Painting various parts on a motorcycle

S

sprayerman

Hey guys,

I've been using SPI products (epoxy/basecoat/2100)for 8 or 9 years but mainly for my small craft plastic designs. I'm in the process of trying to figure out a paint scheme and method for shooting my new/used dirt bike and could use some suggestions.

I'm trying to convert most the stock silver/metal parts and some additional plastics to a matte black. This includes the rims/spokes,forks,engine bay,frame,swing arm,luggage mount,and plastics.

Prep wise I was going to wash everything down with WNG remover,red scotch brite,WNG again,then bull dog parts before epoxy.

Product wise I was considering using black epoxy primer,black base (if needed for coverage),2100 with flattening agent. Epoxy I know can be a bit finnicky especially around intricate overlapping parts. How would you guys would shoot it? Normally I do a 1:1:1 sealer coat prior to base per Jim's method. Also should I just use a high heat enamel aerosol paint for the engine bay?

Rims are going to take the most abuse and will see some light trails. Is it maybe worth shooting them in 2k matte black for ease of touch up or will a few coats of 2100 hold up well enough?

Lastly what kind of mix ratio do you guys like for a matte sheen that's got good protection and doesn't scuff too easy?

Appreciate any tips or recommendation you guys can offer!
 
need a little more info here. you say its a dirt bike but then your talking about luggage and engine bays. that sounds nothing like a dirt bike. an actual dirt bike has plastic bodywork made from polypro. painting it will never hold up to the actual abuse of riding off road or on a track. its also much cheaper to just buy new plastics. what kind of bike is this?
 
Ay Jim,

You're the right man to field these questions, you do some spectacular motorcycle repaints.

It's an '07 first gen Kawasaki KLR 650. It's in great shape and looks to have been garage kept. I bought a new headlight surround with new light assembly (pictured) that has some scratches so figured why not black out the bike if im in paint already. Also I took the stickers off the tank and there's a good clear coat edge that needs to be sanded down.

Luckily the plastics are black already so wear wont show too bad. Wheels need to be done right so that's why I was thinking epoxy. She's not gonna be a show pony so respraying down the road is fine.

I'm really only going to be on fire trails mainly where there's not much brush, occasional street ride. Basically a bike to get out and do some off grid camping/exploring.
 

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Bike looks amazing for a 13 year old bike. Looks hardly ridden. Just my opinion, but in my view with a bike like that you can have it look nice or you can ride it. After the first couple of off road excursions you are going to have scratches equal to or greater than what you have now.
Keep in mind that no matter how good quality the paint, it will scratch and get scuffed. Matte black would not be easy for touch up nor would it be easy to maintain in as painted condition if you are riding off road. SPI Matte black is pretty finicky. It's durable but like anything else, will scratch if taken off road. Just riding through grass is hard on a finish. Not saying that to discourage you from doing it, but if it was me I'd ride it and enjoy it.
 
Lol yeah i have to agree with chris. I just bought a brand new ktm less than a week ago. Maiden voyage was about 2 hrs of riding. Its got scratches and gouges from one end to the other. If your bike isnt all scratched and beat up then your not riding it right lol. I do understand wanting things to look good though. My 2015 ktm that this one replaced i did the wheels. Treat it like everything else metal. Light media blast, epoxy and paint it. Dont bother painting any of the plastic on the bike. It just wont hold up
 
Bike looks amazing for a 13 year old bike. Looks hardly ridden. Just my opinion, but in my view with a bike like that you can have it look nice or you can ride it. After the first couple of off road excursions you are going to have scratches equal to or greater than what you have now.
Keep in mind that no matter how good quality the paint, it will scratch and get scuffed. Matte black would not be easy for touch up nor would it be easy to maintain in as painted condition if you are riding off road. SPI Matte black is pretty finicky. It's durable but like anything else, will scratch if taken off road. Just riding through grass is hard on a finish. Not saying that to discourage you from doing it, but if it was me I'd ride it and enjoy it.

I hear ya! I got it over the winter from a guy needing cash. Only has 5k miles. I've wanted a matte black enduro for maybe 20 years now before they were a thing and finally moved to a place I can ride. I've got half a mind to just rattle can parts just so I don't have much time invested and she touches up on the fly. Haven't used matte much but read the horror stories. You guys used wraps on bikes?
 
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Lol yeah i have to agree with chris. I just bought a brand new ktm less than a week ago. Maiden voyage was about 2 hrs of riding. Its got scratches and gouges from one end to the other. If your bike isnt all scratched and beat up then your not riding it right lol. I do understand wanting things to look good though. My 2015 ktm that this one replaced i did the wheels. Treat it like everything else metal. Light media blast, epoxy and paint it. Dont bother painting any of the plastic on the bike. It just wont hold up

I test rode a ktm 690 before this and almost got it but it had some electrical issues we couldn't figure out. Nice bikes.

How well will the epoxy stick without a media blast? Would red scotch brite or 320 sand suffice? Skip the ask to? How about the engine and frame parts?

Appreciate the heads up..glad trails are finally opening up with the virus regs.
 
Well for anything metal it just needs to be scuffed. Media blast is usually easiest and the best job but you can sand as well. Bare metal should be 80-120. Painted should be 320 then a seal coat of epoxy before your base or ss. Any plastic, do not scotchbrite. The poly parts will just get fuzzy and be ruined. You can adpro them then a ss or base clear. What really helps before the adpro is to flame treat the plastic. Just do a search for that. Prob the best thing you can do for hard to stick plastics. Use the spi ss matte black. Dont flatten the clear or use spi matte clear.
 
Well for anything metal it just needs to be scuffed. Media blast is usually easiest and the best job but you can sand as well. Bare metal should be 80-120. Painted should be 320 then a seal coat of epoxy before your base or ss. Any plastic, do not scotchbrite. The poly parts will just get fuzzy and be ruined. You can adpro them then a ss or base clear. What really helps before the adpro is to flame treat the plastic. Just do a search for that. Prob the best thing you can do for hard to stick plastics. Use the spi ss matte black. Dont flatten the clear or use spi matte clear.

Damn 80-120 on rims? Then up to 320? That's a lot of detail sanding between spokes!

I paint urethane plastics I cast myself with epoxy and it sticks extremely well is there some kind of oil that leaches from the plastics? I see all these cats all over yt shooting their bikes with krylon fusion. Never see them a year later though. I flame treat plastisol before painting but that's nasty vinyl paint.

I'd use the Spi matte black but seen they don't sell quarts. What ratio of flattening agent would you use with the 2100?
 
Actually now that i think about it the rims are prob aluminum. On that you can use 180. If your doing matte black then just 180, epoxy then paint it. 180 on metal is different than 180 on primer or paint. 180 will be smooth on metal. Is your flattener spi? I hate to say it but dont use spi flattener or their matte clear which i believe is 2100 clear with that flattener in it. The matte clear has major issues which i think comes from the flattener not the 2100 clear. It shouldnt be used on anything going outside. It will just get milky and fail. You can use other brands of flattener in spi clear with no issues. I use utech 890 flattener in universal with no problems. No oils arent leaching. Some plastics just wont take paint. Its all in their chemical makeup.
 
Ok got ya 180 it is. I'll just red scotch brite the frame and other painted metal parts then.

The flattening agent is SPI I haven't cracked it yet.
 
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