State of DIY paint?

Seems like in my searching of other threads, waterborne stuff has improved, some folks are getting pretty good results with the "$50 paint job" and so forth, but I thought I'd ask for people's thoughts at this point.

I have two bike paint jobs in my future, the one I'm most immediately concerned with is my EX500. Currently pearl white with a metallic blue tank (factory paint), replete with leftover-sticker-residue stripes down the sides where the factory stripe stickers were removed eons ago, and with some pretty bad crazing/cracking/ruination next to the filler cap.

I think I want to just either paint it all classic Kawasaki green, or maybe that with a navy blue tank.

In any case, I'm wondering whether it's worth trying to round up the bits to spray it myself, whether to get a paint shop to fill some spray bomb cans to do it that way, or whether for the savings in time and materials and equipment whether I ought to just try to find someone who does the local race bikes and get the bits shot there...

It's an ancient quasi-beginner bike. It's simply not a good place to invest a bunch of time or money. But the sticker residue, and more compellingly, the paint damage on the tank, just bother me. Presumably I could get the sticker residue off with enough time and acetone, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was doing a number on the underlying paint by then...

What would you guys do?

ransom wrote: It's simply not a good place to invest a bunch of time or money.

Isn't that the answer? Two rattle cans can paint an entire motorcycle.

Don't buy too cheap. Those $2 cans have lousy paint in them. Splurge and spend $6 on better ones, like Rustoleum or such.

I've had excellent results (with proper prep) with brushing on a good rustoleum oil based paints on random projects, though I've never done a car or motorcycle. I wouldn't hesitate trying an old motorcycle though.

In reply to foxtrapper:

Good call. Hrm... A lot more than $6 at $33, but since the last time I googled, it looks like either my google-fu has improved, or the supply of Kawasaki green in rattle cans has improved...

PlastiDip. If you change your mind, peel it and do another color.

How would plastidip work on a gas tank? Would spilled fuel instantly mess it up?

I've been looking for a cheap beater bike, and it often seems like repainted bikes look worse than patinaed original paint bikes, with fuel tanks being the biggest problem area.

Take a look at the forums. Plenty of advice and I remember seeing guys doing motorcycle tanks as well. Check the Blaze Orange section, I know there's a bike in there.

Even a bike section: here

In general, the expensive rattle cans will have good quality automotive paint within. Then again, how much would it cost to vinyl wrap a motorcycle? That's what, 10sqft?

In reply to sobe_death:

Seems like a motorcycle would be a harder shape to wrap, and would involve either wrinkles or lots of seams (how do you place a sheet over a fuel tank?)

I haven't worked with wraps, but I also figure the nasty texture of the bad paint around the filler would show through.

In any case, I'm not interested in anything that's got an intrinsically limited lifespan, so wraps and plasti-dip are out for me. I'm much more likely to change bikes than to want to do this again anytime soon...

I found another thread noting that the Mopar Grabber Green in the Dupli-Color at the local auto parts store isn't a terrible substitute for Kawi green... And that's more like the usual decent-grade-rattle-can $6/can than the $33 Colorrite... Might be close enough for my purposes... OTOH, with the half-fairing and painting the tank another color, one can of the Colorrite would probably do it...

In any case, this does seem to point me in the direction of the simplest answer being decent-quality rattle can. I'll try to be good about prep and have a stab at it that way...

Thanks to all for the input!

ransom said: Mopar Grabber Green in the Dupli-Color

Do you have an air compressor? If so, paint it with automotive paint. It is easier then a rattle can job.

These bikes were painted in my garage with a $25 dollar touch up gun you could buy on amazon today for less than that including having it shipped to your door.

I also used a cheap $6 inline filter and spent $35 on a air mask. I have a smallish craftsman compressor.

Good prep,is the same amount of work for car paint as it is for Krylon. If you do a good job, you won't have to spend as much time on post painting color sanding with a gun and auto paint as you will making a rattle can paint job look nice. Plus auto paint with clear coat holds up better with gas.

I will admit, I am a snob when it comes to paint, but it really isn't that hard or expensive to do a good job. Plus if it comes out bad, just sand and start over,

ransom wrote: In reply to foxtrapper: Good call. Hrm... A lot more than $6 at $33, but since the last time I googled, it looks like either my google-fu has improved, or the supply of Kawasaki green in rattle cans has improved...

Only if it's got to be Kawasaki green. If you'll settle for bright green, there's a whole lot of it to be had for cheaper.

In reply to foxtrapper:

I wish I knew

Not sure how far from Kaw green it can be before I'd finish it up and think to myself that it looked sort of half-assed...

In reply to Rusnak_322:

I do have a compressor, and as part of the garage rebuild am planning to upgrade and run hard lines around the shop (and maybe get a water trap that actually appears to trap water... I've never emptied a drop from my old one). Any pointers for particular guns or supplies? I'd like to stay away from the scarier stuff and am intrigued by rumors that more recent waterborne stuff is giving good results. I will be investing in an appropriate mask regardless of what the paint's coming out of. I figure there are enough jobs like this in my future to not be doing the open-garage-door-and-breath-holding approach...

I just don't want to get carried away with a bunch expense and storage of stuff I'll use once-a-year-ish and supplies that just age out while taking up shelf space.

I used a cheap gun like this - http://www.harborfreight.com/hvlp-detail-spray-gun-46719.html

It was nicer then the large normal gun I used before. It held enough paint for a single coat on a bike.

I used masks like this one - http://www.amazon.com/MSA-Safety-Works-817662-Respirator/dp/B0009XAIGY/ref=pd_sbs_auto_3

I used a cheap water filter at the compressor and one of these at the gun http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA12E0M49672&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP--pla--Applicators-_-9SIA12E0M49672

I used the water based paints to air brush a helmet when they first started to be used (auto air paint). I used regular solvent based clear coat at the time and they worked fine. Clean up was easier and they shot the same. I would not be afraid to try them.

You can also get a local paint supplier to mix auto quality paint in cans. Not super cheap, but regular spray paint is soft in comparison.

Good call on Plasti-Dip. I'll have to try that.

I wouldn't hesitate to go rattle-can.

The right prep, the right decals to finish it off, you can get a really good result. These discussions always bring this to mind: