Painting my bike

[Qwiktune]

My shitty bike!

https://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9985/28027410150315973216718.jpg


Anyway, when i pass my Mods next month (fingers crossed) I'm gonna be using my 125 here to take to bits, play with, and generally just try to learn something about the mechanics of a bike, as i genuinely know nothing!

My question is, if i wanted to paint the bike, what would be the best way to do it? and the cheapest.

I tried searching but couldn't find much of a walk-through.

I guessing i cant just sand it down, prime it, then get any old spray paint from the garage? Would it need to be specially treated with anything before/after?

Not looking to make it particularly pretty, just make it bright/cool colour (or maybe pink for the misses)


Is this possible for a small amount of money and a little bit of effort.


Sorry for the noobness and in before tl;dr

Qwiktune
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CBT Passed: 25.05.11, Theory Passed: 12.07.11, MOD1 Passed: 01.04.12, MOD2 Passed: 20.07.12
bikes: Lifan LF125(stolen), Sukida sk125, GPZ 600r, CBR 600F

[andym]

I just bought a can of metal paint from the local car shop for about 8 quid.

I used a wire brush on some of the rust patches, a bit of sand paper then sprayed it, it came up with quite a nice finish

[Frog]

Process I've been doing is graded 80 paper to take the paint off, then 240, then 600. Thin coat of primer (you will probably need plastic primer for the plastic bits), coats of filler primer, sanding each coat with 600, coats of filler primer (again sanding in-between), then thin coat and 3-5 thicker coats(still thin!) of paint, sanding with 1200-2000 grade. Leave for 24 hours, then apply a thin coat of lacquer, and then a thick one.

I believe you have to sand the top coat with 1500 before applying lacquer,but this did leave my finish dull.

Every time I'm sanding I'm coating everything in water first... Give a much better finish.

Having said all this; I'm in the same boat as you.. just playing on my current bike to learn. I've read up, and got an 'OK' finish on my rear cowl, but it look a bit a bit matt ATM.

I'm about to do the tank. Unless it's a total disaster, I'll let you know how it goes.

HTH
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CBT 23/09/10 - Theory 19/03/11 - Mod1 19/04/11 - Mod2 06/05/11
Bikes: CBF125 (sold 30/10/10-25/09/12) - CB400 24/06/11 (broken) - ER6-f 25/09/2012

[hazza]

I paint my bikes in a similar way to frog although i always apply the filler primer first, followed by the regular primer. When buying primer, make sure its the right colour for the top coat, this information can be found on the can of top coat. Also, i always apply three layers of lacquer. If you get orange peel, don't worry, most of it can be polished out after the paint has been set for around a week (i always leave a week, just to be sure).

Heres the last bike i painted, my (ex) Kawasaki eliminator

https://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff501/harrybarfield/photo-10-2.jpg
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[Teflon-Mike]

Have a look in Show & Tell Section; plenty of inspiration to be had!

https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/Little%20Dreams/imag0828.jpg

Snowie & I took this pile of scrap and made these out of them:

https://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w269/teflons-torque/Little%20Dreams/100_0630.jpg

Corporal Punishment! Foto-Resto ANOTHER '86 Honda CB125T

https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/101_0042.jpg

Pup-Project: Photo-Resto; Honda CB125TD-C (FINISHED!)

Snoiwe's thread probably has more detail on all the nitty gritty of doing 'stuff', not just paintwork, but pulling stuff apart, and refurbishing it, getting stuff shot-blasted, plastic coated, fitting new suspeinsion bushes, replacing clutches, doing wiriong, and adding features & accessories.

Corf's my RD125 mk3 project, offers a lot on cosmetic stuff, ploishing and Decals, and he makes custom decals, if you want to make it look a bit more 'pukka'.

https://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu8/corf/22012011494.jpg

Just a few, make over threads.... MANY MANY more on that board!

Lots of stuff to give you inspiration, guidance, or simply how to avoid horror!

Have a shuftie!
____________________
My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

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