He'll cut your reflective strips to fit your rim. He sent enough to me to do 4 wheels, so I've got extra in case any peels off in the future.
Just be sure that your rims are absolutely clean, and don't have any flaky paint. The first strip I tried to apply peeled right off as it took the outer layer of oxidized paint off with it. So I scrubbed the rims hard with soap and water, let them dry, then applied again, and they're still sticking.
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This time really did solve my rim stripe issue!
These are reflective and you can get your make & model printed on them!
Darn near any size scooter wheel! (and motorcycle)
(http://i60.tinypic.com/n3ryq.jpg)
(http://i61.tinypic.com/afdixc.jpg)
Had them do the Honda logo script, and cursive Forza on 6mm reflective tape.(http://i61.tinypic.com/15q25tw.jpg)
Stig
http://www.ebay.com/itm/380361606947?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/380361606947?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
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This time really did solve my rim stripe issue!
These are reflective and you can get your make & model printed on them!
Darn near any size scooter wheel! (and motorcycle)
(http://i60.tinypic.com/n3ryq.jpg)
(http://i61.tinypic.com/afdixc.jpg)
Had them do the Honda logo script, and cursive Forza on 6mm reflective tape.(http://i61.tinypic.com/15q25tw.jpg)
very nice! where did you buy them?
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Where'd you get them? I like the custom touch.
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Try this guy for highly reflective rim tape:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/190998088624)
CustomTaylor
He'll cut your reflective strips to fit your rim. He sent enough to me to do 4 wheels, so I've got extra in case any peels off in the future.
Just be sure that your rims are absolutely clean, and don't have any flaky paint. The first strip I tried to apply peeled right off as it took the outer layer of oxidized paint off with it. So I scrubbed the rims hard with soap and water, let them dry, then applied again, and they're still sticking.
Thanks for this info...
I looked at this tape...very reflective! But do not care for the look of it in normal light. Kinda diamond shapes in the tape.
Plus, the stuff I found can put the scoot's logo on the tape, and they can deal with 2 different sized wheels in the same order.
Stig
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Yeah where is it stig? I wanna look at what they got.