Flat Black paint?
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 5
From: Mesquite Tx
My experience is it's harder to keep flat black looking its best. Every finger print shows and stands out on flat black. While it's fairly easy to clean the problem is up keep. You can not buff out small scratches or nicks from flat paint like you can gloss. And for me it seems that rock chips also stand out on flat black much more than a gloss black paint.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
and my experience was just the opposite. i found it to be super easy to take care of. true that you can not buff out any scratches, but in 4 years/40,000 miles, i never needed to. one of the characteristics of the denim paint is that as it ages, it develops 'character'. like your favorite pair of jeans. after several years, it won't look showroom new, but, it can still look good.
vivid black, on the other hand, i find to be very hard to keep looking good. shows every swirl, and you can only buff out scratches so many times.
one thing to be aware of, the denim paint does have a clear coat over it.
vivid black, on the other hand, i find to be very hard to keep looking good. shows every swirl, and you can only buff out scratches so many times.
one thing to be aware of, the denim paint does have a clear coat over it.
2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Sylvania, Oh
Flat black
Hey, I haven't any issues when it comes to keeping my bike clean. I have a denim cleaner that I use. Spray it on and then wipe it off.
2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Sylvania, Oh
I don't have any problems keeping my bike clean. I have the flat black and I love it. It will get that denim wear with time. If it doe's get a scratch or a chip just get a rattle can and touch it up. No need to take to a body shop.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 576
Likes: 20
From: Eau Claire, WI
There's raw flat black paint... Back yard, rattle can paintjob type stuff, then there's professional flat black, which is done right and just has a flattening agent in the clear, so it's still a clear coat paint, just not shiny. If it's done right, no worries. If it's left raw... well, good luck with that.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,446
Likes: 5
From: Mesquite Tx
You know the bike I had that was flat black was not clear coated I don't think and that might have been why I had so many problems.
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
Thanks for the input.
I was going to have the tins powder coated, but since I would still have to have the fairing and bags painted, I just went ahead and sent it all to the painter.
I have sent EVERY chrome pc to the powder coater. The only thing on the bike thats not going black are the red 21" big spoke front wheel and back wheel.
I think i am going to call her "The Democrat"
Lets see pics of some blacked out bikes!
I was going to have the tins powder coated, but since I would still have to have the fairing and bags painted, I just went ahead and sent it all to the painter.
I have sent EVERY chrome pc to the powder coater. The only thing on the bike thats not going black are the red 21" big spoke front wheel and back wheel.
I think i am going to call her "The Democrat"
Lets see pics of some blacked out bikes!
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