Powdercoating Motorcycle Frame

[wildcat_lgf]

Just a question on whether it is advisable to powdercoat a motorcycle frame. I have a '91 ZXR250C which is currently green white and blue and to be honest I'm over the colours...

I am wanting it to end up like the picture below...can I powdercoat the alloy frame? What sort of finish will I get? Will it last?

The other option is to paint it with POR15 Blackcote, which is apparantly nearly indestructable! However I would have to paint it myself, whereas I can get the whole frame, swing arm, wheels etc powdercoated for $150.

I don't want to pay $150 and then find it looks like a towel rail!

Any help appreciated!

Cheers

[Waylander]

Should be good mate they do it to rims and such so I don't see why it can't be done to a frame and still look as good as the rims.

[Krusti]

Powder coated wifes trike frame,came out awesome.

[Paul in NZ]

Like everything - theres powder coaters and then theres powder coaters....

I got the Triumph frame done and it's average. Got some other stuff done by a more expensive company and it was shit hot. Ask around and find the shit hot guys first.

Paint will be way glossier but none of it will be any good unless properly appler and alloy can be a bugger. Ask what sort of warranty they offer, have they done this before etc etc.

Paul N

[Krusti]

Just make sure your certain of the finish and colour first!

[sedge]

The other option is to paint it with POR15 Blackcote, which is apparantly nearly indestructable! However I would have to paint it myself, whereas I can get the whole frame, swing arm, wheels etc powdercoated for $150.
Cheers

Couple of questions;

Do you still have to prep the frame before coating ? or do you just hand over the bits you want coated, coz that sounds like a pretty good deal for frame and wheels. Heh heh, I wonder if they could powder coat my tank and the metal seat unit I'm making up too.

What is POR15 ? Can you paint engine cases with it as well ?

I'm thinking I might as well do the frame and engine on my bike once I've dropped it out.

Cheers,

Sedge.

[wildcat_lgf]

I only just dropped the engine and everything off the bike today, took a good 4 hours...by that time it was about 3pm and so just took it down greasy and yuk as it was. They said they would do "pre-treatment" on it and clean it up for me. I still have to press out the bearings though

So, with a bit of luck I just hand it over and they clean it, paint it and hand it back. $150 was a cash job, went somewhere else straight after and they told me $220 +I'd have to pay someone else to do pre-treatment!

Some guys off Carbine road apparantly do a really good job on cleaning the stuff first, and he said it was about $3.50 a kilo??? For that price I might get it done there before taking it to the $150 place, just to be sure.

POR15 is expensive paint but is apparantly awesome for rust killing, coating, engine enamels, petrol tank cleaning kits, etc. They will send you a free catalogue with pricelist if you ask from their website. Its worth a look through

http://www.por15.co.nz/catalogue_request.htm

Or just look through their website
http://www.por15.co.nz/

Their paints are hammer tough, you can bend, twist, or belt it with a hammer, the metal with obviously be damaged but the paint won't chip or peel off.

Hope this helps,

Couple of questions;

Do you still have to prep the frame before coating ? or do you just hand over the bits you want coated, coz that sounds like a pretty good deal for frame and wheels. Heh heh, I wonder if they could powder coat my tank and the metal seat unit I'm making up too.

What is POR15 ? Can you paint engine cases with it as well ?

I'm thinking I might as well do the frame and engine on my bike once I've dropped it out.

Cheers,

Sedge.

[bugjuice]

as long as it's done right, I've seen some real nice examples. Both powder finish and (dare I say) chrome jobs.. I think chromed is ott, but shows a commitment, so while it might not be everyones cuppa, I think most will appreciate the effort gone into making a finish like that.
Anyway, back to the banana, yeah, cover it dude, as long as they can do a good job, should look sweet. What colour are the farings going to be? Thought about anything other than black for the frame? Can't think of anything to hand, but here's a prime oppotunity to be the little bit different..

[Suney]

I want to paint my bike that colour

[bugjuice]

I want to paint my bike that colour

what about orange? Everything looks good in 'range

[scumdog]

Just be aware that all threaded areas will nee masked (the firm should be able to do it for you if you ask) and anywhere there is an already tight fit you may find you will have to scrape off some of the lovely powder-coat to get things back together - unless these areas are also masked.

You'd be surprised how the total amount of coating is when you have four surfaces coated with powder-coat where before there was nothing!

[vifferman]

I thought powder coating wasn't a good idea on aluminium alloy, because of the heat needed to bake it on?

[wildcat_lgf]

True, good point about 4 surfaces coated and a tight fit! Although I suppose those areas that meet won't be seen...Still I will have to give it a lite sand no doubt

Planning to do it like the photo below, then order some bumble-bee leathers in yellow and black! Nothing like being subtle aye

Everything looks good in orange? I have to agree, orange/black or yellow/black are gorgeous!

Yep I'm going ahead with it, so will take it to get professionally cleaned first just to make sure (at Powerstrippers? off Carbine Rd), will keep you updated...then once its all painted I'll be able to fall off it and undo all my hard work!

[Coyote]

what about orange? Everything looks good in 'range

New gay colour

Wildcat, let me know how it goes, I wanted to do this aswell. BTW, are you dismantling the bike to get to the frame? If so, are you dismantling the bike or are you getting someone else to do this? The reason for me turning away from getting frame and swingarm from being powdercoated was I had no way of dismantling the bike, so I kinda had to forget about.

Don't forget, there is the other option of getting it anodised. Anodising gives it a even coat and it protects the metal, but you can't clean it off I don't think, so whatever colour you choose is one you have to stick with. Another advantage is that it is a very, very thin layer so everything should fit in place as before

One of many mods I wish to do to my bike

[Bleck K6]

have a look at this thread it has a few opinions on painting vs powdercoating,you can also do a search on that site for powdercoating,black frame,painting frame etc and you will find lots of info http://www.tlplanet.com/forums/showt...ht=paint+frame