Paint options for the plastics

[kdawg302000]

Hey all,
Do the plastics on our bikes hold up to the heat of powdercoating? Im playing with the decision to buy wheels from cooter or get my wheels coated, but was also thinking about getting the plastics (airbox, tail and fairings) done. Was thinking getting them done in the glossy black that comes stock on 09xb or doing a matteish black.

Has anyone done this or would the plastics melt? I mean, my bike used to get pretty effin hot, but not 400 degrees hot, even though it felt like it sometimes.

What have you guys done when changing the colors? Coat or paint?

Drop some knowledge.

 

[Cooter]

They would turn to goop in a PC oven...and they aren't metal... and just no

Paint with a flex additive for custom colors, but IMO if you're just going black its cheaper and MUCH easier to restore yours, or buy them. Want matte? Sand with 240-320-500-800-1000. Gloss? Finish with 1500-2000, compound, polish, wax.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?51500-Buell-plastic-scratch-removal

BuellyBagger is the resident paint pro, and does killer work. Maybe he'll chime in?

 

[34nineteen]

or take them to a detail shop and see what they can do.


If you decide to have them painted, you will have to sand them down to get all of the old color out, or it will bleed through. :black_eyed:

 

[kdawg302000]

or take them to a detail shop and see what they can do.


If you decide to have them painted, you will have to sand them down to get all of the old color out, or it will bleed through. :black_eyed:

I think im gonna take the grip it and rip it approach and give another one of cooters recommendations a go.

I dont necessarily wanna change from the black base, im not fancy like that. Was just thinking getting them back to that gloss black or even a matte black option. Maybe ill just sand it down and not polish it..give it anlazy industrial look. Haha

As of now, im gonna see what I can do. Gonna see what it looks like after i sand it down and maybe not polish it. IDK.

Worst case, its only money...guess ill have to buy a couple less 4 packs when i do it, so i can buy a new cover after i make a pretty little hole in the side.

 

[mike lowary]

I did 3 coats of PPG satin clear over the stock sunfire yellow. Looks awesome

 

[mike lowary]

Take the time and smooth all the edges of the skins. They have a ridge on the edges from the mold process. Looks much better with the softer edge

 

[mike lowary]

Also open up the mounting holes a little and you can really tuck the skins in nice a tight. You’ll be able to have a matching very small gap. Details fellas

 

[Cooter]

I case you don't get 34:19's joke, there is no base color. If you read that thread the super cool and handsome man provided, you'll know that Buell plastics are moulded completely in whatever color they are. Don't go sandy sandy looking for a base color
Depending on their condition, I'd even start at 120 and keep moving up until you get the finish you like.

 

[kdawg302000]

I case you don't get 34:19's joke, there is no base color. If you read that thread the super cool and handsome man provided, you'll know that Buell plastics are moulded completely in whatever color they are. Don't go sandy sandy looking for a base color
Depending on their condition, I'd even start at 120 and keep moving up until you get the finish you like.

Ok, i was thinking that they were molded plastics, but im not knowledgeable enough yet to contradict you guys. I have learned that 34 has a higher ratio of sarcasm to serious...im learning to disect his comments though. I can se him convincing someone that mentos is the gas tank will increase HP by 26% or syrup in the swingarm will get rid of the engine vibrations.

Im about to spend the next few days getting then pretty. The tail scares me a bit because of its size and shape, but what better way to lesrn than to mess it up. Luckily it will still run ugly. Haha

 

[Cooter]

They are moulded plastics, thats why you can't powdercoat them. But they are moulded in the same color all the way through, until you see daylight on the other side...

Take the plastics off the bike, click the link I gave you, and follow the instructions. You'll be fine.

I fell for his Mentos trick twice! So I put super glue in his hand sanitizer.

 

[34nineteen]

have learned that 34 has a higher ratio of sarcasm to serious...im learning to disect his comments though. I can se him convincing someone that mentos is the gas tank will increase HP by 26% or syrup in the swingarm will get rid of the engine vibrations.

