I have been cleaning my bike up over the winter getting rid of rust and working on a few things. While I have it apart I want to go from the original red to a matte black finish. I'm torn between getting the parts painted or powder coated. I work and spend a lot of time on the water, and powder coating is popular down here on boats because it holds up to the salt and weather pretty good, but never seen what it looks like on a bike, I've just heard it's done sometimes. Any advice or experience you guys have I'd appreciate. Thanks in advance!

 

If the tank is lined you have to paint, the heat from the powder coat process will destroy gas tank liner. And it will be dicey at best to try to line the tank after it is powder coated. Is there any damage to the sheet metal? if there is you either have to paint it or live with the dents showing through the powder coat. Even using lab metal or some of the other products it doesn't cover body work under powder coat the same as conventional paint work and body work.

I am in the process of doing powder coat on my wife's sportster. Ordered new fenders and gas tank as the originals had dents and dings. Going with a chrome base and then a powder called Apple Spice (metallic red) which is kind of like a candy coat.

Powder coat is great and holds up well if prepped properly and applied right but it does have limitations. Depends on what you can live with. Oh, and my powder coater is half the price of my painter for the same items. Good luck on your project.