Coming up on a year of riding the Simplex, time flies and a few changes made these due to rider preference not damage etc. It's held up well and in my opinion looks much better as time passes as the copper continues to age. When first built the copper was so brilliant it was difficult for me to photograph, now earth tones are showing up and areas of green appear patina copper style. Brass work has deepened in hue to a brown and the satin black of the frame itself has dulled and taken on a sedate and classic look.
Looking at the Harley I imagine how the brass will look a year from now as well as the limited copper accents used. As I helped the ageing process on the Simplex I'll also use a light muratic acid solution to accelerate the ageing of the brightwork on the Harley. Of course all paint was removed from the engine cases and only the jug repainted in hi temp satin black. The aluminum cases were wire brushed which already lends an aged look to the motor. I will also use a mild accelerant to promote oxidation of the engine cases.
Frame, forks, cradle and handle bars are all steel and will remain unpainted ...no clear coat. Brazing and weldments just as they are; the stainless fuel tank will also not be painted, but will use the red, early Harley badgeing.
What I'm looking for is a "feeling" and not to fool others, also I've stated before that I'm really a metal guy and though I appreciate others use of paint and color I use it sparingly for effect and always hesitantly and usually for added contrast and protection in areas where my use of varied metals would clutter or otherwise be inappropriate.
Being a metal guy I'm also involved in the quite natural care and feeding of the oxidation process; starting, slowing and stopping the oxidation, even burnishing and waxing to protect a desired look and especially on the ferrous metals to protect from damage.
Rust is a form of runaway oxidation on steel (ferrous) and is not our friend. Mild oxidation of any metal is a natural protection from further surface damage. In the case of aluminum oxidation the resulting layer of protection formed is one of the hardest commonly occuring elements known to man and is used, bonded with phenolic resins, to form tools, cutoff wheels & grinders for example, to easily cut and form hardened steel etc.
Using bare metal might not be as crazy an idea as it at a casual inquiry might first appear, but it does require a small amount of periodic maintenance, quite a bit more if the project is constantly exposed to harsh elements...in which case coating is and always will be my first choice even if it results in an aesthetically unappealing, to me, creation. Still I admire the color used in most build, just not in mine. Rick C.