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I have a 2014 FLHTP Police in Birch White. The tank has no emblems whatsoever. I was thinking that it would be a nice historic tribute to H-D to apply flying wheel tank emblems on the tank sides. This bike has a 6-gallon tank with rounded sides and I'm not really sure that the flying wheel emblem can be applied without it wrinkling on its edges.
Any advice you have for me to achieve this goal is appreciated.
I had those emblems on a 14’ road king. Had decals initially. A local bike painter try to apply them. I had two sets, and one wrinkled when he applied the clear (bad reaction to the decals glue) and one ripped on the second go round. I ended up having them painted on by an airbrush artist. The first painter took his time, but had fits trying to apply them. I would actually recommend taking the tank and decals to a sign shop that does these type of decals. They have the experience to work with them. I say this after talking to a sign shop about decals for a bass drum after the gong show with the tank.
A good painter should be able to airbrush them on where it would be difficult to tell if is a decal or paint. Copperhead Graphics airbrushed mine on...
I'm surprised by diggerv's experience. I had genuine original 1990 decals (not copies) applied to my current 6 gallon tank a few years ago, installed by my local painter without any problems. The current tanks are larger in overall dimensions than earlier tanks, obviously, so the curvature of the decal surface cannot be any worst than the tank they were designed for:
I'm surprised by diggerv's experience. I had genuine original 1990 decals (not copies) applied to my current 6 gallon tank a few years ago, installed by my local painter without any problems. The current tanks are larger in overall dimensions than earlier tanks, obviously, so the curvature of the decal surface cannot be any worst than the tank they were designed for:
I have had no experience with decals and no opinion on whether to use a decal or paint. I wasn't aware of a decal for the SG emblem so I just asked Copperhead to paint it on.
A lot of these decals have gotten old and dry, and will wrinkle and/or crack when applied. Additionally, some of them are incompatible under a clear coat. Best idea is to buy a couple three extra sets and test apply them, and shoot clear over them, on a surface similar to the curvature of the item you're wanting to put it on.
About thirty years ago, I tried applying the very same type of decals to a tank that the OP is trying to use...I had the whole gamut of problems...cracking, wrinkling, and reacting to the clear...the best idea, obviously, is have a sign painter or striping artist paint the emblem on the base coat then apply clear...if the latter technique is used, there's still the chance that the clear will react to the artwork. With regular One Shot enamel, I've had good luck with waiting a week or so before applying clear.
Other option is to have a graphics company copy the graphics to a new style backing that provides easier installation. Newer vinyl backings have some stretch, especially with a little heat to keep wrinkles at bay.
According to The Ultimate Motorcycle Encyclopedia, Harley's flying wheel logo appears on their 1930's and 1940's model year motorcycles. I think this logo would add some nice colors to my bike's blank, birch white-colored gas tank.
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Flying Wheel Tank Decal
