Generally speaking I can spray a bike like a dyna with just tank and fenders with a pint and have little left over for touch up if necessary. I spray lesonal paint and have good results out of it without breaking the bank. I also use sikkens clear coat. Get a decent color and the best clear you can afford, or you do take the risk of problems and more work later. Do yourself a favor and dont do lacquer paint. Use a urethane paint, they do tend to hold up better. As far as color choice goes black is not simply black. Go pick one you like some are deeper than others. Do plenty of research and practice gun setup. I started more or less where you are a year ago and unfortunately since I like to tinker I have painted my bike 4 times in the last year. Patience is the best virtue I've found when it comes to painting. If you have more questions I'll try to help best I can and I'm sure others will too. I attached a picture of my first paint job a simple steel blue. To the latest version which is a custom mixed green with a seperate heavy layer of color shifting metal flake then buried under clear. Proof that with practice painting isn't overwhelming.

 

 

Definitely ensure everything is perfect before you start and definitely make sure it is clean and wipe the surface with tack rags before you spray base and before clear. Black is a very unforgiving color and will show any flaws. Wouldnt hurt to practice on some test panels first to get your form down and used to proper gun setup. Question I have is what spray gun do you have or are going to purchase that could make things easier or harder for you. I sprayed my first one with a harbor freight gun and now I use both a 3m PPS gun for my primers and flakes then a devilbiss finish line for base and clears. Not the cheapest setups but not top of the line. Gets the job done without any hiccups or headache.

 

Currently painting commercially and paint a few of my good friends Harley's. Urethane is the only way to go but takes patience like the gentleman above said, black is pretty much black and basically the same paint code. Product preference is like Ford, Chevy, Dodge, I use Imron single stage and Chromabase when spraying metallic or pearl with clearcoat because of needing durability to hold up.
Best advice is higher quality paint costs more money, higher quality paint guns cost more money, do what you think is in your budget but don't buy cheap paint or it will turn out cheap. Just about any PPG Urethane is good, mix Urethane per directions (3-1 or 4-1) adding slightly a quality enamel reducer extra will help flow. Urethane is less forgiving as it continues to move around and reactivated after every coat, dries slows, runs easy and why patience is your friend.
Use good primer, sand your azz off, use a decent paint with a decent gun and will have a decent paint job, cheap will be cheap and your getting ready to find out why paint jobs can cost so much.

 

99% of the job is in preparation .... patience, patience, patience use a good primer and a sealer

 

Here is what works for me-
Find your local independent body shop.
You buy everything from them at their mark up.

if you play the card right they will shoot the stuff in the booth for you at a minimum.
You need some help in a couple areas, - as you just can't block sand round or curved areas without some advice.
There are new products every day in the paint world...they will help you.
The novice will be lost.

 

too true too true, black is beautiful but hard to lay down and upkeep.
i would not lay down gloss black. i would lay down flat black and the urethane top coat clear with hardener. the gloss will show imperfections and swirl marks right off, the flat with clear will not. when the clear is laid down, the finish will be gloss. there are plenty of additives that take care off issues so chose wisely. the clear can be polished to even a higher shine, lay on several coats but not too many mils as it will chip.

 

I am in the process of painting my bike. Starlight Black from Colorite. I have experience painting cars where you are painting a giant surface all at once and you would need correct spray equipment. However you can get a professional quality job by (as most here said) make sure the surface is perfect before you start spraying. I did the two heat shields first, then the two side covers, then the facia. Each piece will need to be wet sanded starting with 1000, then 2000, then 3000, then compound and polish. Wait a few weeks before waxing. I started with the little pieces first due to being a long time since I painted. next will do the rear fender, and then the front and tank.. I also have a tourpak and lowers that will get painted later. Get the Colorite from Amazon, half price thereabouts.