FOAK: bike cosmetics

I think that this has sort of been argued about in an earlier thread,
but what is the FOAK's view of tarting up fairing cosmetics before
selling?

I may sell the TL latr this summer, but the fairing is showing its age
with severe stone-chip damage to the nose and lower leading edges.

Tthe left fairing lower has both acid etch damage from where the
battery leaked, and a brownish stain that looks as though clutch fluid
may have been spilt on it.

There's also a small but irritating scratch on top of the front
mudguard where I caught it with the trailer hitch.

The bike's a bright yellow 1998 model with over 37K miles on it, so
that should give a hint as to its value.

I reckon that the three-can spray mix plus filler, wet 'n' dry etc.
should cost under £40, ant it would take roughly a total of 4-5 hours
to do the jobs.

I did patch my FZR up surprisingly well after its highside, including
matchng up the trim lines, so I know I can do it reasonably well. The
only slight doubt that I have is the fact that the TL's finish is ever
so slightly metallic (hence the three-can finish), which ISTR makes
matching the exact "texture" difficult.

 

Matching the texture is the same as with any paint, it's just that spraying
"edge to edge" isn't a good idea, because it's the *blending* of metallics
that's the problem area (for the inexperienced) The finish should be flat,
not orange peely when you've flatted the primer and it should still be flat
when you've applied the colour. Same as with any paint really.

Don't forget too, that because it's a metallic colour, (actually, it'll be a
pearl or mica, but essentially the same procedure as metallics), it's a
"clear over base" job, so you've got to lacquer the jobs after the paint has
gone on. Lacquer is generally 2pk and fucking 'orrible and it's not readilly
available in spray cans and when it is, it's shite stuff.



--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

It's *always* worth doing. even if the touch-up paint doesn't match, it
looks better than a scrape or scratch, and shows the buyer that you at
least care about how it looks.

I use those little phials of car touch-up paint, and mix them to get the
shade I need. Yoiu can often get a surprisingly good match.

 

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 12:42:07 +0100,

OK, ta.

"JCB Yellow With A Bit Of Glitter" should do it.

And no, not that Glitter, and certainly not that bit.

 

On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 11:21:40 GMT, "Beav"


<Snipped>

learn to snip, Newbie!

Ok. I was going to sort of blend it in on fold lines and edges, same
as I did with the FZR.

That's the term I was looking for: pearl, not metallic. The paint I
was referring to was a three can system, I assumed that it was all
spray, but from what you say, perhaps not.

Ta.

 

'K'off you

If you can paint all the way to a different colour, you stand a better
chance of not being able to spot any slight colour change, but fold lines in
fairings aren't really good enough if you want a mint looking jobbie.

It sounds like a "3 stage" pearl, where the final colour is made up from 3
seperate colours laid on top of each other, where each one has a distinct
effect on the outcome. It's sometimes unbelievable how different the 3
colours are too and how the number of coats affects the colour.

If I were you, I'd do all the prep work and get the bike to a good painter,
get him to check the job and order the paint (bike paints are notoriously
difficult to match btw) and promise him you won't take him out on the bike
if he blathers it for you.

The 2pk lacquer is a killer btw and yui shouldn't be breathing that shite
in.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

TBH, I'm no perfectionist. If looks reasonable then that'll do.

Actually, while we're on the subject of surface fillers and paints, is
there anything that will stick to nylon or polythene? Only the black
finish is literally falling off the Quota, leaving white plastic. It
really needs some sort of filler, but the usual stuff doesn't stick
too well and probaby lacks the requisite flexibility.

 

Prep the plastic as you would a metal substrate, then give it a coat of
plastic primer (available in spray cans in a variety of colours). It's piss
thin, so don't go for the clear stuff coz you can't see it going on until
you've put too much on. It's not to be blathered on in swathes, that's for
sure.

Once it's on and dry, you can fill over it, but it's not ideal, but that's
because none of the flexible plastics are the ideal material to repair in
the first place. Too oily and slippy, but plastic primers and adhesion
promoters are the way to make the best of a bad job. These types of repairs
are best done to things that aren't being kept.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19