To paint or not to paint?

[Bill Seward]

I've been doing a bit of work on the '85 over this summer, and the condition of the stock paint is starting to stand out as being the worst part of the bikes appearance... (Not that the bike's anything resembling cherry...)

The pinstriping, some of which was 28 years old, and really worn out, came off the airbox cover and rear fender. Due to the paint fade, this left a "Ghost" pinstripe job - which really didn't look bad on the cover... The fenders are another story. The paint on the plastic really faded, and became almost powdery, as it started coming off with the pinstriping. There's no way I know of to restore the original color to the fenders, so it's time to consider a new paint job. Problem is, I'm trying to keep the bike as original as possible - so I'm not really sure about the idea of a new color on the bike.

What do you guys think? Leave it original, and call the defects in the paint "patina", or just get it done? A lot of you saw the bike at Thunder, and a few commented on the paint fade..... I'd probably get it painted red. Not fancy metalflake or high tech paint - just firecracker red. Get the "Godzilla!" graphic back on the rear fender, a few tasteful old-school pinstripes, and be done with it...

 

[minicopilot]

I've been doing a bit of work on the '85 over this summer, and the condition of the stock paint is starting to stand out as being the worst part of the bikes appearance... (Not that the bike's anything resembling cherry...)

The pinstriping, some of which was 28 years old, and really worn out, came off the airbox cover and rear fender. Due to the paint fade, this left a "Ghost" pinstripe job - which really didn't look bad on the cover... The fenders are another story. The paint on the plastic really faded, and became almost powdery, as it started coming off with the pinstriping. There's no way I know of to restore the original color to the fenders, so it's time to consider a new paint job. Problem is, I'm trying to keep the bike as original as possible - so I'm not really sure about the idea of a new color on the bike.

What do you guys think? Leave it original, and call the defects in the paint "patina", or just get it done? A lot of you saw the bike at Thunder, and a few commented on the paint fade..... I'd probably get it painted red. Not fancy metalflake or high tech paint - just firecracker red. Get the "Godzilla!" graphic back on the rear fender, a few tasteful old-school pinstripes, and be done with it...

A nice fresh paint job in the original color perhaps?

 

[CaptainKyle]

You could change it up a bit & I could do it in the original 85 Amethyst

 

[Bill Seward]

Maybe... If I could find the original color anywhere. I'm sure if I bought the paint, even if it was available, from Yamaha it would cost a fortune! Could a paint supply store color match the original? There still are unfaded areas to get a sample of under the fork brace for example.

 

[donnelly317]

What about trting to buff it first? May just need a buff job with some compound. I'd paint it for you but I'm afraid of runs lol I'm an amateur painter but like doing it I painted a bunch on my bike but I used napa single stage paint which flowed very very well all paint is not equal lol

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

Don't ruin the patina Bill! If you feel inclined to change the color or brighten it up, I would get a second body set for cheap but keep the originals as is. Doesn't take long to swap em. JMHO.

 

[m-cman]

Have you Color-Rite? They supposedly have most color codes for motorcycles.

 

[iraqvet750]

I've been doing a bit of work on the '85 over this summer, and the condition of the stock paint is starting to stand out as being the worst part of the bikes appearance... (Not that the bike's anything resembling cherry...)

The pinstriping, some of which was 28 years old, and really worn out, came off the airbox cover and rear fender. Due to the paint fade, this left a "Ghost" pinstripe job - which really didn't look bad on the cover... The fenders are another story. The paint on the plastic really faded, and became almost powdery, as it started coming off with the pinstriping. There's no way I know of to restore the original color to the fenders, so it's time to consider a new paint job. Problem is, I'm trying to keep the bike as original as possible - so I'm not really sure about the idea of a new color on the bike.

What do you guys think? Leave it original, and call the defects in the paint "patina", or just get it done? A lot of you saw the bike at Thunder, and a few commented on the paint fade..... I'd probably get it painted red. Not fancy metalflake or high tech paint - just firecracker red. Get the "Godzilla!" graphic back on the rear fender, a few tasteful old-school pinstripes, and be done with it...

I know this was an old post, but do you have any photos of the pinstripes? I just picked up an '85 with pinstripes -- trying to decide whether to repaint, or keep them along with the Dark Amethyst "patina". What did you end up doing with your paint? Thanks.

 

[Bill Seward]

I had it painted Black Cherry a number of years ago. I asked the painter if there was any way the bike could be painted and leave some remnant of the original "ghost" striping. He was able to leave the tiniest trace of the original lines, visible if the light hits the cover just right. My reasoning was that the bike was striped back in 1985 by arguably the best old school pinstriper in the area, Corky. He passed away years ago, so the ghost stripes are a tribute to him.

 

[Fire-medic]

I know this was an old post, but do you have any photos of the pinstripes? I just picked up an '85 with pinstripes -- trying to decide whether to repaint, or keep them along with the Dark Amethyst "patina". What did you end up doing with your paint? Thanks.

Do you like the color you have? buy a pair of fenders and a faux gas tank cover, and paint them some color you really like. Maybe it's the Dark Amethyst! So what if you have 'em the same, one's old, original paint, the other is fresh, new paint, but w/o the weathering, fading, and blotches (your brake fluid spill on the right front of the faux tank) of 'patina.'

