Topic: Paint Job Opinions

[tsflstb]

I know what opinions are like, but I'm a little lost here so let 'em fly. 

With my engine a few miles away from my frame right now, I've been thinking it's a good time to paint the bike.  I've been putting it off because I really don't know what I want to do.  It's going to be a rattle-can job.  I've done a couple other bikes and had good results with the process, but I have no eye for color or how to use graphics or pinstriping.  From the occupations thread, I can see there are a lot of guys with a better eye for art out there.  What do you think?

Here it is now.  Just plain ol' red with a slightly mismatched seat and tank.



Here's kinda what I'm thinking.  Black with some red and silver or gold pinstriping on the tank, seat and sidecovers.  I'll try to have a steadier hand when I use real paint, but you get the idea.



Also kind of like the "daytona" stripes down the middle of the tank and seat when you look at them from above.  I don't know if that would look too busy when its all done.

[heffay]

i think that looks good... i never noticed how high the bike sits in the back... optical illusion?

[tsflstb]

That picture kind of exaggarates the stance, I'm not sure why.  The shocks are about 1.5" longer than stock and the forks are slid up the triple tree about 1".  Steering is very quick but still stable.  The stance does level out some when I park my 190 lbs. on it.  If you listen closely, you can hear the bike groan when I get on.

[ProTeal55]

I like to see these bikes in color, but you cant beat a black paintjob on them either...

[Rushoid]

If you listen closely, you can hear the bike groan when I get on.

Funny, mine screams. 

[Ernie]

 

[USN20]

Well, I have always liked black pearl and at the risk of sounding like a broken record from this thread: http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=9478.0

The black pearl makes an excellent base for stripes, graphics and / or emblems of your choice. It also looks good all by itself on a cafe racer.

My second choice would be one of the original Honda factory colors of your choice to give it a production look. http://www.motorcycleproject.com/motorcycle/text/lubrtech.html

Honda paint source: http://www.vintagehondapaint.com/

[gtyler5]

Yeah I went through the same dilema with mine, but it came down to using what paints I had left , due to my budget (i did not use rattlecans). If you do pinstripes it will look good no matter what color you make it. I really liked someone's on here that was orange and I would not have thought I would. Just make an effort to do a decent job and it will rock. I feel sometimes that black is overdone, but then sometimes it just looks great. I like the blue you did but the graphics seem a little busy. One plus to rattle cans is that if you don't like it, it won't be such a big deal to strip it off and start all over.

[ProTeal55]

Could always look into the world of coatings not usually meant for motorcycles.
I decided to have my tank sprayed with Line-X, just like my pickup truck bed...

Atleast I know that if the world comes to a end, the tank will survive ! 

[Jeff]

I gotta say, I like red. You could always do a Honda red from a newer model, like the one on my Superhawk that I recently sold.



Jeff

[tsflstb]

Thanks for all the replies.  Some cool ideas.  I like the graphics, but that's probably beyond my ability right now.

I'm kind of on the fence about the seat too.  Ever since I installed it, I've kind of thought it's a little big for this bike.  The reason I was thinking black was to make it look a little smaller.  I've been on the fence about trying a Norton Featherbed seat.  You can get them without the oil tank cutout.  It would change the look quite a bit.


I do have a beefy fork brace on the front now.  It balances it out more in the front.  I may do a quick and dirty job with the tank before I commit to a color.

[Jeff]

OMG that seat is the coolest seat EVER! That is EXACTLY what I want for my bike.

Jeff

[Ernie]

Could always look into the world of coatings not usually meant for motorcycles.
I decided to have my tank sprayed with Line-X, just like my pickup truck bed...

Atleast I know that if the world comes to a end, the tank will survive ! 

pro thats sick man ,is your side covers done the same way?

[ElCheapo]

Bright side is you never have to wash it 

[ProTeal55]

pro thats sick man ,is your side covers done the same way?

The side covers arent sprayed becasue you cant line-x over plastic , or glass for that matter.
I sprayed them with some truck bed rattlecan coating - and they look ok.
They look better now that I darkened them up abit..