Paint or vinyl? Opinions please

[madboy]

I feel that riding a bright green 2002 Kawasaki 636 is no longer the go. Don't ask why, and I won't lie to you. Instead, just reflect on how easy a bright green motorcycle is identified by non-bikers vs, say, a black one. "Who, me?" :blink:

Of course, easy option is to buy the nice dark grey/black 04 R1 down at TSS, but I don't actually want to change bikes for a year or two (other financial commitments). After talking to a mate in the panelbeating trade, I understand I have a choice between painting or vinyling the bike (covering it with vinyl and just peeling it off when I go to sell it, thereby keeping the factory paint job).

So, my questions to you:

1) If I repaint, will it devalue the bike? If so, by lots or a little?
2) Anyone know anything good/bad about vinyl?
3) Any other constructive comments to make re: changing colour?

Thanks in advance.

[sAsLEX]

everyone is always concerned about resprays as its generally done after a bin or crash, and can be done to hide something.


Maybe a dull matt black ala blackbird to absorb some infrared light for some reason?

[heavenly.talker]

Hmmmmm
I repainted my volty and ended up getting more for it than I paid for it. She was old and had lots of km's but then had a point of difference.
If the bike is not worth that much then customise it. If the bike is mint and it's holding it's value because it is all orginal parts and the like then choose the vinyl option.

At the end of the day it is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay. They generally pay for something that is distinct and personalised or that is in pristine condition.

My two cents worth...hope it helps :-)

[thealmightytaco]

Vinyl would leave alot of sticky nastiness about I would think, certainly does on a drumkit, did a woodgrain vinyl thing on my kit in my avatar there. But that can be washed off with certain products, and there's probably far better vinyl out there than the cheap schlock I used. Painting is too much work though, I'd rather ride a green one.

[pyrocam]

I repainted the rgv150 from gay to blue. didnt change the resale value... cough cough.

[Zapf]

vinyl should be fine as long as its good quality. e.g 3M stuff...

I have recently worked with some 3M paint protection and reflective stuff and find that they have very good quality backing that leaves nothing on the bike when you peel them off again.

vinyl would also acts a protection for the paint against stone chips and UV.

[Mattyc]

yeah go the vinyl, you can peel it off then use a caramel wheel to get the sticky bits off

[**R1**]

Just paint it, I dont think my bike has de-valued, plus you get exactly what ya want.........if ya plan is to keep it for a few years how much did ya want to get back for it??

[heavenly.talker]

Just paint it, I dont think my bike has de-valued, plus you get exactly what ya want.........if ya plan is to keep it for a few years how much did ya want to get back for it??
Pretty paint job there :spudwave:

[The Stranger]

Good quality vinyl like 3M is fine. comes off cleanly with a heat gun or hairdryer. Not much residue left at all, just needs a little rub in places with a mild thinner type product.

Um is vinyl neat where you have curves in multple directions, say about the nosecone of a fairing?

It is even possible to have curves in say 3 directions in a localised area and I assume they start with a flat sheet.

[juzzer]

Um is vinyl neat where you have curves in multple directions, say about the nosecone of a fairing?

It is even possible to have curves in say 3 directions in a localised area and I assume they start with a flat sheet.

You use a little heat form a heat gun/hair dryer when you apply the vinyl, you will be amazed at the curves and corners you will be able to apply it around. (the vinyl is pretty thin)

[Coyote]

Vinyl would be good when you sell it as it gives the buyer the option of keeping the vinyl or taking it off. Also the custom vinyls would show that you took good care of the bike

[T.I.E]

was thinking that the thin layer of vinyl would protect the bike, and with a bin it might help hold pieces together. aswell as look good.
but how would it hold up under a close inspection?

[madboy]

The vinyl option sounds appealing. Since the bike already has factory stickers (like right up the side of the fairings, etc) would that create a problem when taking it off? Then again, the left hand side has already been for a slide so those stickers need replacing anyway.

It's not that I have a specific value in mind, Aaron, just that I don't want to spend money repainting it, only to lose even more money when I sell it cos it's not a factory colour.

The whole reason it's getting a colour change is to save money in the first place.

[dawnrazor]

I would suggest that the expense of repainting would far out way any financial gain at resale. Specifically if you do a real good job with the paint (lots of layers and lacker), as a crappy paint job is only going to detract from the resale value. Couple that with a design/colour scheme that will appeal to potential buyers. Your idea of cool may not be to the taste of others.

To be honest it all sounds like a pain in the ass to do either, live with it as is, if your only going to keep it for a couple of years. Only repaint it if its for you, a bikes not a house.

I'm not crazy about the colour of my bike, but there is no way in hell i'd bother repainting it, when there are other mods that I could spend the money on that would actually increase its resale value, like new can, K&N filters, dynojets, huggers, braided brake lines, double bubble, alloy rear sets, alloy levers, crash bobbins, lighter rims, tyres etc etc etc.

[**R1**]

The vinyl option sounds appealing. Since the bike already has factory stickers (like right up the side of the fairings, etc) would that create a problem when taking it off? Then again, the left hand side has already been for a slide so those stickers need replacing anyway.

It's not that I have a specific value in mind, Aaron, just that I don't want to spend money repainting it, only to lose even more money when I sell it cos it's not a factory colour.

The whole reason it's getting a colour change is to save money in the first place.It might look expensive but it wasnt, it was going to cost me almost $2000 to do it bact to original, and it cost $1500 to do it as you see it now, black was only going to cost $800, and black looks good.....just an idea.

[Coyote]

How much would custom vinyls for the entire bike cost, roughly?