 

[iraqvet750]

Do you like the color you have? buy a pair of fenders and a faux gas tank cover, and paint them some color you really like. Maybe it's the Dark Amethyst! So what if you have 'em the same, one's old, original paint, the other is fresh, new paint, but w/o the weathering, fading, and blotches (your brake fluid spill on the right front of the faux tank) of 'patina.'

Will do. I like the Deep Scarlet a tad more than the Dark Amethyst, which is similar to the blue paint on my Fazer. I'll keep my feelers out for a set of "tins", and hopefully have both colors that can be interchanged.

 

[iraqvet750]

I had it painted Black Cherry a number of years ago. I asked the painter if there was any way the bike could be painted and leave some remnant of the original "ghost" striping. He was able to leave the tiniest trace of the original lines, visible if the light hits the cover just right. My reasoning was that the bike was striped back in 1985 by arguably the best old school pinstriper in the area, Corky. He passed away years ago, so the ghost stripes are a tribute to him.

I'm with you on the pinstriping. My (auto, unfortunately not motorcycle) body shop owner said he'd keep the pinstriping, as it's a vestige of a "lost art".

 

[Fire-medic]

You should take a look at 1992's Red-E Sparkle, which is a great color.

 

[iraqvet750]

You should take a look at 1992's Red-E Sparkle, which is a great color.

That is an excellent color. Can Color-Rite source that shade, or is there another source?

 

[99YAMAHAVMAX]

That is an excellent color. Can Color-Rite source that shade, or is there another source?

https://touchupdirect.com/touch-up-...gDYCWWcl5yqzJuHsiwIk_os19haAfGJQUhFwcswXn63sw

 

[V-Four]

Old thread or not, My answer is always Paint it.











T$

 

[Fire-medic]

Wow that's a bright green! I label it, 'Albino Grasshopper.'

Flames and scallops remind me of Testor's plastic cement from the 1950's/'60's when I built all-sorts of plastic models: AMT, Monogram, Revell, and Aurora. Ed Roth had some cool paint jobs back then. 'Beatnik Bandit,' 'Mysterion,' 'Surfite,' and many more.



Those women got in there willingly... .



Bet you didn't know Ed Roth was a Mormon.





His '56 Ford advertising his skills.



I liked the first name for this: Captain Pepi's Motorcycle & Zeppelin Repair. Dig that Trumpet! The truck was re-named the Mega-Cycle. I think the Triumph in its design preceded Arlen Ness by 15 years.



The Road Agent, Corvair-powered. I read one story where he formed his bubble-tops in a pizza oven and injected compressed air to form it. About as-simple as blowing up a balloon.



And for those of you who recall when the rail-job pilot sat aft of the rear axle, the Orbitron. Looks like a '57 Packard Clipper zipping by on the street behind him.

 

[Redrum]

Totally a personal call.

I was going to paint my original paint 1982 Honda Nighthawk but never got around to it. Now I'm glad I didn't. It shines up pretty good with some light buffing.

It's only original once.

 

[telelinkken]

I really like the idea of gettin' a second set of parts to paint "fresh" custom, and keeping' the originals original!
I too have the '85 with all the original "patina"!!
I really want to make it candy purple but I am also struggling' with the same issue!!
it was said these parts are easy and affordable to find? where??

Praise God!!!

 

[Fire-medic]

The 'tins,' as they are often called, are the front/rear fenders and the faux gas tank/airbox cover. Sean Morley [email protected] and CaptainKyle [email protected] are 'the usual suspects,' for used parts. Your idea of 'affordable' may not be congruent with reality, I'd expect you would be paying half a grand (shipped) for non-damaged parts. Then you have to paint them. ebay would be another possible source.

A quick search shows I'm low:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2850248730...B62nQT9+BuOF1tFEhoGmlMbppA==|tkp:BFBMjpi5h8Vi
$592


Damage to this one, probably easy to fix, much cheaper ($127, free shipping):



https://www.ebay.com/itm/3342225362...HPqAinXecferLORLJt1gNrPSA=|tkp:Bk9SR46YuYfFYg
Searching for the lightly-blemished pieces, and you could do better than the $500 I mentioned.

Here's a 'carbon fiber' pattern one, also blemished, but cheap. $65 + $40 shipping, so $105.




https://www.ebay.com/itm/3344887458...ijXxob3hwR6xsR2n%2F9|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:2047675
Cheapest rear fender I saw, ~$120 shipped from the UK. Don't see any blemishes/cracks, it appears to have been painted with pick-up truck bedliner paint. That probably would be a pain in the ass to remove.



https://www.ebay.com/itm/2560715960...Mi04/NCjkUCoH8vuFVu5L+9Q==|tkp:Bk9SR76e-IjFYg
And a $1400 set in Japan:



https://www.ebay.com/itm/1662712144...GEwX1QbiyqKScOWVm50U1UMfaw==|tkp:BFBMup74iMVi
You can buy something similar from exactrep in the UK in actual carbon fiber, for a few hundred dollars less.

Happy hunting.