Tonight's lesson is how to cheaply purty-up your rear wheel once the chrome starts showing its age. (As in it's nigh on 17 years old, scratched, and starts rusting the first time the relative humidity goes above 10%.) Notice I'm concentrating on the rear wheel only. To achieve real cheapness this can only be done when you're replacing the tire, preferably by yourself, and without buying any of those special tire tools.
My old rear tire started showing the cord some time back. Seemed to be a good indication that it was time to replace it. As part of my cheapness I'd already found a new tire. Now, there are two kinds of cheap tires; the ones that are really the epitome of cheap, costing $49.99, and lasting all of 5k miles, or the deals that can sometimes be found on really good tires, but somebody overstocked or they're last year's "gotta haves". I've done the epitome of cheap before and it is expensive.
This time I found a good buy on an Avon at about 1/2 price. It ain't a fancy "Rodney Roadracer" tire, but it's fine for the easy riding I tend toward. Heck, a Heritage Softail almost needs driven around corners instead of being ridden! Anyway, step one is the cheap tire.
Breaking the bead and removing the old tire using C-clamps and screwdrivers without screwing up the rim or tube is a lost art form. I am an "artiste". And I even done it without cuss words this time!
Once the tire is off the next step is to remove the wheel bearing seals, remove the wheel bearings, inspect and repack them. When it goes back together you'll need new seals. If'n you're rich you probably won't need to do this part 'cause the newer HDs have sealed bearings. But if'n you're rich you'll be paying somebody to change your tires, and replace the wheels when the chrome is shot. Heck, what am I saying? If'n you got money you won't have a bike long enough to get the chrome scuzzy!
Sorry, got sidetracked there. Now that you have the tire off and the bearings out, remove the sprocket or pulley and brake rotor, and clean the rim with some sorta degreaser. Take some sandpaper and go over the rusty spots. Now you've gotta let the artist in you come out. Take some masking tape and mask about an inch of the outside edge of the rim. Then get some cheap primer and shoot it on the hub, spokes, and rim. When it dries, shoot whatever color you want. I chose red this time 'cause it'd contrast nicely with the hammered black that the bike is painted. You can also shoot the inner part of the sprocket or pulley, too. I usually avoid painting the inner part of the rotor as it can get hot enough to bubble the paint (don't ask me how I know). Guess you could use some high temp paint if you just had to paint it.
Once the paint is dry it's time to peel the tape off the rim. The taped edge lets you keep a one inch wide band of chrome all around the rim. The contrast proves to the RUBs that you are, indeed, an "artiste", and not just a cheapskate. It won't be true, but nobody has to know but you. Actually, the chrome is left exposed so you won't mess up your new paint job when you start putting the tire back on. (But don't tell anyone.)
And that, kind folks, is tonight's "Lesson on Cheap".

 

Oops, meant to stick this in the General Tech section.