This is a Do-It-Yourself for any one who is thinking of painting their motorcycle's front fender. I didn't do anything elaborate; all simple stuff any one can do with an afternoon to spare. Let me just say this off the top; I did not sand, primer, or in any way seriously prep the fender to be painted. I pretty much thoroughly cleaned it, and applied paint. You be the judge.
Step 1.
This is a shot of the lower screws that are easy to remove, as well as the fork reflectors that have screws behind them that also need to removed. This requires an allen wrench, but the reflectors can be twisted off with just your hand.
Step 2.
Pictured here is the second set of screws that must be removed in order to get the fender off. This shot was taken above the fork, through the upper fairing. It looks like a tight fit, but it's actually quite easy to get in there. You may have to reach underneath the side fairing in order to get to it.
A shot of the fender's bottom side.
Side shot of fender fully removed
Looks like something was living underneath my motorcycle
Shot of the bike with the fender gone. Doesn't look too bad, I'd say
Step 3.
Find a place to keep the screws. Do not lose them. Even though you'd probably be okay if one set were to suddenly become missing, I'd just keep them anyway. Once removed, I cleaned the fender thoroughly with just water and soap, and dried completely, and set it on the ground. Some folks advise to suspend it from the ceiling or some fixture, which is probably a better method than mine, because as you will soon see, I was unable to paint underneath the fender. Having it suspended will allow you to get every corner and crevice.
Step 4.
Paint it! I just used light strokes vertically, about 2-3 coats, initially. The paint I used went right on. After about 5 mins, the paint began to separate so I had to re-coat it, against my convictions, because that decision to add an additional coat, cost me big time; as you will see in the upcoming shots.
Here is where I took the biggest hit. Like I mentioned above, the paint began to sort of disperse along the top, so I had to repaint it, and the paint ended up going on quite thick on the side.
I continued to keep an eye on this ruined side of the fender, and the paint just continued to dry extra thick. I thought it would eventually even out, or I even considered repainting it, but I figured this was the best it would get. And if I were to repaint, it would only get worse. So I left it alone
Overall, I think the process was quite simple, but I would recommend anyone considering this to seriously follow instructions on coats, dry times, and maybe sanding, and primering. All of which I did not do. I just threw the paint on.
Step 1.
This is a shot of the lower screws that are easy to remove, as well as the fork reflectors that have screws behind them that also need to removed. This requires an allen wrench, but the reflectors can be twisted off with just your hand.
Step 2.
Pictured here is the second set of screws that must be removed in order to get the fender off. This shot was taken above the fork, through the upper fairing. It looks like a tight fit, but it's actually quite easy to get in there. You may have to reach underneath the side fairing in order to get to it.
A shot of the fender's bottom side.
Side shot of fender fully removed
Looks like something was living underneath my motorcycle
Shot of the bike with the fender gone. Doesn't look too bad, I'd say
Step 3.
Find a place to keep the screws. Do not lose them. Even though you'd probably be okay if one set were to suddenly become missing, I'd just keep them anyway. Once removed, I cleaned the fender thoroughly with just water and soap, and dried completely, and set it on the ground. Some folks advise to suspend it from the ceiling or some fixture, which is probably a better method than mine, because as you will soon see, I was unable to paint underneath the fender. Having it suspended will allow you to get every corner and crevice.
Step 4.
Paint it! I just used light strokes vertically, about 2-3 coats, initially. The paint I used went right on. After about 5 mins, the paint began to separate so I had to re-coat it, against my convictions, because that decision to add an additional coat, cost me big time; as you will see in the upcoming shots.
Here is where I took the biggest hit. Like I mentioned above, the paint began to sort of disperse along the top, so I had to repaint it, and the paint ended up going on quite thick on the side.
I continued to keep an eye on this ruined side of the fender, and the paint just continued to dry extra thick. I thought it would eventually even out, or I even considered repainting it, but I figured this was the best it would get. And if I were to repaint, it would only get worse. So I left it alone
Overall, I think the process was quite simple, but I would recommend anyone considering this to seriously follow instructions on coats, dry times, and maybe sanding, and primering. All of which I did not do. I just threw the paint on.
3 comments:
Krylon makes a spray paint specifically for rubbers and plastics that would have allowed it to coat more smoothly and stick much easier without such a heavy coat. The key to spray painting is misting the layers in order to build up an even coat. Also, work from top to bottom and that will even out the ripples as you work down if it does begin to spread unevenly...
Thanks for the tip. Ironically, the bike was crashed on the 3rd, a few days before your response. I'm looking for a new bike
It looks like mold… Anyway, my brother used to have the same motorcycle. But before selling it and buying a new one, he powder coated it first to make it look brand new. It was very much in good condition, so it got sold quickly. And the powder coating he used was really stunning! Nice paint job, by the way! =)
Lonnie Summerall
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