Painting plastic

[Peter]

Does anyone know if you can successfully paint the plastic parts on a bike.
Example: front fender, side covers etc. If so what kind of paint and
procedure did you use.

Thanks, Peter

[Montoya/Rhodes]

I know that the body shop people successfully paint plactic automobile
parts all of the time. I have a Honda Accord and some time back I had
some painting done on the front of the car. A lot of that is plastic.
The paint has been on there for about 8 months now and still looking
great.

I suggest you check with your local body shop and see how they do it.

Jack Rhodes
Motorcycle race announcer

[Stephen Shoihet]

"Peter" <theinst...@compuserve.com> wrote:

>Does anyone know if you can successfully paint the plastic parts on a bike.
>Example: front fender, side covers etc. If so what kind of paint and
>procedure did you use.

The plastic must be scuffed first, a scotch brite pad works best. If
the plastic parts are flexible then a flex agent must be used in the
paint to keep it from cracking. I usually use Sikkens BC/CC urethane
so I don't know what's available to the DIYer.

-Steve
Kelowna, B.C., Canada

[MX Tuner]

>I know that the body shop people successfully paint plactic automobile
>parts all of the time. I have a Honda Accord and some time back I had
>some painting done on the front of the car. A lot of that is plastic.
>The paint has been on there for about 8 months now and still looking
>great.

Its special paint specifically for plastic, I believe. Very flexible.
Plus the plastic is made to be painted.

>I suggest you check with your local body shop and see how they do it.

They may very well have some useful mothods/alternatives/options.

MX Tuner

[Leon Rawls]

Are you talking about a street bike or dirt bike? If it is a street bike yes
you can go to any auto body shop and they can paint it for you or give you some
pointers on what to use there is a lot of plastic body parts on cars these
days. If it is a dirt bike forget it the plastic fenders will bend to much when
you bust your ass and the paint will crack right off. also DO NOT paint a
plastic gas tank plastic tanks will let gas vapors seep through the plastic it
self and then tne panit will come right off. If you want to change colors on a
late model dirt bike they make fenders and side panels in many colors. and
clarke make some gas tanks for the CRs in many colors.

Peter wrote:

> Does anyone know if you can successfully paint the plastic parts on a bike.
> Example: front fender, side covers etc. If so what kind of paint and
> procedure did you use.
>

> Thanks, Peter

[David Levy]

I saw painted plastic on a motocrosser. It looked pretty good. The guy
said it was hard to do (I think it had to be baked on). He no longer does
it.

[MoToMan]

Leon Rawls <suz...@inetw.net> wrote:

>Are you talking about a street bike or dirt bike? If it is a street bike yes
>you can go to any auto body shop and they can paint it for you or give you some
>pointers on what to use there is a lot of plastic body parts on cars these
>days. If it is a dirt bike forget it the plastic fenders will bend to much when
>you bust your ass and the paint will crack right off. also DO NOT paint a
>plastic gas tank plastic tanks will let gas vapors seep through the plastic it
>self and then tne panit will come right off. If you want to change colors on a
>late model dirt bike they make fenders and side panels in many colors. and
>clarke make some gas tanks for the CRs in many colors.

<snip>

I've done this to a few bikes now, the key is to sand all surfaces
that will be coated real well to get something for the paint to stick
to, then don't put the paint on real thick, and third I used a latex
based paint it came in a spray can I painted one bike right over the
number backing sticker and the sticker peeled off before the paint
did, but you've got to make sure you have every inch sanded good so
the paint sticks my first bike I did I didn't get all of the surface
sanded and the paint peeled were I didn't sand, Oh yeah I almost
forgot theres another thing you must do clean the surface with naptha
or paint thinner after sanding to get all oils and dust off.

Cheers....
MoToMan
(94-XR650L, 90-XR250R)

[Gary Russell]

I did it to a plastic fairing I bought for my bike. You need a special primer for
the plastic. Most paint shops
should have it. It works, but like anything, if you bend it enough, it will crack.

gary

..

[Jim Sealy Jr]

Martin Senour makes a full line of additives for painting plastic I've
used with good success on bike fenders, tanks, etc.. Plastic Primer in
spray can, Rockguard for impact areas that leaves a grained appearance and
reduces chipping, and Flex-ad to put in the urethane paint (topcoat) of
your choice. With these additives, you can get a pro paintjob that will
stay on well. It's designed for fairing, airdams, etc. on cars, and has to
work. These won't crack in less than about a 1" radius bend from my
experience, so should be worth your money.

Jim