[mut]

I am debating between paint and powder coating the frame, tank, swing arm, headlight casing, and side covers. My understanding is that powder coating is more durable, and more expensive.

I would love to save money but i don't want to tear my bike down, have it painted and then scratched all over.

Are there paints out there that are tough enough for the frame?

Is there any reason I should not mix powder coating an painting? (does it look different.

Finally, is powder coating worth the expense?

Thanks.

 

[texmawby]

dunno.....

do you have all the tabs removed that you don't want or aren't going to use?

do you have all the new tabs or mounts (i.e.- steering damper, fairing, exhaust, rearsets, coils, etc....) welded onto your chassis?

you kinda need to address these two things before you powder coat. one pain in the ass exercise, but toataly worth it if you want a cafe or resto project to look seemless is to build the bike the way you want it, work out any gremlins or glitches, then totally disassemble the bike, powder coat or paint, and reassemble the project.

that takes patience and commitment.

i'm far too lazy for that.

tex

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[mut]

Thanks tex,
You make a great point. Maybe I will just clean the frame for now and get it running then next winter tear it back down and paint or powder coat it.

 

[texmawby]

you can do touch up paint on the frame for now by a quick masking of installed parts and a little PJ1 enamel paint (we always used the gloss black on frames).

we always called it the "cheap and cheerful" resto.....

mainly it was to coverup any scratches we put in the frame upon engine reinstall.

good luck, keep us posted, post pics when you have that "break thru"!

tex

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[parks61]

what texy said.
my racer has a krylon frame paint job in consideration with crash/repai/modification realities. my first street resto got the p-coat frame, kickstand (but not the swing arm...duh) treatment and it looks just as good today after 20 years and 10,000 plus miles as the day i picked it up. amazingly durable finish. wouldn't do the "tin" work (fenders, covers, headlight bucket, shock covers) in p-coat. the colors are limited and the finish quality just isn't as good as a "real" paint job. don't think a two color job is even possible and not sure how well pinstriping would stick should that be required.
-parks

 

[suzukisam]

I'm a painter by trade.. I mainly paint houses but i started in auto restoration. if your frame is really rusty then you want to sand blast and clean and all that crap.. by the time you do all that you may as well powder coat it.. but if your frame is pretty clean and you just want to give it that "new bike look" get yourself a can of grease and wax remover and some cleaning brushes, scotch bright pads rags, and ect... clean all that nasty film off the frame. then ppg makes a nock off brand paint that is awesome and inexpensive. it's a "single stage" paint, it requires no clear coat. it's called Omni. it's great stuff I've painted many car frames with it. my frame on my cafe is done in it and it touches up well too. Also since it is catylized fuel won't rinkle it. it is resistant to most fluids where as your Krylon or Duplicolor can be cleaned off with gas. powder coat is really cool, but like mentioned above it's not something you wanna do if you haven't removed your bracket and things.. it can't really be touched up or anything. go with the omni you could tear your bike down in a weekend and paint the frame.. in my opinion do it now if you get it running and your riding it your not going to want tear it apart! I can help you more if you decide to go that route

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[suzukisam]

actually parks I hate to disagree cause you guys usually know better than me about most stuff, but powder coating is a much better finish far more durable and avaliable in about any color you can want now. shoot those chopper idiots on the discovery channel even match their metalics in powder coat. and you can paint over it if you want and the paint sticks great with the usual scuffing. most things you buy these days are powder coated if you got a good shop around look into rims, battery boxes, swing arm, all that stuff. your tank though put a nice urethane finish on it you can't beat ppg base coat, clear coat for that.

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[texmawby]

sam,

isn't the powder coat all matte finish? i would think most peaople would want glossy on the fenders, sidecovers, tank, and such.

thanks for the omni tip. i have filed that away for later.

tex

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[suzukisam]

no way man, powder coat is high gloss, matte whatever you want.. a lot of factory painted bike rims are powder coated.. fourwheeler frames, bicycles, suspension components... all kinds of stuff comes factory powder coated.. do you have an eastwood catalog? they even sell amatuer powder coating suplies. and they have tons of colors.. Even like I said occ and all those chopper morons usually powder coat they're rims to match the paint. I'm having my rims done gloss black for my CB

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[mut]

I just saw a cool finish. It is a powder coat that looks like carbon fiber. It was on a jeep frame and looked really cool.

 

[jbranson]

I do powder coating right here in my shop. I'd say great for a restoration where the chances of needing repair are minimal. But don't use Pcoat for ANYTHING that you think you will need to weld, repair or touch up. It's very very difficult to remove.

Best thing for race bikes is primer and Krylon (actually Duplicolor rattle cans are very good).

Pcoat can be had in anything from metalflake to flourescent these days. Pcoat in clear or metal colors can be good for engine covers etc.

Just keep in mind that typically it will have to be burned off if you need to remove it.
JohnnyB

 

[fuzzybutt]

POR15, the company that does that great tank restoration system also has a frame paint thats rock hard, but easy to touch up. http://www.por15.com/prodinfo.asp?grp=CH&dept=4

fat people are harder to kidnap

 

[jaguar]

interlux makes a paint called brightside. its a one part brush/spray on paint. i used a foam brush to paint a frame. its very cheap, hard, nice finish.
its used on yachts and might be worth a look.

There is the right way, the wrong way and the british way to do anything!

 

[suzukisam]

go to harbor freight and get you a small cup gun.. they suck but they are good for small projects. eastwood has some good ones too. you'll find that omni i sugested works great on all those little rusty parts that you don't know what else to do with hang them up from some wire and paint them

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[jbranson]

I thought carpe diem meant "day of the Carp"

JohnnyB

 

[suzukisam]

it's "seize the day" but on a movie this guy was a real moron and he said "c'mon guys, carpe diem, we gotta seize the carp" so it just stuck with me... I think it's funny

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[texmawby]

i like carpe omnis.....

loose translation: sieze everything!

man it has been along time since high school latin class.

texy

http://groups.google.com/group/PhillyVinMoto

 

[jbranson]

occupo meus testis vos bardus puer

JohnnyB



Edited by - jbranson on Nov 01 2007 12:55:48 PM

 

[suzukisam]

yeah I'll stick with carpe diem... seize the carp!!

carpe diem.... seize the carp

 

[Geeto67]

the movie is "out cold", a last ditch attempt in the late 1990s early 2000s to revive the 80's funny ski movies. It is actually really really funny and the chick in it is a stone cold fox. Also I really dig the 1973 charger with a jacked up rear and snow plow.

some clips:

one day I am going to pull this prank:

carpe the diem:

best of clips and they are funny, I've never had to take a piss test but if I did that is probably how it would go down:

Edited by - geeto67 on Nov 01 2007 3:43:36 PM