Help wanted with Pearl Black Paint!

[Caddyman]

I am just back from the paintshop where they told me that the paint code I gave them is not on their list of Kawasaki paints as it's not actually a paint code as such but is Color Rites own internal number for a Top coat of paint.
I got the code from the Color Rite site after entering my bike's details (2003 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 in Pearl Black) but under the Code banner it gives P5 for Luminous Vintage Red etc etc for each colour in the range (see link) but under Pearl Black it simply says none! Their number for the Top coat is 3540.
Here's the link to the site; http://www.colorrite.com/matrix-colo...TOKEN=99948413

My question is has anyone got a code for Black Pearl ?

[ringadingh]

I don't think Kawasaki shares their paint codes, and the Colorite codes are their own.
When I had my fairing painted the fella matched the paint perfectly, but I have no idea what the codes are.
I would assume he computer matched them. When I installed the HD Tour Pak it was their factory black and matched perfectly as well.

I'll be painting my bike within a couple months from now, and I'll either get it computer matched or choose the colors that are as close as I can find readily available from the paint shop.

[Caddyman]

Computer Matched!! Can you elaborate on what that means exactly?

[dmyers]

If you have a part with the original paint on it that was hidden from the sun, like the rear fender under the seat.
You can take that down to a paint supply. I would look for a PPG or dupont dealer.
They will have a scanner that looks at the paint and will create a custom paint code for you.

[recumbentbob]

A die cover should work good to.

[Caddyman]

Originally Posted by dmyers

If you have a part with the original paint on it that was hidden from the sun, like the rear fender under the seat.
You can take that down to a paint supply. I would look for a PPG or dupont dealer.
They will have a scanner that looks at the paint and will create a custom paint code for you.

I just left one of my hardbags with him as he said it would help with deciding which paint it matches as he has 'colour chips' in his shop.
He did a pickup as his shop is 70 miles from me otherwise I'd have driven there to check it out for myself. I doubt he or any other paint shop around here has a scanner! This is rural Ireland after all

Thanks dmyers for the heads up

[Caddyman]

Originally Posted by recumbentbob

A die cover should work good to.

Well he has a whole hardbag to work from now so he should be able to make the right choice.
Still if there is a code for the Black Pearl I would really rather have it so as there is no "sure its close enough" type of BS after its painted!

[Caddyman]

Meant to ask, how is it that Color Rite has the codes for all the other colours except this one? Someone must have used this paint in the last few years as there are a lot of Black Pearl bikes out there or are they all very safe rriders and never pick up a scratch?

[Monkeyman]

I don't know how close Ebony is but that was a later Nomad color. They also had a Metallic Diablo Black which is probably pretty close. That was a 1700 color. Also, HD has a couple blacks. Vivid Black which is just black, Denim Black which is a flat black (and wouldn't be close) and one more I can't think of that has some pearl in it.

[ringadingh]

On my trunk the HD Vivid black looks like an exact match for the Kawasaki black on my bike. Nobody could tell the difference.

[Caddyman]

Thanks lads for your inputs.

Monkeyman, what colour is your own bike?

Ringadingh, is the original black on your bike the Black Pearl?

[cnc]

It is my understanding that colorite has some kind of deal with Kawasaki and for that matter a couple of other bike manufactures. They won't give you the paint code, which is in fact the formula. Their numbers are just their product number. As Steve says the next best thing to buying from colorite is to go to a place with a paint scanner. Now bear in mind it might not be a perfect match as some of the Kawasaki colors require a different color base coat sprayed first (such as silver) to get the depth and shade just right.

[Caddyman]

Yeah I see that on the Color Rite website that there is a base coat needed on some of the colours but not for the Black Pearl but what confuses me is why the hell they don't give a colour code for it when they do for all the other colours

Thanks anyway cnc.

[Top Cat]

It's black, how different can one black be from another.
If it is black and shiny it probably looks like any other black shiny paint.
I mean, come on, black bikes are the slowest anyway.

[Caddyman]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

It's black, how different can one black be from another.
If it is black and shiny it probably looks like any other black shiny paint.
I mean, come on, black bikes are the slowest anyway.

Have you never heard that old song about there being 40 shades of Green? (actually there are over 80 shades of green but who's counting)
I presume TC you don't work in the fashion industry