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Performance and CustomizingShare your tips and tricks on customizing your sportbike. From windscreens, footpegs, undertails, flushmounts, paint, exhausts, and tires.
In everyone's opinion is it cheaper to re-paint your bike yourself? or have a body shop do it? I've been thinking about repainting my '91 Katana 750 (stock red/grey) to something a little more eye-catching, but can't decide to try to do it myself or just pay a body shop. Pro and cons?
i used krylon fusion on my track bike. THe color is sweet but scratches so easly. If you do it yourself dont go cheap on the paint like I did.
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In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
- John Adams
Kay, all....I've been workin with the Mod's on setting up a much more 'instructive' how-to on painting bikes. Last weekend we got Gixerking's bike done, but we didn't get many pics taken. As the season goes on, I'll be taking pics and writing up how-to's so hopefully by this winter, you all will be able to strip and re-spray your own bikes with wreckless abandon! Anyways...I'm taking offers now. If anyone would like to see how to do a specific step (you're in the middle of something right now and need to see it soon), request it. Please dont ask for Clearcoat how-to's...I have already begun the pics for that one, and will be working on the sanding/buffing how to this weekend...any others that are high-priority for you guys?
Been busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. As soon as I get to where I can take my time with a couple of peices, I'll photo the how-to. Sorry guys...I appreciate all the business SBN has been sending me, it's kind of backfiring on you guys who want to do it yerselves though.
Ive asked MANY painters how to and 90% wont tell you anything but laughter. the other 9% just give you strange looks. I think I can speak from all of the DIY painters (if not, then myself) when I say thanks.
Now here is a good Idea for you.....
Why dont you make a video from start to finish on how to paint Bikes. from A to Z ,from materials to use to bolting the parts back on the bike. Sell the videos for a nice and reasonable price and make a little profit from what your already doing. Sounds like a good idea to me ....I want the first copy. you dont have to mass prouduce them, Basic video camera, your skills, in depth coverage, home editing, dvd recorder. Bam done.
let me know if you do it, like i said ill buy the first copy.
Been busier than a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest. As soon as I get to where I can take my time with a couple of peices, I'll photo the how-to. Sorry guys...I appreciate all the business SBN has been sending me, it's kind of backfiring on you guys who want to do it yerselves though.
Ive asked MANY painters how to and 90% wont tell you anything but laughter. the other 9% just give you strange looks. I think I can speak from all of the DIY painters (if not, then myself) when I say thanks.
Now here is a good Idea for you.....
Why dont you make a video from start to finish on how to paint Bikes. from A to Z ,from materials to use to bolting the parts back on the bike. Sell the videos for a nice and reasonable price and make a little profit from what your already doing. Sounds like a good idea to me ....I want the first copy. you dont have to mass prouduce them, Basic video camera, your skills, in depth coverage, home editing, dvd recorder. Bam done.
let me know if you do it, like i said ill buy the first copy.
That's not a super-horrible "Idear"... lemme see what I can do.. seriously. this may actually be something that's do-able.
I've got a quick question. I'm in the process of painting my bike now. I've got the primer and sealer down, just waiting for it to dry before i lay the base.
My question is this: Seeing how there are so many curves and surface changes on a bike fairing, it's been tricky to keep my gun 90 degrees to the surface that i'm spraying at all times. Is there any tricks to this. Like, should I spray the small surfaces first before i go over the larger surfaces? And what about the air vents and stuff. It's tricky to spray them without putting it on too thick. Do you mist them first and then spray the surface they are in?
I'm just in primer now, so any mistakes will be sanded out. But I'm a bit worried when I go to lay the base that it will show too much. I'd really like to not have to sand the base. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated!
I'm taking pics all the way through the process, so I'll be sure to post my results. Should have it cleared on Sunday.
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"I tell people - don't think of it as a road - think of it as a giant cheese grater" - javahead
Hey guys,
I hope no one minds if i throw my 2cents in to help:
Ok so your all primed/sealed.....Now if its an epoxy sealer or a sealer with a hardener you'll need to wet sand it for maximum bite. (for the paint)
As for the questions about how to spray all the curves and vents:
I like to getting into all the vents, edges, screw holes, first. get it laid down in there so when you come back over the big area's it will flow and melt the paint together. Do that with each coat you put on.
Other wise what will most likely happen is you'll get major over spray into the holes,vents and it will get all rough and dry looking. Which in turnn will give the final clear a orange peel look.....
Hope that helps.
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I am the Game....... and I make the Rules!
Yeah, you've run into the #1 reason most auto shops dont want to paint sportbikes. All of the inverted, angled areas and the ports and holes. It makes painting a sportbike panel a complete Pain the Ass compared to a flat fender or hood. Requires a bit of patience and a bit more skill than just painting a flat peice.
Your paint has a period where it will 'flow' This means that if you make two passes, side by side, the 'overlap' area will 'flow together' and look like one, large painted stripe. During the period where the paint will 'flow', anything that is placed in the paint will 'sink' into the surface and become 'part' of the surface of the coat (even particles of dust).
However AFTER the surface 'flashes' (becomes more of a semi-gellatin material instead of a full-on-liquid), anything that hits the surface will stick, but it wont 'sink'. So if you spray right alongside paint who's surface has already 'flashed', all of the overspray will look like ... well, overspray instead of melting into the surface and becoming part of the coat.
So, the trick is, to get a good coat inside the 'ports', 'holes' and inverted angles without letting them run. THEN, get the rest of the panel sprayed with a flowing coat before the ports, holes and funny angles flash, so they dont look like they have a bunch of overspray on them.
Learning how to do this requires allot of experimentation with the clear you are using, and knowing how long the flow time is at a certain temperature and humidity, and how to get coats to flow better using spray distance, air pressure, over-reducing, and gun setting. It could take years to learn these skills. Until you learn them, it'd be best to get REALLY good at sanding runs and overspray out, and polishing.
That's the most detailed explanation I've ever seen on the real ins and outs of painting a bike. I've been wanting to do my old machine but haven't had the nerve, 'cause I knew there were things I should look out for. Now I'm ready to try it.
Um, it is 2007. I think one of my last posts ever on this forum was on the first page of this thread (reply #12), and that was in 2004. And I have came back because I am repainting a bike and remembered this write up from years ago and came back for reference.
Lol, business must be good, Mr. Hopper
Still a great write up ;)
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Herby Hancock
Last edited by lewisville : 03-19-2007 at 03:16 PM.
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