best paint options for everything except the tank

[timebombprod]

wondering what the best options for paint are for the frame, wheels, engine, exhaust, and the forks, basically everything that isnt chrome, plastic, or the tank

mainly just matte black and gloss black will be the colours

 

[cowboyup3371]

Personally, I would look into powdercoating the frame and ceramic coating the exhaust. Both were very good investments for my 550 and yes, it's not super cheap to have it professionally done but the results are very nice.

 

[Nessism]

"BEST" is a subjective reference.

In my view, powder coat or automotive grade two part epoxy primer followed by urethane color/clear coat is "best."

Many if not most guys don't want to spend the money to get to that level, though, so for them a rattle can from the hardware store is what they use.

And the issue of prep work come into play too. Chemical treatment of corrosion, along with media blasting is the high end answer. Other people just knock off the flaking rust and paint over the rest.

So the balls in your court; how good of a job do you want?

 

[timebombprod]

I do have access to a sandblaster, and my engine cases are also all separated, I don't mind doing a bunch of prep work at all.

would using ceracoat on the engine be the way to go if that's the best for the exhaust?

 

[free99]

No experience with cerakote, I hear it's very tough, similar to powdercoating but not polyester based.

I do have experience with VHT products though, my exhaust and engine are painted with it. Gas has fallen on it, rocks, pebbles, the whole gamut. Takes a licking, keeps kicking. Quite durable, once you cure it using engine heat, and careful prep.

Steps are: Get a half-mask respirator from harbor fright, $17 in my area, protects you from the particles and the organic vapors of the paints.
Take the pipes off. I left the engine mounted, so I masked the hell out of everything. Scuff the surfaces best you can, I used a brown scotch-brite pad (very coarse), then cleaned everything with isopropyl/rubbing alcohol. Keep at it till the rags you keep swapping to are pretty much as clean as when you took 'em out of the hamper. Lay some VHT flame-proof primer down for the pipes, I skipped it for the engine. Give the primer about an hour to cure, then a few nice layers of the paints, with about 20 minutes flash time between each coat. Finally, after letting everything dry for 30 minutes, run your engine (or bake the parts at ~120c/250f), for 10 minutes, let it cool, run it again, then you're good to go.

Been very happy with the product so far. Easy to touch up when stuff happens (e.g. sliding out on some sand and having to repaint that patch of the pipes). Good luck, lemme know if you have any questions.

 

[timebombprod]

No experience with cerakote, I hear it's very tough, similar to powdercoating but not polyester based.

I do have experience with VHT products though, my exhaust and engine are painted with it. Gas has fallen on it, rocks, pebbles, the whole gamut. Takes a licking, keeps kicking. Quite durable, once you cure it using engine heat, and careful prep.

Steps are: Get a half-mask respirator from harbor fright, $17 in my area, protects you from the particles and the organic vapors of the paints.
Take the pipes off. I left the engine mounted, so I masked the hell out of everything. Scuff the surfaces best you can, I used a brown scotch-brite pad (very coarse), then cleaned everything with isopropyl/rubbing alcohol. Keep at it till the rags you keep swapping to are pretty much as clean as when you took 'em out of the hamper. Lay some VHT flame-proof primer down for the pipes, I skipped it for the engine. Give the primer about an hour to cure, then a few nice layers of the paints, with about 20 minutes flash time between each coat. Finally, after letting everything dry for 30 minutes, run your engine (or bake the parts at ~120c/250f), for 10 minutes, let it cool, run it again, then you're good to go.

Been very happy with the product so far. Easy to touch up when stuff happens (e.g. sliding out on some sand and having to repaint that patch of the pipes). Good luck, lemme know if you have any questions.

how long have you had the VHT paint done? not the first person who told me about them actually. would i have to have them heated right away or can there be time in-between, as in longer than a week or so? if not i will just schedule doing the paint accordingly.

 

[nvr2old]

I used VHT (brand) paint on the Yosh header on my bike. I didn't bake it or cycle through a couple of heat cycles, maybe should have, but it still looks great after more then 10 years. It's a very good product. I used Duplicolor engine enamel on my engine, fork legs, wheels, and brackets, and that too, has held up very well for 10 years.