Not gonna lie. If someone asked me if that was true, I'd probably agree.

 

[34nineteen]

Of course, if someone did sand all the way through the plastic just to realize the "paint isn't coming off", this may be an easy first lesson of "Maybe a 15 year old motorcycle isn't for you".

You're not the first to ask this question, I see it a lot on the Facebook forum. And I've been waiting to use this smart aleck remark for about 8-9 months now.

 

[kdawg302000]

Of course, if someone did sand all the way through the plastic just to realize the "paint isn't coming off", this may be an easy first lesson of "Maybe a 15 year old motorcycle isn't for you".

You're not the first to ask this question, I see it a lot on the Facebook forum. And I've been waiting to use this smart aleck remark for about 8-9 months now.

Haha...i love it. Im full of dry humor and you will find no sensitivity here.

I look at it this way, im not afraid to f*** something up. You all know better than I do, but I wont follow blindly...atleast, not sober. I have spent most of my life in a trial by fire. So, breaking something or installing it backwards is a way for me to make sure i never do it again. I just hope it doesnt cause the bike to go down at high speeds. So, sanding a hole in a plastic is the least of my worries.

Aside from that, carry on.

 

[Cooter]

I am so ready to sacrifice an airbox cover, just for the pic

 

[kdawg302000]

They would turn to goop in a PC oven...and they aren't metal... and just no

Paint with a flex additive for custom colors, but IMO if you're just going black its cheaper and MUCH easier to restore yours, or buy them. Want matte? Sand with 240-320-500-800-1000. Gloss? Finish with 1500-2000, compound, polish, wax.
https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?51500-Buell-plastic-scratch-removal

BuellyBagger is the resident paint pro, and does killer work. Maybe he'll chime in?

I have no idea about this type of stuff and i'm gonna go in tomorrow and buy the sandpaper to get started. based on my research on sandpaper , I should buy 3m wetordry silicon carbide in the different weights you mentioned, because Silicon carbide is better on plastics? whereas the aluminum oxide is better for metals and wood.

Also, do I need to down to the 240 to start? the plastics are in good shape, but some scratches here in there more belt buckle and zippers...no gouges and I want to go the matte route, unless I don't like it then I will polish it.

F*** I have no idea what I'm doing...This is gonna be fun.

 

[34nineteen]

Go through the link Cooter posted about the scratch repair. Seriously, its pretty good.... even if he was drunk on Mentos and King Cobra when he wrote it.

 

[34nineteen]

..and they aren't metal...

Powder coating does not necessarily need the part to be electrically conductive.

Aka Cooter is wrong!

 

[Cooter]

Well, sort of. Heck you can even 'powdercoat' wood if you want.
I put quotes over it because it's close to the same process, but not true "powdercoating" where the heat flows and cures the powder.

Plastics are typically done with a UV cured specialty powder, but it still goes in the 400* oven, so your Buell plastics would resemble...



Unless that what your going for?

 

[34nineteen]

Well, sort of. Heck you can even 'powdercoat' wood if you want.
I put quotes over it because it's close to the same process, but not true "powdercoating" where the heat flows and cures the powder.

Plastics are typically done with a UV cured specialty powder, but it still goes in the 400* oven, so your Buell plastics would resemble...

View attachment 13831

Unless that what your going for?

The trick is to preheat the item to the point where the powder melts/flows. In that case the electrical charge is just used to guide the powder in the direction of the item being coated. Not really helpful for this case, but it’s been a while since I said you were wrong, so I had to go down a rabbit hole just to lift myself up, by pushing you down. Hey, what are friends for, right? :love_heart:

TL;DR : useless trivia

 

[Cooter]

Of course! I count on you for the footprints on my forehead

I've never done any powder coating as a job but I was lucky. There was an absolute perfectionist (also sheet metal fab) that had a shop right behind my Valencia branch, so I got to play around quite a bit with other peoples stuff. The best way to learn! I still want to get an old electric oven to do small parts. Eastwood has a fair-to-decent kit.