emdarc
09-17-09, 01:46 PM
I was recently given a free Motobecone and I'm looking into restoring it. All of the original decals are completely unreadable. I was wondering if there are any places that I can purchase new decals. Please let me know! :)
Classic & Vintage - Restoring a 1975(?) Motobecone Mirage
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Motofan
09-21-09, 11:36 AM
Decals are the least of your worries. Although there are guys on the forum who can point you to custom decal makers, your first concern should be the mechanical overhaul of the bike. A 1975 Motobecane Mirage will almost certainly have a Swiss threaded bottom bracket (cups no longer generally available), a French threaded headset (still out there but going fast), and a 22.0 mm quill type stem (also hard to come by). What you need to do FIRST is to go over the bike in great detail and list every component that must be replaced. THEN you can determine the cost and availability of those components. If you can find them, AND if you can afford them, then you can proceed to think about cosmetics.
Or maybe you'll get lucky and all you have to do is repack the bearings with grease, lube the chain and go. But speaking as the owner of four Motobecane bikes of around the same vintage, I can tell you that if you think any mechanical parts will require replacement, you should research them first, before you spend a penny on anything else.
Or maybe you'll get lucky and all you have to do is repack the bearings with grease, lube the chain and go. But speaking as the owner of four Motobecane bikes of around the same vintage, I can tell you that if you think any mechanical parts will require replacement, you should research them first, before you spend a penny on anything else.