Has anyone Redone their plastics?

[Sean]

With a long cold break from riding quickly approaching, I've been kicking around the idea of redoing my plactics. I know Dingle and DK have great recomendations for people to use, however I have more time than money, so I thought I would see about doing it as a winter project.

Has anyone done this? is it more work than it's worth? Any good resources or step by step guides? I'm thinking about doing just one or two colors, nothing fancy. Am I wrong in thinking that I just sand down, paint, then clear coat? Thanks in advance!

[Aracheon]

With a long cold break from riding quickly approaching, I've been kicking around the idea of redoing my plactics. I know Dingle and DK have great recomendations for people to use, however I have more time than money, so I thought I would see about doing it as a winter project.

Has anyone done this? is it more work than it's worth? Any good resources or step by step guides? I'm thinking about doing just one or two colors, nothing fancy. Am I wrong in thinking that I just sand down, paint, then clear coat? Thanks in advance!


Heh - I've repaired plastic and fiberglass on 2 bikes now. I will tell you up front that if you've never done it before, it is a LOT of work. Requires quite a bit of patience and time if you do the sanding by hand. (Which often results in the better looking prep job anyway.) Much of my plastic repair was done with a dremel, reinforcing material, and JB Weld. Fiberglass repair is far easier, but it makes a mess.

As far as the paint goes, your final paint job will only look as good as your prep work. Depending on how far down you sand, the original paint, the process will involve sealer, primer, sanding, primer, sanding, base coat, sanding, second base coat, sanding, clear coat, sanding.

If you're going to spray the shit yourself, I would recommend (having seen a friend do it to his bike) NOT using spraypaint. That shit doesn't spray thick enough, and it's not durable at all. You'll want to invest in an HVLP (high volume, low pressure) setup with a turbine that can move a high enough volume of air, or a LARGE capacity air compressor that can handle the volume. I myself bought the DeVilBiss Finish Line setup, which is by no means a professional quality set, but it's a HELL of a lot better than the $20 guns that you buy at Harbor Freight that do an awful job of atomizing the paint.

Another note on paint, whatever "line" you end up going with, make sure you talk to a professional about getting the correct additives for the different materials. You'll need to know the proper reduction ratios for the primer and paint, which reducers to use (there's different ones for varying temperatures), and what additives you want in the clear coat (flex add, etc.). Also, they make a single-stage paint that incorporates clear and paint into the same can.

[kalibra]

Sean,
I would say it is not worth it.I have repaired and repainted the fairings on my very first bike and it was a ton of work,I would have been much much better off just buying them new off ebay ( $450-$500).There is a ton of prep work and lots of time.Just my 2 cents....

[The_Jackel]

You JB welded plastic? How did that hold up?

[Aracheon]

You JB welded plastic? How did that hold up?


Worked fine, even on the plastic underneath/around the seat that flexed when you sat on the bike. But I didn't just smear the shit on.

[jimwallace]

i just finished painting two bikes, my bike (the zx9r) was an accident victim thanks to me and i had to repair ALL fairings except the 2 little ones next to the front fender. I plastic welded them so they are all nice and sturdy. I will be more than glad to walk you through the process of painting your bike if you would like. If you can tell me the condition of your plastics/current paint then i can help you go through the best route of prep and paint.

[ChrisCBX]

One of my favorite things to do has always been body work and refinishing. Its always nice to have a nice finish on a bike or car.

I haven't done paint work professionally for a loooooong time but still do all of my own work.

There are a lot of "how to" guides on the internet and at your local library. As has been mentioned, prep work is the most important part of a refinish job. It depends on what your expectations are for the finished product but patience and attention to detail are keys to success (especially for a newbie).

A lot of labor is needed to get good results. Short cuts will lead to issues such as dull finish, flaking base or clear coat, runs (drips) etc. My opinion is that if you are wanting to approach it as an opportunity to learn, then you should have at it, its fun and rewarding. If you are looking at it as a one time way of saving money, its probably going to be more effort than its worth and you may not be happy with your end results.

If you have questions regarding suggestions on how to get started or specifics on how to apply different types of finishes, I and others on this forum can help.

Plastic weld (sorry for the poor focus)

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k164/Cbxnut/DSCN2684.jpg

Plastic weld after (before clear)

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k164/Cbxnut/DSCN2872.jpg

Tank before

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k164/Cbxnut/FIL8453.jpg

Tank After (before final buff)

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k164/Cbxnut/FIL8623.jpg

Parts. New Old Stock (NOS) tank and tail and refinished tank and tail beside them.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k164/Cbxnut/DSCN2928.jpg

[Sean]

Thanks for all of the info fella's. I really appreciate the time and detail you put into your posts. It does seem like a boat load of work, maybe more than I can do in my kitchen (no garage)But i does seem like something I would like to look into one day. And ChrisCBX, those are some really nice photos! :up: