Hate Winter, Too much time on my hands

[DJK1505]

So I got bored last night and decided to take the yamaha badges off on the air box cover. OK, thats a pain in the A**!!!!! So after nicking and scuffing the right side up pretty good, I got both sides off and cleaned. Still bored and nothing else to do, I decide to paint my rear sprocket.







So this only took me until midnight or so. Just getting over Pneumonia, the meds are like crack. Wide awake, nothing to do on any other bike, I sit staring at the FZ8. What else can I do! Pulling out the lap top, looking at the 2012 FZ8's I decide I want to paint the air box cover a flat black. If it turns out good, and I like it, I have a few other pieces in mind I want to paint to match. Well searching the garage I do not have all the materials I need, so I hop online and start researching best methods to rattle can this, and make it look good. AFter several youtube vids, online blogs, etc. its 4AM, sleep finally! Parts store opens at 0900, wide awake at the door when they open, I get all the materials. So here is where I am so far!

Lets start sanding



After the first round of sanding with 400 grit paper.



Third round of sanding, finished up with 600 grit and then washed it and scrubbed it with warm water, dawn soap, and a scoth brite pad.



Ghetto paint booth



First Prime



It is dring right now, I have two more coats of primer to paint, sand between each, finish sanding with 1000 grit, then move onto paint. I bought Duplicolor flat black, we will see how it turns out. I will keep updating on each stage!!!!!!

[trixster8]

Nice! I used the same process and paint on my 400ex, still looks great a year later!

[DJK1505]

Bad ass!

How many primer coats did you do?

Did you wet sand your final primer coat?

I am thinking I am just going to dry sand my final (3rd) coat primer, and then wet sand my top coat. Not sure but I am pretty sure I will do 3 coats top coat, then let sit for 24-48 hrs, then wet sand, let dry for another day, spray another 2-3 coats, wet sand, sit 24-48 hrs, then top coat, wet sand, rubbing compound, cure for a week and then buff. This is my first real piece to paint. Have done models and wheels, but nothing like this. Any advice would be appreciated!

DJ

[Dr_Doom]

I was thinking about doing the whole bike with just a matte clear. Does anyone know if this will work?

[K-Gr.]

That is rarely a good idea :/
Matt paint will quickly start to shine in places where it contacts anything occasionally (wiring, legs..), is less resistant to scratches and every single touch is visible on it.

If you really want to go that way - do a full paint job. That is the only way it can look somewhat good in some time. If you want to do it cheap - wrap it. Tank, fairing - it should go easy, cheap and will protect your paint beneath. Not to mention you can always throw it away if you get bored...

I do custom paint on bikes, but if I wanted matt black - I would wrap it.

[Dr_Doom]

Originally Posted by K-Gr.

That is rarely a good idea :/
Matt paint will quickly start to shine in places where it contacts anything occasionally (wiring, legs..), is less resistant to scratches and every single touch is visible on it.

If you really want to go that way - do a full paint job. That is the only way it can look somewhat good in some time. If you want to do it cheap - wrap it. Tank, fairing - it should go easy, cheap and will protect your paint beneath. Not to mention you can always throw it away if you get bored...

I do custom paint on bikes, but if I wanted matt black - I would wrap it.

Wouldn't it be tough to wrap a bike since there are so many contours?

[beefcake morris]

Nice work so far. I see that you removed the front sproket cover. Do you get a lot of greese flung every where? I like the looks of it

[DJK1505]

mate, I am ridiculous when it comes to cleaning my bike/ trucks/ wheelers etc. I clean it constantly and only oil my chain after I ride, when its warm and park it. Then before I ride I do a quick wipe down of the chain. I spent 2 hours saturday cleaning the nooks and crannies with tooth pics, q-tips, and parts cleaner! Llike I said ridiculous! Im just OCD like that! LMAO!!!

[DJK1505]

Update,

Here is a pic after the first coat has sat for 24 hours and wet sanded. Sanded it with 1000 grit paper.



Here is after another 3 top coats.





Going to let it sit for 24 hours, wet sand with 2000 grit paper, then another 2 top coats and then my first clear coat. Let it sit for 24 and then continue with the clear! Prob going to do 5-6 coats and finish off sanding with 3000 grit and Meguirs ultimate compund. Hope it turns out nice, starting to sand my FZ1 down and want to flat black the whole thing. We'll see how it turns out!

[Dr_Doom]

Are you using a matte clear?