1997 Sportster XL1200C Rebuild
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,077
Likes: 1,601
Man, that SUCKS!
Take your time getting back to the bike, it ain't going nowhere.
If you do decide to paint the bike here's some pointers I've learned along the way:
-Painting is 90% in the prep work. Make sure all your surface prep is the best you can get it. DO NOT cut corners or accept "meh, good enough".
-Practice beforehand. Paint some scrap metal, the kids' wagon, the push mower, your wife's outdoor furniture, whatever.
Also, practice with the same paint and equipment you plan on using on the bike. Every paint seems to like a slightly different setup and technique so consistency will be your friend while learning.
-Keep your spray gun CLEAN, and I mean spotless, inside. After you paint something learn how to completely disassemble the gun and clean it thoroughly. Spray guns are very much like carburetors in that one chunk of crud (paint) stuck in one of those tiny holes can have you chasing your tail trying to figure out why it sputters now when it ran (sprayed) fine before.
-Assuming your doing a 2 stage (basecoat + clearcoat) setup: clear is pretty easy to get runs/sags. Don't sweat it, you'd be surprised at what you can sand and polish out with some 600+ grit wet paper and good polishing compound. For your first spray job I'd advise spraying a few extra coats of clear so it's nice and thick. That'll make it easier to 'cut and buff' (wet sand and polish) without going through the clear (which you DO NOT want to do!).
Take your time getting back to the bike, it ain't going nowhere.
If you do decide to paint the bike here's some pointers I've learned along the way:
-Painting is 90% in the prep work. Make sure all your surface prep is the best you can get it. DO NOT cut corners or accept "meh, good enough".
-Practice beforehand. Paint some scrap metal, the kids' wagon, the push mower, your wife's outdoor furniture, whatever.
Also, practice with the same paint and equipment you plan on using on the bike. Every paint seems to like a slightly different setup and technique so consistency will be your friend while learning.-Keep your spray gun CLEAN, and I mean spotless, inside. After you paint something learn how to completely disassemble the gun and clean it thoroughly. Spray guns are very much like carburetors in that one chunk of crud (paint) stuck in one of those tiny holes can have you chasing your tail trying to figure out why it sputters now when it ran (sprayed) fine before.
-Assuming your doing a 2 stage (basecoat + clearcoat) setup: clear is pretty easy to get runs/sags. Don't sweat it, you'd be surprised at what you can sand and polish out with some 600+ grit wet paper and good polishing compound. For your first spray job I'd advise spraying a few extra coats of clear so it's nice and thick. That'll make it easier to 'cut and buff' (wet sand and polish) without going through the clear (which you DO NOT want to do!).
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 134
Likes: 145
From: Florida
I was able to start working on the Sporster again yesterday. I spent about an hour trying to remove the two stipped derby cover screws. I got the primary cover off and noticed some damage on the clutch cable so I ordered a replacement. Headaches are going to slow me down for a while but I am improving.
State Farm (the driver's insurance company) has not yet assigned responsibility yet, despite the state trooper having no problem with citing the kid for operating the impact vehicle in a careless and negligent manner. They did finally respond to my calls/emails to tell me that I was responsible for all towing/storage costs as well as preventing further damage - so this should be fun.
State Farm (the driver's insurance company) has not yet assigned responsibility yet, despite the state trooper having no problem with citing the kid for operating the impact vehicle in a careless and negligent manner. They did finally respond to my calls/emails to tell me that I was responsible for all towing/storage costs as well as preventing further damage - so this should be fun.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 134
Likes: 145
From: Florida
It was almost immediately apparent that State Farm was going jerk me around, as they did once before when I was in my 20s. I hired an attorney for the medical, but not the property damage. However, my insurance company is going to handle the property damage (in fact, they totaled the truck this morning less than 12 hours after calling them) and will pursue subrogation against the careless driver's insurance company.
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aeproberts
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Mar 26, 2009 06:13 PM
