Topic: Paint Question - 1989 Honda VTR250

[Dr. Frankenstein]

So after finally getting my two CB500's snugged away in the garage, I'm finally able to turn my attention to the 1989 VTR250 I have up on the table. Winter and colder temps made it unpleasant to be out in the garage for the last six months, but now that it's warming up I want to get this thing off the table, on the road and get the CB500's up there. I picked this little bike up last fall after reading how fun it was to ride, so I thought 'what the heck.'
DSCN2641 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

And yes, it does scream 'The Eighties!" when it's all dressed up in its magenta and blue stripes, but it's kind of rare, only made for three years, from 1988 - 1990.

Anyway - my question is, what would be the correct way to repaint the engine? The bike was put away in a run-in shed that was falling down around it when I got it, but those damp conditions took a toll on it's paint. Here are some pics of the engine - the outside is pretty gross and flaky, but I notice there is no primer under the paint - is that a Honda thing? If you double-click on the image you can get a nice close-up of it...
DSCN2643 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr
DSCN2644 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

Here's the inside, btw...when I took the cover off I drained the oil, and it was golden/looked new!
DSCN2652 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

It does start right up and run with starting fluid - pretty well, actually - and only has 5K on the clock, so it's practically new!
DSCN2646 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

I have so far dropped and cleaned the carbs, and the jets were pretty gummed up, but I got those sorted and really think it'll start right up (Ha-ha-ha-ha...! It's the way I tell it... ) when I get it all back together again - the only thing I have to do now is drop the engine, clean it up and paint it, but I'm just wondering how to treat the jugs (scrub and pressure-wash it?) and if I should prime it or what...? I'm planning on using VHT gloss black spray paint, but any other observations are welcome. 
 

[BenelliSEI]

What a shame! I wonder if you could make some really good plugs, seal it all up and have it vapour blasted? The parts I’ve had done looked worse than that and came back spotless!

[Dr. Frankenstein]

As a matter of fact, I'm going to be installing a vapor blaster this weekend - wiring up the compressor, hooking up the pump, sorting the lines, etc. But that engine weighs 102 lbs, and runs...so short of taking it all apart yet, I'll probably seal up the heads really well and scrub/pressure wash it, rinse it well with acetone, mask it and respray it. Like I said, it runs fine, it's just really fugly. I'm not sure if I should prime it though - although using a gloss black paint along with a high-build VHT primer couldn't hurt. But if I do just respray it, there's always the risk of painting over the side case and head seams, which will look pretty ugly if I do have to ultimately tear the whole thing down. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet, I'm just fishing for opinions.   

[grcamna2]

I like that little VTR250 screamer 

[seanbarney41]

In my experience, primer is only good for doing bodywork...on anything else it just creates a greater chance of chipping, peeling, ...more layers, more adhesion problems

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Thanks for the input, Sean. That's what I was thinking too; I'll probably just spray it gloss black - anything is better than what it is.

[RAFster122s]

That looks like aluminum oxidation from the clear coat and paint or coating failure and the bike's aluminum trapping that moisture. That powdery aluminum oxide is the aluminum eroding away. It is often very difficult to strip it back using manual means as I've had it do that on a aluminum oil pan and even the flat areas of the pan if you use a stainless steel brush it comes off as a powder and when you get some areas down to bare aluminum other areas are going to be having white powdery build up areas and it is very difficult to get it all down to bare aluminum again unless you use a blast media. Plastic would be very gentle and it can strip it. Glass beads will peen the aluminum sine and texture the aluminum. Vapor blasting with it's wet media would be ideal as it will wash away the aluminum but you will have to change out your media after cleaning things and that aluminum oxide powder is abrasive itself. So, I would be careful what I blasted before I did a flush and exchange of the media. I have a 78 Honda motor with this same oxidation problem. It is a pita to strip it manually.

[Kelly E]

When sealing something before any kind of blasting once you think you're done do another layer of protection over everything. That crap gets in everywhere.

[grcamna2]

Thanks for the input, Sean. That's what I was thinking too; I'll probably just spray it gloss black - anything is better than what it is.

I think it would look better semi-gloss;but that's because I'm uninformed of the orig. paint texture.

[Dr. Frankenstein]

Actually, I went from this...
DSCN2737 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

...to this...
DSCN2743 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

DSCN2741 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

I have the HONDA logo and other stuff taped over in these pics so I could spray it...sanded it down as best I could, then wiped it off with acetone and just went for it. I used VHT Satin Black and think it came out pretty well! I did the exhaust and muffler in that as well, it looks really good.

Interesting carb steup though - I replaced all these with new tubes...
DSCN2730 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

The carbs were pretty gummed up though...see how shiny they are? No wonder it only ran briefly on starting fluid! I cleaned out all the jets and added new bowl o-rings.
DSCN2719 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

...so I cleaned them all out and gave it a good bath in my Vevor 30 Liter ultrasonic - well worth having, I can put a whole 4-carb bank in that sucker...
DSCN2735 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

They came out okay - all I used was hot water and some Dawn dish detergent - I'm still fishing around for a better surfactant...
DSCN2732 by Dr. Frankenstein1, on Flickr

And BTW, I found that ColorPlace (not to be confused with ColorRite!) Gloss Black spray paint - at Walmart for like $2 a can - is a perfect match for the VTR250 frame; you can't even tell it's been sprayed over whatever needs to be sprayed over - just sayin'.

Anyway - thought I'd share. Now I just have to put it all back in!