My painting adventure.

[Buellysses]

Here's where it sits so far. Just started putting her back together last night! Not too bad for about 3 hours of work.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612085206_L.jpg

There's the paint booth I set up in the shop at work. In hindsight I would have doubled the size and ran two pipes in there to hang the parts from. There was a lot of un-needed shuffling around.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084959_L.jpg

Here's the parts all done in primer.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612085128_L.jpg

The frame, basecoat complete.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084644_L.jpg

Here's the first attempt at clear coating the frame. All the other parts went great, I goofed up the mix for this batch though. I ended up re-scuffing it, shooting another 2 coats of black, then 2 coats of clear.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084541_L.jpg

Air box cover in primer.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084511_L.jpg

Completed (minus the mesh)

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084454_L.jpg

Here's a couple of the parts I had professionally done. The first try they were the wrong color, they are supposed to match my truck. The second attempt (seen here) has got a bunch of **** in the clear coat, one of the seat supports has a 4" long hair in it.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084913_L.jpg

Finally, Me, looking dead sexy in my Tyvek suit. I did however still manage to paint my hair gray with the primer. It washed out though.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612084625_L.jpg

[Buellysses]

I'd like your guy's honest opinion on the flat black.

During the assembly I'm really starting to doubt my choice.

I think I would have like the look better if I had done the whole thing the same as the primary cover and cam cover. Those are both just Dupli-color rattle-can bed liner.

[Midnight82]

Damn, It's looking good. I dig that color you're using.

[up][up]

[flaya564]

I'd really like to see it put together. I was thinking a similar color scheme with black, flat black and some accents in copper.

Looks nice.

[Buellysses]

I forgot the pics of the Primary.

A little advice, if any of you want to try re-doing a primary cover. Go buy a painted one and re-finish that. It took me about as long to strip that thing down to bare metal as it did to spray the whole damn bike. I went through 2 cans of aircraft stripper trying to get that damn powder-coat/rubbery crap off there! But at least it was all nice and shiny!

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612085050_L.jpg

Here's what it looks like now, rattle can of Duplicolor truck bed liner. I think it turned out pretty sharp. The cam cover matches.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090612085109_L.jpg

[Stevenc150]

Hard to get the full effect with everything scattered between frames, but I'm like Dave, I'm digging that chin cowl color. [up]

Edit: On a side note, did you tape off your ground connection holes/places or just going to sand them off before assembly? Either way, it's coming along great.

[ADAMLEE]

10/10

Can't wait to see the finished job. awesome skillz bro!

[only1reds]

Great job. Looks like a professional had done it.

[Cryptic1911]

I'd do it gloss black, or at least semi gloss.. I had done mine quickly with some plastidip (rubberized spray that will peel off if you want to remove it), and it was flat black.. I generally like flat on everything, but it didnt look quite right on the bike

I peeled it off, and its yellow again, but I'm gonna scuff it down and do it gloss black with regular paint

[Buellysses]

Cryptic;
Yeah, Thats what I was thinking... should look good, but it just doesn't look right on the bike. But I have all summer to think about how I want it to look. ;) Now I just want to get some riding in!

Stevenc;
I did try to tape everything off that was bare when I started. The masking fell off the one up front so I just scraped it down. The ones on the rear subframe should be OK because the dink that painted it didn't spray the insides.

[Buellysses]

Someone stick a fork in this bitch, cause it's done! (well, for the most part)

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090620012053_L.jpg

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090620012041_L.jpg

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090620011902_L.jpg

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/2120_20090620011841_L.jpg

I'm not really happy with how my license plate/blinker mount turned out so I'm going to take another swing at that, I'm missing a screw from the front fairing, there's a rattle under the front fairing, and I need to get the rest of the front fender on.

All in all, I'm extremely pleased with how it came out. I think the orange REALLY sets off the flat black. I'd love to hear opinions! Good, bad, or otherwise.

This has been one hell of a project...

[Midnight82]

Right on!!!

Congrats on getting it all back together!

It looks great.

[GatorBuell]

Nice job, defiantly one of a kind now.

[only1reds]

hey buellysses, not able to really tell the difference of the orange parts with the amber lighting. Maybe you want to take some pictures with some outdoor lighting. Just a thought.

[Odin]

I really dig the airbox cutout w/ mesh. that'd be something I'd like to do

[Buellysses]

Yeah, those lights really mess with the coloring. I'll definitely get some better pics for you guys.

[Trill]

get the mesh in the airbox painted like your tailsection :)

[Jornum1]

I like it! +1 on what Trill said, I was thinking the same. I think you need to tie in something orage into the front end. Maybe the fender or the light housing?

What brand of flat black is that? I was thinking of using hot rods flatz, and am curious if I would need a additive for ABS plastic.


Let us know how that bedliner holds up on the primary and timing cover. I have used that product to paint my plastics, seems to harden pretty good once its cured. I am just curious how the heat will effect it.

Overall I like it a lot. I am not a fan of orange, but I think the way you used it looks good. Like I said maybe a just something to tie in the front end a little.

[Buellysses]

Journum, Trill;

You are absolutely correct, there needs to be more orange in there. The original intent was to paint the mesh the same color orange, but I didn't get it in time to get it to the painter. And in hindsight, I would have painted the flyscreen orange as well.

As far as the paint, I used Napa Parts brand. I used a high-build urethane primer, a gloss black base coat, and a flat black clearcoat. I had originally planned on using the SEM Hotrod Flatz stuff, but a painter around here convinced me that a plain basecoat with a flat clear over it would get me closer to the results I was looking for.

[Stevenc150]

I think the orange/black combo looks Great. Especially like that shade of orange. Since you asked for opinions - Maybe paint the headlight housing & the new screen behind the airbox that Awesome orange color. I think the front fender would be too much. Again, Very nice job.