[Wolf]

I would suggest that the expense of repainting would far out way any financial gain at resale. Specifically if you do a real good job with the paint (lots of layers and lacker), as a crappy paint job is only going to detract from the resale value. Couple that with a design/colour scheme that will appeal to potential buyers. Your idea of cool may not be to the taste of others.
So true. A decent paint job costs gold. I was extremely fortunate when doing up the Zundapp that the bloke who did the work only charged me $80 for the actual work (avid veteran/antique motorcycle and car enthusiast who restored his own vehicles, for him it was a hobby) and I had to supply the paint. I was gobsmacked that I had to pay so little. But even the price of sufficient paint (he didn't lacquer but he put on shit-loads of layers of paint) - Black Acran for the frame and automotive paint for the panels - was high.
I wound up with a paint job that totally staggered a group of avid scooter enthusiasts who reckoned they'd never seen a Zundapp in that condition - said I'd win "Best Other Make" (="other than a Vespa") if I entered it in one of the competitions. If I'd done it myself with a few cans of spray paint it would have been better than the buggered state it was previously in, but it would not have looked remotely like a "factory finish" - it would look like it had been "tidied up", but that would be all.

In the case of a pretty-much "new" bike, the expectation of a purchaser would be that the bike looks really good, so you'd be up for the cost of a professional paint job (unless you're in the business yourself and have access to the right gear or know someone who is who will give you "mate's rates").

And as dawnrazor said: there's no guarantee that the prospective purchaser will like the colour anyway.

As previously mentioned, a repaint is widely perceived as "covering up the damage" and the buyer may well suspect it has not merely been dropped, but dropped badly. While a small amount of visible scraping on a bike, revealing it has been dropped, is often accepted ("just a little scrape") a repaint would suggest the damage was worse than that and people may shy away.


I'm not crazy about the colour of my bike, but there is no way in hell i'd bother repainting it, when there are other mods that I could spend the money on that would actually increase its resale value
Agreed. I was not too thrilled with the colour of the LS400 but I put up with it as even the cost of repainting tank, side covers and mudguard (a lot less area than the total repainting of the old Zundapp) was more than I was prepared to spend.

Only times I would repaint a bike are: Restoration of a classic/veteran/antique (as I did with the Zundapp) and if I got a bike I intended to keep for the rest of my life - then I might get picky about the colour. If it's just a hack that I use to commute to work and may one day wind up being the trade-in on something better (or passed on to my wife/kids when I get another bike) then, really, who cares what colour it is?

[madboy]

I'm sorry if I have mislead, but my reasons for painting are neither noble nor vanity, nor to increase the value in any way. More to increase the length of time I hold a license for, and keep my insurance premiums at an acceptable level. They are purely to make a bright green (which therefore MUST be a Kawasaki) become a "where the hell did that black bike go?". Ultimately the less identifiable the better. Plain vanilla black it will be. No stickers, no nuffin.

Been talking to the panelbeater at lunchtime. Reckons painting it is no problem. We're gonna take lotsa pics through the process so prospective buyers can see the "before, during and after" shots to understand that it is nothing sinister (well with the bike anyway). Whether they believe it or not is not my concern.

[dawnrazor]

I'm sorry if I have mislead, but my reasons for painting are neither noble nor vanity, nor to increase the value in any way. More to increase the length of time I hold a license for, and keep my insurance premiums at an acceptable level. They are purely to make a bright green (which therefore MUST be a Kawasaki) become a "where the hell did that black bike go?". Ultimately the less identifiable the better. Plain vanilla black it will be. No stickers, no nuffin.

Been talking to the panelbeater at lunchtime. Reckons painting it is no problem. We're gonna take lotsa pics through the process so prospective buyers can see the "before, during and after" shots to understand that it is nothing sinister (well with the bike anyway). Whether they believe it or not is not my concern.

might want to think about changing the rego as well in that case. hey its only paranoia IF they are out to get you :blip:

[madboy]

might want to think about changing the rego as well in that case. hey its only paranoia IF they are out to get you :blip:By rego are you referring to that metallic thing that undoes really easily and has a spot reserved for it on my workshop bench?

[dawnrazor]

By rego are you referring to that metallic thing that undoes really easily and has a spot reserved for it on my workshop bench?

Yeah thats the one :doh: . But seriously consider the paranoia thing :blink: .

[skelstar]

Apparently I have seen him in action and it didnt look like paranoia.:)

May have missed someone saying this but just decide if you think the bike is going to devalue by more than what it costs to paint...or how much you are likely to lose by not doing it.

[EZAS]

Instead of Vinyl, you can have Carbon Fibre heat vacumed over the entrie fairing.

I was initially going to get a fully carbon fibre Upper fairing but the $$ quote was around the $2500 mark. HOLY SHIT .. F*CK THAT

Getting the fairing covered in Carbon fibre should make a herculean, robust finish. Should assist in the resistance to any stress fractures from popping up as well. (My bike is over 10 years old).

[texmo]

Can you get an easy to peel off Vinyl? once your in your nice hiding spot a few k's away simple peel off the vinyl and throw in bushes?
"yes officer I saw a red bike go that way..."
Or am I thinking too much like 007 here?

[EZAS]

Can you get an easy to peel off Vinyl? once your in your nice hiding spot a few k's away simple peel off the vinyl and throw in bushes?
"yes officer I saw a red bike go that way..."
Or am I thinking too much like 007 here?:no: :no:

I can recall "Cannonball Run 2" where a white Lambo burns of the popo, then gets hosed down with water and it changes to a Bright (strangely polished RED). SO yeah... If you wanting to go that way, the best bet is to get some cheap water based paints, and go through a MOBIL car wash.

Alternatively you can carry a hair dryer with you at all times to help remove the vinyls