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Performance and CustomizingShare your tips and tricks on customizing your sportbike. From windscreens, footpegs, undertails, flushmounts, paint, exhausts, and tires.
wish i had found this before I tried to figure this all out for myself! I ended up with a small compressor (too small for this gun, 2 gal only!) and an airbrush. It was a lot of fun, and most of the work went into prepping the bike (Sanding for weeks after work). The end result was ok, I ended up rushing it and had some problems with the paint reacting to the clearcoat.
All said and done, next time I paint my bike I will be looking this up. Hopefully that will not be for a while though, just got a new ZZR600 for christmas from the wife.
I'm estatic that so many people are finding the posts useful. I would really like to start seeing some pictures of what all my typing has helped people do.
The problem isnt stripping the clearcoat nor is it stripping the stickers..the problem is trying to do all of that without disrupting the stock paint. I dont know many people who would rather take the time to do the meticulous hand-work needed to accomplish that rather than just sanding til the stickers were gone, then repaint/reclear the tank. Unless you've already got a custom paint job, it's pretty self-explanatory. See my signature. I will do it for $150 plus shipping to me, I'll pay for shipping back. Turnaround is about 4 days right now.
You can use aircraft stripper, but it's not going to 'just' take off the clearcoat...it will take EVERYTHING off. I am unsure whether ACStripper will remove vinyl decals, but the toxicity of that stuff, I'd HOPE that it would. However, I've seen some paint removers that just turn the vinyl decals into a sort of gummy jelly that is harder to get off than if you had just peeled them off by hand. Also, the stripper is going to go to BARE METAL, so you will need to use an etching primer before you re-seal the tank, (using an epoxy sealer, so gasoline cannot get between your etching primer and your new paint), then the tank will need to be COMPLETELY repainted..and using Enamel (rattle-can) is not recommended for gas tanks, as any fuel will eat right through it if there is no urethane over the top of it.
Not a put down, but it's not quite as easy as just "Step 1: Aircraft Stripper, Step 2: spraypaint". Look through your local yellow pages and see if you can find a paint shop that will give you assistance. Typically, if you do the labor, and you know someone, smaller shops may help you do it yourself..give you advice, let you rent a booth/tools....it's a good learning opportunity.
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Sportbike: 07 ZX-6R Green
I might look for a local one to help... I would send it to you, but my bike is my only transportation right now... and will probly stay that way till I get outta HS Thx for the responses!
Np...finding a local shop is always the #2 option, right behind doing it yourself. There are all kinds of 'how to' books, websites and tons of people out there that will help you if you decide to do it yourself. Sending it across country is #3, but *I* prefer that option if I get a say in it
I think that would be a bad idea. The aircraft stripper will more than likely melt your plastics and deform them. I only recommended aircraft stripper to strip the tank. Its easier than trying to sand off the decals. That would take days by hand.
Just sand with 400 grit on your plastics. It doesnt take long at all. But remember to peel off the decals and clean up all the sticky residue with goo gone or something like that before you sand.
I've received a few Emails asking for a visual 'how to' on painting bike plastics. I have a few peices to do this weekend, if I can slow down enough, I'll photograph the work.
will be greatly appreciated. My bike went down on the trailer at 65mph and did some asthetic damages. Just gonna shoot the whole thing.
My father has all the major equipment I'd need, gun, AC, masks, etc. I've shot a couple trucks and a boat, but with his help. Gonna fly solo on this one.
Some states REQUIRE you to notify the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) if you change the color of the bike drastically away from the color that it was titled as. My state doesn't REQUIRE it, but they appreciate the inform. If you are spraying a white bike black, just know that possibly when you get pulled over, the cop is going to ask why it's colored different. There may be a specific citation for 'incorrect title' or such....
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Thx for the responses!
IF ALL ELSE FAILS, DROP THE HAMMER!!! 
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