Terrible paint
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 37
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From: North Dakota
Terrible paint
So my bike has been in storage for a little over a year, and I've had my dad taking care of it (which is a stretch). I finally made it home to uncover that the paint is starting to peel off. Back story: I bought this bike from a guy while I was deployed. He was a "professional" at painting, which now is becoming very obvious that he was now. I won't go as far as saying that he took advantage of me while I was deployed, but it is what it is. Partially my fault as well for being young and dumb, and wanting a motorcycle so bad. I rode it for about 3 summers, and encountered various electrical problems during them, while slowly watching the paint spiderweb underneath the clear coat. I then started moving a lot for work, and that brings me to now. So what I have decided is to give it a new paint job, and make it how I want. This brings me to a few questions.
1) Is there anything I can do to protect the bare metal until winter comes? I live in Iowa, and with only maybe 2 months left of riding weather, I was hoping to tear it down in mid-October. Is this a bad idea?
2) I bought it with a tank lift, and the forks hit and have caused a dent. What is the best way to go about fixing this? (Picture of dent attached)
3) While its torn apart, I was going to give it a good clean. (possible before that too) I was wondering what techniques and products people use to get dust out of all the nooks and crannies that has built up.
4) Last but not least, I am looking for a good seat that I can alternate between 1 up and 2 up. The problem is, when I put my new Pirelli tires on, I can no longer reach the hole for a solo seat under the fender. What techniques do you all use to make swapping seats a little bit easier.
Thank you in advance
1) Is there anything I can do to protect the bare metal until winter comes? I live in Iowa, and with only maybe 2 months left of riding weather, I was hoping to tear it down in mid-October. Is this a bad idea?
2) I bought it with a tank lift, and the forks hit and have caused a dent. What is the best way to go about fixing this? (Picture of dent attached)
3) While its torn apart, I was going to give it a good clean. (possible before that too) I was wondering what techniques and products people use to get dust out of all the nooks and crannies that has built up.
4) Last but not least, I am looking for a good seat that I can alternate between 1 up and 2 up. The problem is, when I put my new Pirelli tires on, I can no longer reach the hole for a solo seat under the fender. What techniques do you all use to make swapping seats a little bit easier.
Thank you in advance
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,448
Likes: 2,299
From: NW Ohio
I would just use sealer primer to hold off the moisture until you can finish prep and paint the tins. Just sgrind/blast it off whenever you get that far.
Unless you're fanatical about metal finishing, fixing the dents is probably best done with polyester filler. Otherwise, you're looking at a couple hundred $ in labor to pull dents, weld patches, planish, file, etc.....and still require a skim coat of filler. Nothing wrong with that. Just a different level of commitment.
Cleaning is mostly just elbow grease and improvised tools. Dish soap or general purpose cleaner/degreaser does a fine job most of the time if you can get a tool into the dirty area. Cotton swabs, toothbrush, bottle brush, etc.
I can't help with the seat.
Unless you're fanatical about metal finishing, fixing the dents is probably best done with polyester filler. Otherwise, you're looking at a couple hundred $ in labor to pull dents, weld patches, planish, file, etc.....and still require a skim coat of filler. Nothing wrong with that. Just a different level of commitment.
Cleaning is mostly just elbow grease and improvised tools. Dish soap or general purpose cleaner/degreaser does a fine job most of the time if you can get a tool into the dirty area. Cotton swabs, toothbrush, bottle brush, etc.
I can't help with the seat.
Last edited by cggorman; Aug 9, 2016 at 09:05 PM.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 74
Likes: 4
From: Northern Virginia
Looking at your picture, it appears that the paint is only peeling off the chrome that was painted. Obviously there was no prep done on the chrome, so it peels really easy. If that is the only area that is peeling you should be fine riding it until the season is over.
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Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 37
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From: North Dakota
Chrome
Yes, after looking at it again, the paint is just peeling off the chrome center piece. Big relief there.
Does anyone have any advice on what to do to keep my forks from hitting my tank, while not affecting the seat placement or anything? I feel like mounting the tank slight further back would mess up the seat mounting.
Does anyone have any advice on what to do to keep my forks from hitting my tank, while not affecting the seat placement or anything? I feel like mounting the tank slight further back would mess up the seat mounting.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 686
Likes: 29
From: Niceville
Looks like the PO installed a tank lift. (Im no expert). Remove the tank lift bracket and you should have no problems with whatever is hitting you tank. That looks pretty severe. I would not paint until that is resolved.
I concur on the cleaning and paint-pealing-off-the-chrome posts above.
Good luck man!
I concur on the cleaning and paint-pealing-off-the-chrome posts above.
Good luck man!
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 39
Likes: 4
From: 51360
Find a shop with one of these.
http://www.eastwood.com/stud-welder-dent-pulling-system.html?fee=7&fep=224&SRCCODE=GA220010&adpos=1 o1&creative=83580264660&device=m&matchtype=&networ k=s&gclid=Cj0KEQjw_qW9BRCcv-Xc5Jn-26gBEiQAM-iJhV14xs_Gt2DeWVcnQKVNwvzr88FfiIg4Nt4KUeXVz6QaAkAJ 8P8HAQ
http://www.eastwood.com/stud-welder-dent-pulling-system.html?fee=7&fep=224&SRCCODE=GA220010&adpos=1 o1&creative=83580264660&device=m&matchtype=&networ k=s&gclid=Cj0KEQjw_qW9BRCcv-Xc5Jn-26gBEiQAM-iJhV14xs_Gt2DeWVcnQKVNwvzr88FfiIg4Nt4KUeXVz6QaAkAJ 8P8HAQ
Last edited by Fred Halstead; Aug 9, 2016 at 10:28 PM.
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