RZ/RD 350 & Misc. 2-Stroke Tech BBS

Usually have stuff powder coated but it's thick stuff and makes the frame number hard to read etc

Also had a few frame repairs too and don't know if anymore will crop up , so not so sure now

If you have more frame work to do in the future then paint it. Powder can be re-coated easily if you really had to as well. It sucks to strip from metal parts though.

Another oil style question in general. I powder since it allows you to work on the frame without having to worry OCD style about touching anything during re-assembly. It is a nice finish and piles of color options with very little work or time for prep. I know Rory will be in here as he doesn't like it as it can hide frame cracks (his opinion). I think simply the difficulty in reading the VIN is a poor reason to decide between the 2 finishes.

Powdercoaters and blasters tend to be lazy Ive found. The blaster will turn up the power and hammer your parts and not care if they make holes in things or brackets get blown off, they just want an easy life and a fast job. Powdercoaters tend to load on the powder so its too thick, this ensures coverage in one go meaning less rework and complaints. When you couple all those together, you get a mess of a frame with hard to read frame numbers, but done properly it doesnt have to be like that.

I prefer paint for more reasons then I'd want powder. It's easier, more economical, easier to respray, easier to strip and inspect, and repair, and you don't subject the metal to the heat needed to powder. I have seen really bad wheel breakdown, that had been powder coated. People love the look, and durability of powder.
I ride hard, and I, personally, am not comfortable with the process on something that I'm riding hard on. I mean really, do you guys powder coat your women?

FWIW Powder is usually cured at 200DegC or close to, depending on the product.

Do you paint your women?

not many would survive the curing process for powder...

gpaddict wrote:Do you paint your women?

Absolutely, with body paint. So much fun.

Only last weekend I painted the Missus a nice shade of gold

Both are a viable option, each are comparable in price, I'm talking automotive (paint) done right.
Powder is far more durable though. Unless you crash it, if you do it now it's probable it will outlast you at this point.

The best favor you can do yourself is to use a (motorcycle specific) powder-coating shop, one whom specialises in customs or Harley's. You Likely will not have any problems.
People get into trouble when bargain shopping powder-coating, a shop that does patio furnishings, car parts, farm equipment and metal fencing generally will not produce the level of detail in application many bike owners would prefer.

Powder Coat

I have been using some rattle can paint on my forks (LC and Triumph) and the stuff I use is good stuff

Simoniz Tough Black

Really does what it says on the tin

This is UK so don't know how available it is overseas ?

Headcoats wrote:

Only last weekend I painted the Missus a nice shade of gold

Gold Finger. The cups need to go, but very nice.

Its pretty much all there for you including some jokes haha.

If you do powder just make sure your very clear all holes must be plugged. The RZ frame is one of the more labor intensive since there are so many brackets.

Steel is not affected by a short amount of time at low temp. Aluminum should not be either. we are talking about 20 mins here at 200F not 24 hours or high temp...

hondaror wrote:

Headcoats wrote:

Only last weekend I painted the Missus a nice shade of gold

Gold Finger. The cups need to go, but very nice.

Those aren't cups.