How well can Vinson swim?

[jag67]

I'm a newbie here because I don't really own a Vinson yet, BUT I did manage to retrieve one from a lake. It was submergered for 6 months. Where do you start?

[DrBob]

This is NOT a good idea.

Basically, you should pull the bike apart to inspect, replace, or de-rust every single individual component. Pretty much every electrical component is trash. So it the clutch, as the plates absorb water. You will have to pull the entire motor and trans and completely rebuild them, as all the ferrous metal parts are now rusted. If the bike was running when it went swimming, it sucked water inside the motor and may have broken something serious due to hydrostatic lock. Even if it was not running, at very least the cylinders will need to be honed, and all internal seals and gaskets replaced. The brake systems will have to come apart also, and I’d replace every rubber hose and line, such as fuel lines, brake lines, etc. Don’t forget the inside of the fuel tank: it is probably coated with rust now. Of course the carbs are shot and will need to be completely rebuilt. Wheel bearings will have to be re-packed. The starter is probably shot after that long under water, as is the stator and generator. All the filters and fluids will have to be changed. Coils, plugs, and other ‘tune up’ items will have to be replaced. Oh yeah, then you have to apply for a new title as a flood damaged vehicle.

In short, you have a parts bike. Break it up, sell the parts on Ebay, and buy yourself something to ride, as a rebuild like this will take years and cost thousands of dollars, even if you do most of the work yourself.

[Drake]

you could always just remove the engine and use it as an oversized push-scooter that's rather difficult to get up hills.

[zleviticus]

what the heck is a vinson..

and from what I gather rebuilding would be a long and expensive process... completely strippig everything down...