Talk to me about.... powder coating.

[Zen Dog]

So, the rear wheel on one of my VFRs is a ruin, I reckon it's missing about a third of its paint and badly needs sorting. I could try to get one off ebay etc. but people want £150 for them. Everyone seems to have wheels powder coated these days, rather than painted, is that because it's tougher, or cheaper, or both, or something else? Anyway, I've never had it done, and I have questions.

1) Prep. Can I just pay them to strip/sandblast the old paint off, clean it, and presumably mask any areas that shouldn't be coated? Or do they expect you do to that? Do I need to make sure they know where to mask?

2) Do I need to get the tyre taken off in advance?

3) Batches. I know it will work out cheaper (per item) to have a load of stuff done at the same time, but I only really have the rear wheel (though it might be worth having the front done too). Since I only want them black (preferably gloss), are they likely to be able to do it at a reasonable price along with some other stuff, or won't it make any difference?

4) What is a reasonable price?

5) Anything else I should know?
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Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[Kawasaki Jimbo]

I was intent on getting the green Kawasaki’s wheels powder coated but the local place couldn’t guarantee a colour match. Actually they might have been referring to the silver-grey swing-arm.

My local bike shop said they’d seen an increase in chipped rims and reckoned it was down to the rise of powder coat, being hard but brittle.

I went for RS Bike Paint instead but their lacquer was a problem for the sprayer who said it was going on like wood lacquer (I think he meant it was too thick) so he used his own, -which I’ve chipped when pulling and refitting the front brake callipers.

[Easy-X]

Unless you find a powder coater that's a bike nut I doubt they'd be interested in taking the tyre off for you. Same with everything else - old bearings etc. - present them with a blank canvas. Masking might be negotiable.

I'd probably think of it as big wide areas suit paint, tanks and panels, and powder coating suits odd shapes like frames which are a pain to get a nice even coat. Wheels could go either way
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Shaft]

Forget general powder coaters, try searching for automotive wheel refurbishers.

They have all the kit and skills to take the tyres off, prep the wheels, paint them any colour you like, then put the tyres back on.
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[stinkwheel]

I hand mine in minus tyre, discs and bearings. They do all tghe prep. Make sure it's someone who knows about bike wheels so they mask/bung the bearing seats and disc posts. Sitting chipping the stuff off your disc mounting posts with a wood chisel is a pain in the arse.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Zen Dog]

Thanks for that, all sounds like good advice. What's a ballpark price for a single wheel?
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Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I'm getting both my v-reg C2 ninja's wheels powder coated this week for £120.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[symonh2000]

Personally instead of powdercoat I prefer a well applied coat of two pack paint as I find the coating more durable.

Many years back i also had a TVR Griffith with a powdercoat chassis, and once the coating gets chipped and rust starts you are heading for problems. It tends to gradually flake off.

Obviosuly with a wheel being alloy there isn't rust as such but I think the lack of durability could still be an issue if stones chip it.
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Four strokes is two strokes too many.

[BRUN]

id expect £40-50 for one wheel

where are you based, someone might have a recommendation

I have used these before in Manchester, but for car wheels

https://www.thewheelspecialist.co.uk/news/tws-manchester/

[stinkwheel]

I was told by a friend in the industry that a common problem with flaking/underrunning powdercoat is if the coating has been overcooked.

Contrary to what you'd think, picking somewhere with a high throughput is often better than a small independant. The big guys will have a conveyor process which means the piece spends the correct amount of time at the correct temperature. Smaller guys will often have a batch oven and the tendancy is to cook it for the specified time then leave it to cool which results in over-baking the coating.

Previous comments about picking someone who knows about motorcycle wheels still apply with regard to bunging/masking. The guy I use does a lot of work for a large plant vehicle manufacturer so while he'll do any colour, if you want something yellow or gloss black, it usually works out cheaper
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[bugeye_bob]

Not sure what the wheel is made of but its not unheard of for older car alloys to crack after being powder coated,
As mentioned Powder Coating is great until you chip it and water starts to get in.

[Zen Dog]

I saw the issues with powder coating in general with the Street Triple, as the frame and swingarm were both powder coated. Once you have a chip or crack, the alloy underneath would fur, further lifting the coating, and exposing more alloy, which would then fur...

Plus there is no touch up available, as it's not paint. I ended up having to remove all the areas of lifted/bubbled powder coat, and find a close match humbrol enamel model paint to touch it up. This sealed the edge of the powder coat preventing the problem getting worse, at least while I had it.
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Current - '94 VFR750FR, '00 VFR800FI Previous - '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win (chinese copy of an old Honda design with a C90 engine)
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[Fizzer Thou]

When I was rebuilding my FJ1200 back in 2015/2016 I was recommended a place near Brands Hatch for powder coating.They did an amazing job on all of the parts that I wanted done in black and especially the wheels and the frame.

https://i.postimg.cc/MGZZXT5M/20160430-104553.jpg

For the full story of the FJ1200 rebuild see the post quoted below

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=305318

I would suggest that you ask other bikers for a recommendation as I did.There are some right cowboys out there who charge a lot for bad work.
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