Anyone know of a painter in the Detroit Metro area, that can change a pair of Brilliant Silver saddlebags into Vivid Black saddlebags? And not want $500 to do it? Bags are all apart, only need to be prepped and painted.

 

you ever find someone to paint your bags? i am looking too... i live in livonia...

 

You might be able to find some one to do it cheaper, but that's about what a quality painter charges. While there isn't a lot of surface to prep, it has to be perfect or the black will show it. Add in the cost and maintenance of a good paint booth and the price gets up there. Of course for that price I would expect a perfect job !!!

 

I got quotes from three bike painters: $500, $500, $250. And from Three collision/body shops: $500, $175, $165.

I paid $550 for the bags (used - $495 + $55 shipping/insurance). There aren't a lot, of used Sportster hard bags for sale, and these were in very good shape (other than the wrong color). New, color matched bags are $1399.95 plus tax (6% - $84 in MI) at the stealers, so if I can cut that price in half with a set of used bags, that have been re-painted, a few stickers, and some new gaskets installed (lid seals): I'm doing good.

Nothing special to paint on the bags, one color, Vivid Black. I've already disassembled them, so there isn't a bunch of taping that's needed. And there isn't any cracks, chips, etc that need work. Just some touchup paint that was applied by a PO to a few scratches, which will need some sanding/smoothing. These aren't going on a trailer queen, they're a Christmas present for my son's 07 883R that he commutes on. So I don't want them to look like I rattle canned them after a twelve pack of MGD. Although, even the OEM Harley paint, had a couple of runs/sags on the back side of one bag.

Yes I did. I dropped the bags off last week and hope to get them back before Thanksgiving. I'll let you know how they turn out.

 

Picked up the saddlebags on Monday 11/30. Not quite two weeks from dropping them off. They look very nice. If there is a 'gig' it would be for some orange peel on the back of one, that in the rear where the shock absorber sits. Totally not visibile, and the OEM Harley paint had a couple runs and sags on the backs, so they weren't perfect 'from the factory'. He used PPG Vivid Black, and put three coats of clear on. He also said if I scratched them during re-assembly to bring them back and he'll buff them out or whatever. I'd post some pics, but honestly a pic isn't going to show anything, other than that they are shiny black.

$165. I handed him 9-$20's and said it was all good.

 

Cool...

Do you remember or know the "code" for the PPG Vivid?

 

Didn't go to the paint store. He did state that they knew exactly what the mix was. I think he got a pint of it.

 

good, so what guy did you go to?

 

you have done the hard part any one can spray the paint about 200.00 material and paint

 

http://1collision.homestead.com/index.html