Almost time to paint - and I have questions

[taranis]

So here I go, taking on my most ambitious bike project to date. Painting.

Ol' girl's got a few paint dings that I've been able to touch up, but there are two on the right side of the tank - the silver part - that are simply impossible to fix and look right. Having tried everything I can think of to succeed I threw in the towel and decided to go for it. I'll be starting the project in a couple months or so, after the weather warms up a bit more.

Let me throw out there that I have never painted a motorcycle before. I have also never used a paint sprayer before. I have, though, been reading up on spray techniques, prep, the correct way to sand the parts, etc.

First things first is to ready one stall of the garage for paint. I plan on fully cleaning the garage from top to bottom to get rid of any dust, then getting some drop-cloths and sectioning off an area to do the spraying, then setting the parts in the other stall to dry.

Next is getting the tins off the bike, and here's where I have questions. I'm not going to paint the frame. Just the fenders, tank, bags and side covers. So my first question: Can the fenders be removed without removing the wheels? It looks like they can, but figured I'd ask here.

Second is basically an open question to those that have done this before me for the first time. Any advice? I have already planned on doing a few test pieces from start to finish first to get the feel of the sprayer and get my technique down for even coverage.

Also, being the adventurous spirit, I'm going with the HD Glacier Pearl White, with gold pinstriping that mimics the original pinstriping of the two-tone models. I'm going to add some additional pinstriping on the top of the tank that semi-surrounds the chrome bezel.

As I understand how it should be done:

- Sand down the pieces with 600 grit, then move to 1000 grit until they're smooth as a gravy sandwich.

- Primer and let it sit for 24 hrs.

- Hit it with 2-3 very light coats of the base color to ensure even coverage, letting each coat set for 24 hrs.

- Next is 2-3 coats of the top coat, then let it set for 4-5 days.

- Spray 3-4 coats of clear and letting it set again for another week.

- Wet-sanding with 1500-2000 grit until it slightly hazes.

- Hit it again with another 2 coats of clear and let that sit for a week.

- Wet-sand with the 2000 grit.

- Use a good quality polish and/or swirl remover at 1500 rpm with a polishing wheel.

- Let it harden for about a month before doing the pin-striping.

OK folks, Am I nuts for trying something so ambitious as a first-timer? I suppose I could easily just take the tank down and have it repainted. That's really all that needs to be done. But I've also never been happy with the green/silver combo (no offense to you owners out there), and I salivate over a white Nomad.

Any thoughts, advice, do's and don'ts?

[zoom45]

First, what brand paint are you going to use? Is it base coat clear coat or is it an enamel based paint? It costs more but I would stick with base coat clear coat. It will last a lot longer, look better and resist chipping better. I would not sand with 1000 grit before primer. It needs more teeth for the primer to stick. 400 grit would be a better choice for that. If you are using base coat clear then you should be able to paint all coats after letting them flash then you can spray the clear after a short setup time. You need to know the brand of paint you will use. The primer and the paint need to be compatible. Go to the manufacturer's web site for the paint you plan to use and they should have tech data sheets that explain all the requirements for the product. A great source for paint info is: http://www.sharpe1.com/sharpe/sharpe.nsf/Page/Ask+Dr.+Gun

This is the sharp spray gun website technical help section.

Hope this helps we just need more info for accuarte advise.

Zoom45

[taranis]

Warning, ignorance showing:

Base coat clear coat. Mmmm.. not sure what you're asking. It's primer>base coat>top coat>clear. I also forgot to mention that I'll be getting all the paint from the same place, ColorRite (yeah, I know. Bloody expensive).

Here's the paint:

Base: http://www.colorrite.com/product/1318-base-1217.cfm
Top: http://www.colorrite.com/product/harleydavidson-glacier-white-pearl-2025.cfm

Thanks for the link. I'll read that over right now.

One of my biggest questions is what to sand when. Do you sand after primer? Some say wet-sand between color and clear, other not. Some say wet-sand after 2-3 coats of clear, then again with 2000 grit after the last coat. I'm confused. Does it depend on the paint?

[dogdoc]

I appreciate your get up and go attitiude. Good Luck.

[zoom45]

I have never heard of colorrite until I got on this forum. I painted at a Chevy dealer for many years. I used lacquer, enamel and base coat clear coat. The new basecoat paints are far superior in quality to me. The sanding, grit to use and steps all depends on the type paint you will use. A lot of companies recommend different ways. Some sealers and primers are non-sandable and some are sanded each coat before it's ready for paint.

I'm not sure what type paint colorite is but from their website it seems to be a urethane type paint which is good. Dupont, R-M, NASON, Glasurite etc. for automotive can match any color you want but all of it is high. You also probably have a local shop that could help if you have trouble with using their brand but it may be hard to find a colorrite user locally. Colorrite may be the way to go. Some paints are very hazardous to use. You will need good ventilation and a respirator. If it's your first time you definetely need something easy to work with and a company with good technical support. JMO.
Here's some other websites for a new user:

http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1436&itemType=CATEGORY&iMainCat=688&iSubCat=1436

http://www.learnautopainting.com/your_questions_answered.htm

[taranis]

Lots of good reading at that second link. I have a few things to think over I see. Maybe that HD Pearl White is going a little too far for a first-timer.... hm...

[bobhamlin]

Just HAD my bike painted, so I can talk about disassembly:

You can remove all paintables while leaving the bike on the stand.

Important: You will NOT remember where everything returns on the bike. Develop a system to keep track of bolts, nuts, springs, etc. Plastic freezer baggies with Sharpie works nicely.

I used masking tape to:
-keep bolts and nuts with their owners (taillights, etc.)
-label (include orientation on bike, ie, front, back, left, right)

If you've got a camera, take pictures of wire and hose routing before you remove things. Have fun getting all the gas out of the tank.

Practice: You have plenty of time before painting. Get a part or two from eBay (or salvage yard) while you're waiting. You can practice on that part. If it turns out great. You can use it. If not, try again.

[Jared]

I know nothing about painting, but I'm looking forward to following your threads and reading about your experiences. Good luck!! I'm sure you'll do fine. Sound like you've done your research.

[ells]

[quote author=utahmotorcyclist board=general thread=9825 post=163437 time=1237236769]I know nothing about painting, but I'm looking forward to following your threads and reading about your experiences. Good luck!! I'm sure you'll do fine. Sound like you've done your research.[/quot

Yeah, what he said. When first shopping for a Nomad I had decided what color I wanted. Finding one became impossible so decided to get "just" have it painted. After finding out what would cost to get Nomad painted decided just look for one (used) in the right condition and live with the paint. Fortunately, I found one with the best stock stock colors :)