Has anyone put the protective paint film on your bike and if so was it hard to do or is it better to have it put on and if you had it installed what did that run
The first kind is held on by static cling only, the second has a light adhesive. Both install with spray liquid and squeegee. Easy enough to do, but trimming and accurate aligning can be tricky until you get the hang of it.
It's on the bike all over:
Front fender where all the bugs hit
Rear fender below the taillight
Top of Tourpack
Top, sides, front, back, and topside edges of saddlebags
Fairing all over
Passing lamp lenses
I've had only a few people even notice, and it's really saved a few nicks from happening.
See if you can see it...
I didn't take these photos with the intent to show off the film, but you get the idea.
I have it on the front half of the front fender, entire fairing, where the seat nose touches the tank & on the rear fender under the seat (just in case I want a solo seat). Had it professionally done, about $400. Cannot see it, awesome protection. IMO, get it done, it's not easy to do.
Flat surfaces are fairly easy to do. Curved surfaces can be a little more difficult. Most will tend to crack and/or shrink over the years, like the old vinyl lettering you see on some trucks. The adhesive type can be a pia to remove if its been on a long time and it will leave a shadow (brighter color) if the entire surface wasn't done.
To Shanebo and Sixguns95... Where you able to cover your entire fairing with one piece of this film or was it done in sections? If in sections, how do you keep the seems from showing?
I have had a couple Harleys that had a film on the front portion of the rear fender under the seat. It sticks real good. Just the cut and the installation make it look like it was a factory thing.
I applied it to the tank where I was getting wear areas from the seat rubbing on the tank, rear fender, and side panels. You can do it yourself if you take your time and get the product really wet. Don't be afraid to peal it back and re-wet if you're not getting a good bond, bubbles etc..
To Shanebo and Sixguns95... Where you able to cover your entire fairing with one piece of this film or was it done in sections? If in sections, how do you keep the seems from showing?
Sections.
Curved surfaces are tougher than flat, and once a certain curvature gets too tight, the film will not lay down at every edge. That said, you can get a very wavy surface (like the fairing) covered with several sections that do cooperate with your squeegee.
For instance, the passing lamp lenses can be covered fairly easily, but the main headlight has a more pronounced convex surface that is all but impossible to get without wrinkles.
As to the seams...this is where your level of expertise with scissors and pattern-making are tested. On careful inspection, the seams will always be visible, so if that bothers you too much, might want to skip the whole thing.
Following the natural soft edges and flow of the bike's shapes tends to hide the edges quite well. Nobody will notice if you have nice edges trimmed to follow the contours well. Also, avoid sharp corners in your trimming--they tend to catch the eye and show up easier.
I put the Harley kit on my saddle bag lids almost two years ago and so far it's been great. Any boot scuffs come right off without any paint damage. It was a PiTA to put on and get perfect. You really need a very dust free place to do the job and be patient getting the air bubbles out. When I first did it I wasn't happy with the he results but after a few weeks it looked much better. I guess the sun helped it really lay down and all the imperfections just disappeared .if I were doing larger sections of the bike I would probably have it done professionally
To Shanebo and Sixguns95... Where you able to cover your entire fairing with one piece of this film or was it done in sections? If in sections, how do you keep the seems from showing?
My front fairing is all one piece and covers the entire thing. If you did not know it was on there you would not see it. Do yourself a favor and get it done professionally.
10-16-2015, 08:15 PM
