Quick cheap ways to improve your bikes looks?

I just picked up a 77 KZ750, wanted to know some cheap easy ways to make the bike look more appealing. I'm not a professional painter, nor do I plan on being one, but the fenders look pretty good (PO did a good job on them). I was planning on leaving them as is, but what are some other ways to make the bike look better?

Is there any cheap easy way to clean the engine without sand blasting it? I have tried a brass brush and some mineral spirits to get some of the gunk off but it barely does anything.

What about the exhaust, it's pretty rusted underneath (not all the way through, but for sure through the chrome), what is a cheap/easy way to make it look nicer + eliminate the rust?

Basically I got the bike for DIRT cheap and I'm going to fix the broken starter, do a thorough safety check (brake fluid, brake pads, wiring) and try to sell it for a profit. I don't think it will be too hard sine I got the bike for $500 (did I note it came with a spare engine ) and it already runs and looks fairly nice!

Note: I'll post some pictures tomorrow, I got the bike home too late (after dark) to get some good pictures.

spray with tire cleaner
then armoral

I cleaned and updated my bike for around 400. New tank (which i painted with 3 different greens and a clear - Walmart) then i painted the frame with high gloss rustoleum. Motor i cleaned with wheel cleaner and painted with VHT. Bought and installed a seat 90$ from Ebay. Wrapped my pipes instead of caring about the rusting chrome...

Check out my build.

kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/515498-my-...e-wrenchmonkees-hope

kzrider.com/forum/11-projects/563319-more-progress-this-weekend

Steel wool and WD40 to get rid of oxidation and crud.
Steel wool and Mothers aluminum polish to shine up the aluminum cases

Interesting way of getting rid of oxidation, I'll have to try it! Also, whats a quick newbies method for knowing if something is polished aluminum or chrome? I get them confused often lol.

magruder13 wrote: Interesting way of getting rid of oxidation, I'll have to try it! Also, whats a quick newbies method for knowing if something is polished aluminum or chrome? I get them confused often lol.

A magnet, it wont stick to aluminum.

Chrome cleaner on steel wool will bring those pipes farther back than you may think.

If the bike isn't running, wait until after you fire it up & take it for a speed run before doing the exhaust pipes - the heat may burn off some of the rust... that would save you some work. My old exhaust pipes were pretty bad, but simply getting the bike running took care of most of the rust.

If the tank & side covers are dull & polish doesn't do much good, you can try buffing them w Meguiar's swirl remover.

For any black painted parts, such as the engine covers, repainting those is pretty easy. Clean & polish first. Apply grease to the raised areas - just pat it on w your finger, it doesn't take much. Spray the paint, then wipe off the grease after the paint dries to the touch. Duplicolor engine paint comes in different glosses. The low-gloss or semi-gloss black are a good match. You can bake some parts in the oven to cure.