What paint to spray radiator side guards?

[d11gla]

I have purchased and fitted an aftermarket stainless steel radiator cover.

I removed the 2 silver metal side guards, then the plastic radiator cover.

I then fitted the new cover only, with no side guards.

I have now decided to spray the 2 silver side guards black, to match the colour of my frame, and fit them back to the bike.

Does anyone know which spray/paint would be best to coat these side guards black?

Many thanks

 

[Boneman]

Should be fine with using most types of spray paint. You don't need to use high-heat paint for this.

Make sure to use some light wet-dry sandpaper and sand down the covers first. Then apply a coat of primer spray paint; then paint.

 

[HavBlue]

The problem with using paint from a rattle can is that is tends to be thin and it chips quite easily. As previously suggested, be sure to rough up the surface before painted and you will also want to be sure it is clean and free of any oils including that of your fingers.

Had you thought about having them powder coated? The price for doing this should be inexpensive and the turn around time is generally minimal.

 

[d11gla]

Powder Coat Power!

Wheres best to get powder coated?

Powder Coat!:thumbup:

 

[Hellgate]

Wheres best to get powder coated?

I'd check the phone book first. Pretty any medium sized town, 100K+ should have someone who powder coats. Biker Bill is right, it is the best way to go, very durable, not too expensive either.

 

[d11gla]

Yellow pages is coming out!

Will get some pictures up when sorted, will be a few weeks though, going to tenerife with the lads on Tuesday (Warm up is this weekend at Hawkstone Park for the warm up international motocross scene!

I'd check the phone book first. Pretty any medium sized town, 100K+ should have someone who powder coats. Biker Bill is right, it is the best way to go, very durable, not too expensive either.

 

[grommit]

Will get some pictures up when sorted, will be a few weeks though, going to tenerife with the lads on Tuesday (Warm up is this weekend at Hawkstone Park for the warm up international motocross scene!

Try...

Windridge Coatings – Powder coat motorbike frames

...they do motorcycle stuff so, might be OK, was looking at this myself a few weeks ago, paint just chips!

 

[Hellgate]

Try...

Windridge Coatings – Powder coat motorbike frames

...they do motorcycle stuff so, might be OK, was looking at this myself a few weeks ago, paint just chips!

Grommit - these guys look great, the prices look fair, even with the weak US Dollar. And with a quote like this: "When you've had a week stuck in traffic jams, do you really want to spend the weekend painting a garden gate?" They can't be half bad.

 

[madmanmaigret]

I dont know how often you guys go down gravel roads and what not but i dont have any chips in my side covers. Use some rustolem rust tough semi gloss black. It is less than $5 a can and if they do chip (only a problem if you half-a$$ the paint job) you can re-paint with the same can! like stated above sand, CLEAN, and primer before paint.

 

[HavBlue]

I dont know how often you guys go down gravel roads and what not but i dont have any chips in my side covers. Use some rustolem rust tough semi gloss black. It is less than $5 a can and if they do chip (only a problem if you half-a$$ the paint job) you can re-paint with the same can! like stated above sand, CLEAN, and primer before paint.

The nice thing about powder coat or for that matter a professionally done squirt job is how it looks. Powder coat lasts forever, never chips and it is difficult to even scratch through. Why would you pay 6 or 7K for a bike and then do a $5 paint job?

 

[madmanmaigret]

The nice thing about powder coat or for that matter a professionally done squirt job is how it looks. Powder coat lasts forever, never chips and it is difficult to even scratch through. Why would you pay 6 or 7K for a bike and then do a $5 paint job?

I totaly understand where you are coming from but if you take your time and prep carefully you can do a pro's work (we'll say $50) for an amatuers price ($5) after i did mine people asked where i got it done and if it was powder. when I tell them that I did it their eyes light up and so does mine when I know I did it and it looks professinaly done. I guess its just an ego thing.

 

[madmanmaigret]

to add to that.... if you were bringing a few thing to have coated then go for it or wait until you have the $ for everything you want powdered. (ie. rearsets, triples, rear pegs, etc.) can you tell i have all mine planned?

 

[HavBlue]

to add to that.... if you were bringing a few thing to have coated then go for it or wait until you have the $ for everything you want powdered. (ie. rearsets, triples, rear pegs, etc.) can you tell i have all mine planned?

The folks here will do both wheels in 2 tone for $150.00. My pegs and oil pan are polished out so no powder coat there.

 

[pchbreeze]

unless you want gloss, just use black primer.

 

[Philoz]

I totaly understand where you are coming from but if you take your time and prep carefully you can do a pro's work (we'll say $50) for an amatuers price ($5) after i did mine people asked where i got it done and if it was powder. when I tell them that I did it their eyes light up and so does mine when I know I did it and it looks professinaly done. I guess its just an ego thing.

$5 for a can? Outrageous mate. I did mine for $3.

 

[madmanmaigret]

$5 for a can? Outrageous mate. I did mine for $3.

I think it depends on the paint. I have used $3 high temp paint that sucks. I have used regular $1 paint that was o.k. but the $5 rust tough is the best I have found.

 

[Philoz]

It's all very amusing. My flat mate has a Street Triple and sprayed his side stand with cheap black paint. 3 months later, it's all still there, despite the stand being kicked down and exposed to road grit etc. I was sceptical at first, but can't deny it works. I also sprayed my rad cap black, after removing the warning label. No real surface prep and it gets really hot, but that's worked fine as well.

Don't really know what my point is... cheap works maybe??

 

[Beknatok]

I actually just spray-painted my sideguards as well. I cleaned and lightly sanded them, but didn't prime 'em. Instead, I just sprayed half a dozen of light coats on (Krylon quick-drying enamel paint), waited a day, and added a few coats of a clear-coat. I'm fairly confident that that'll hold up just fine.

 

[FZ1inNH]

'08 rad covers? Has anyone powder-coated them yet? Pics? Thanx!

 

[madmanmaigret]

'08 rad covers? Has anyone powder-coated them yet? Pics? Thanx!

I believe biker bill has....check his posts he put up pics a while ago, that is where i got the idea from...Thanks Bill!