Bianca's Build thread - Thruxton 900 EFI

[Calliway]

Matte black is really nice as long as you do it right. It has to look factory and that means tank emblems and proper decals. Matte black can look way to Mad Max way to fast.

Yes that is the fiat color. I suggest it because its totally different. Purples will get old way to fast, gloss black is everywhere since its the new chrome and matt grey is cool but again, it has to look factory. My good friend did his Ducati GT1000 in that latte color and it was absolutley amazing with the black rims, gold forks and black exhaust. So different and something daring.

Here is my 02 Speed Triple I painted two winters ago:






I tried to make it as factory looking as possible by using factory decals from the 15th anniversary speed triple in gloss black and gloss red outlined. I did the stripes in gloss black and pinned with with gloss red all on the matte black.

Whatever you decide the fact that you putting so much thought into it is a good thing. Whatever you choose you will do it right.

[WindTherapy]

I love it. its clean.

I just got back from a local paint shop. Very reputable and i know they do great work. $1600 regardless of what color and finish. That's with me giving them new seat cowel and side pannels rather than my stock ones. That's to save on prep on plastic.

I want to do it, but i don't have $1600 now. I guess i'll be saving up, or trying my hand at paint. i know how to do the strip and prep work, but i want it done right and clean.

Why do you think Purple would get old? My father in law has a Subaru in this purple that unless you're in the sun it looks completely black. It's really pretty cool.

Are there any pics of your buddies bike?

[FLJay]

Would you like to sell your stock mirrors

[WindTherapy]

Originally Posted by Calliway

Yeah I agree with TB. $1600 is way to high for a motorcycle. Materials would cost about $400.00 for pro stuff. Where is the other $1200.00 going to?

Matte black looks good.

14 Hours for prep and paint time. at $75 bucks an hour + $400-600 in material, that's the "ballpark" i'd be looking at. Seams kind of high, but if you could see their work, Oh my word. It's gorgeous. all of it.

[WindTherapy]

Originally Posted by FLJay

Would you like to sell your stock mirrors

Sure. I'm always down to make a little extra parts money. PM me.

[Calliway]

Well all of my paint jobs including the Lemans bike I have done myself in my garage with Duplicolor Paint shop paint which is $25 a quart. The hardest part about painting is the prep work. If you can do that then the rest is pretty easy. Learn your gun, go slow, less is more and for non metallics sand your topcoat with 1200-2000grit paper before clear. With metallics, lay a coat or two of clear down, sand and reclear. 2000 grit wet dry with a little soapy water and use a polisher and some Mothers, 3M or Mcguiers polishers and finish with a sealer. Wait 30 days and wax. You'll be shocked and what you can achieve.

[WindTherapy]

Wow, that's more info about paint then i've been able to squeeze out of anyone else forcibly in the past. Thanks. How difficult was prepping the plastic bits? i really think the Deep Gloss black would be the ticket at this point.

2 questions for you Calli. Why do you think Purple would get old? can a pro shop paint the Triumph logo over clear coat that i do, or would they have to paint it before i clear coat everything?

[Calliway]

You will have a few challenges on your bike. The main one will be the stripes. I can't remember if they are vinyl on your bike or paint. If they are vinyl you can warm them up with a heat gun and peel them off even under the clear coat. If they are paint you need to sand enough of them off so that your paint surface is level and this is the tricky part, it will take time and paitience. For every layer of paint you go through you need to feather an inch out. So if its two coats of clear, feather out 2 inches which it probably will be. The logos on the tank are vinyl with clear over them unless you have the plastic badges in which case well, they are plastic badges...lol.

What you have going for you - the paint is original so you don't need to strip it down and nor would I. Give the whole bike a good 600 grit sand. Primer will comfortably fill a scratch left by 400 grit paper but since everything is so new you probably don't have rock dings or crap like that to deal with so prep all paint surface with 600 grit paper and wipe it down with wax/grease remover. Dupont and Duplicolor make this product of the top of my head but so does every paint manufacturer. Do all your sanding wet using warm water with a squirt of dish soap in the water. This acts as a lubricant and good old fashined Dawn or Sunlight dish soap is an excellent wax and grease remover. This will insure with the use of the actual Duplicolor degreaser wax remover you will get good adhesion and no fisheyes.

Where you removed your stripes and feathered out lay down a layer of primer overlapping slightly the outer edges of your feathered sanding. You want to overspray that section so it overlaps the outer edges of your feathered sanding. Give it two coats of primer or so. Light first coat, let it get tacky and a med second coat. Walk away from it now and let it harden up over night. Come back the next day and wet sand that primed area now and the edges. Wipe it down with a tack cloth and then prime the whole piece. Light first coat. Let it tack, medium second coat.

The trick in laying down the primer/paint is keep the gun or can at an equal distance from the surface. Slow smooth passes watching the build of the paint. If its building to fast you'll get a run, too slow it won't build and you won't have any flow. As a paint hardens it flows into itself and stuff like orange peel dissppears. Always spray past the end of your work. If you are spraying the tank when you come to the end of the tank keep going until the spray pattern is past the tank.

Wet sand your primer to get any runs or dust out. wipe with tack cloth. Spray your base color. Once you have your color down and the coverage is solid if its not metallic wet sand it with 1200 grit. Don't if its metallic. after lay down any of your vinyl decals. Once that is done lay down a very light coat of clear. To much and your vinyl can curl. Let it tack up then lay down a little heavier coat. let it tack and repeat.

Let the clear harden for a day or so. Then wet sand with 2000 grit and polish. Do not wax. Use polishes and sealers but not waxes. You have about 8 layers of various paints that need to cure so no wax for at least 30 days and do not spill fuel on the paint.

Purple, Yellows and extravagant colors are great but they are fads. Do see many neon blues and greens out there anymore? Nope because they 1986 all over them. Purple is in right now like the mattes. If you only want one paint job I wouldn't go purple, it doesnt age very well. If you are open to repainting in a while then go whatever you you like. You can change colors with the trends. Just my opinion.

[WindTherapy]

Thank you. That is a great read and great instruction. Can i prep the seat cowel the same way? how do i know when i've taken a layer of clear off?

[Calliway]

Rule of thumb for 99% of all standard paint jobs: 2 coats primer, 2 to 3 coats color (some hide better than others) 2-3 coats of clear. If you have sanded through the clear and start getting colored dust then you have gone through the 2-3 coats of clear. You never can really tell how many are on there.

You can paint anything with the general paint 101 post. There is always room for experimentation and painting has a lot of artistic feel involved. You ned to practice to get good and you need to understand your gun. Each gun sprays a little different and it will matter what tip size you have. If you are buying a gun buy a hvlp (high volume, low pressure) with a tip of about 1.3 to 1.4. Any bigger and you will end up just spackling the paint on. The exception is primer, if you are spraying a high solids primer you can go to 1.8.

For the Duplicolor I spray i use the 1.4. If you want a really great entry level gun that won't break the bank look at the Eastwood stuff. That will be my next gun. You can getva crap load of stuff at Eastwood with great prices.