 

[Nessism]

I used VHT engine paint before and it's brittle; the paint broke off in chunks under bolt heads. It gets soft under gasoline spills too. Sorry, not a fan.

 

[timebombprod]

I wish you could make polls in the forum for things like this, so we can see the majority vote, but either way I'm sure ill make a good choice as to what to use.

would it be better to paint the motor while its separated, or as one whole unit? maybe that's an opinion based question but I figured id ask incase there's reasons you shouldn't paint them separately.

​

 

[sacruickshank]

Since Nessism mentioned ""BEST" is a subjective reference" ... If you're going for simple frame touch ups and not concerned with looks, I cover rough spots on the frame using Hammerite and a regular brush. Super strong and the process is easy. Looks very good on welds but the hack job is obvious on tubes and plates.

 

[timebombprod]

https://www.amazon.com/VHT-ESP903007...10504166&psc=1

Would this be a good paint to use for the motor? That includes all of the cases and covers, the whole thing lol.

 

[Nessism]

https://www.amazon.com/VHT-ESP903007...10504166&psc=1

Would this be a good paint to use for the motor? That includes all of the cases and covers, the whole thing lol.

Try it and report back.

 

[Gorminrider]

Why not look in the "rebuilds" and other sections. Several people have painted their engines with spraybombs...

me, I'd be leery.-it's always an experiment no matter what the advice or directions.(which need reading before buying).. Spray bombs can be pretty good but are tricky and NUMBER ONE need a clean prepped surface.Stop now if you can't guarantee it or are willing to live with results because...if it doesn't work, it'll always be your fault and no one else's...

and, if you are going to paint everything but the tank with it, I HATE YOU. I have a bike where someone did this-even the plastic fenders. (What a dick,.. but of course i got the bike CHEAP..)

 

[Grimly]

https://www.amazon.com/VHT-ESP903007...10504166&psc=1

Would this be a good paint to use for the motor? That includes all of the cases and covers, the whole thing lol.

It's absolutely guaranteed to start falling off and look scabby inside of a year.

 

[timebombprod]

and, if you are going to paint everything but the tank with it, I HATE YOU. I have a bike where someone did this-even the plastic fenders. (What a dick,.. but of course i got the bike CHEAP..)

Honestly the only reason I haven't done the tank and probably won't anytime soon is because it's hard to have a better colour scheme than the original given I bought it spray painted black and got to reveal the original paint underneath but also if I were to have the tank redone I want it to look brand new and I'm sure that wouldn't come cheap.

Trust me I think about it alot lol I have been slowly piecing the bike together after cleaning everything before I do, nut and bolt. I'm currently cleaning all my engine cases for the same reason. the wire wheel has become my favorite tool for I guess restoring parts and bits.

 

[Gorminrider]

I was thinking particularly inside the fins -hard to clean..but I guess nobody would see all the way in..and if you do do the head, it'll probably look better if you file the fin edges flat to the original aluminum after you paint, as a nice highlight....I'm not sure about painting aluminum that gets hot*...but if the can says 'primer", do that. It's definitely a better stay-on than without it on the pipes (I've been using the HighestTemp,Newset VHTs lately) ....so-called "Appliance paint" seems to work well on forks and clutch.stator covers..it's close to the factory powdercoat look, but it's shiny. I prefer shiny as being tougher (forks seem to get whipped by dust and road dirt) but you may not.
Chromed Mufflers are the least preoblem... They don't get as hot and sanding up the chrome, paint actually sticks pretty well. I think chrome dust is hazardous so a dust mask and vacuum running might be a plan for your longevity.

* I note even the Honda Company has trouble keeping paint on their cars' valve covers...normally, zinc chromate is the proper primer for aluminum but I'm not sure about heat properties of it and it may not suit the spray-bomb solvents...something that would want experimentation- I'd maybe try a high heat enamel (with a brush..barbecue paint? )over it as a test patch over a period of time to see, first.

In other words, I'd be using different paint in different places..but if you want the whole thing with one paint, you can get a quart of barbecue paint and slap it on the "gone" spots every 3-6 months.