New color?

I have decided to repaint my Maxim, I am considering a few different colors, it is currently black, but the paint is pretty scratched up, I am considering a deep burgandy, A Classic White, and Black, what are your thoughts,

Also, where can I get good motorcycle paint, I have found a few sights, but they do not have good pictures of what teh paint will look like and so on, any help would be great, thanks.

 

That's the ticket ...

Spot a wicked-nice paint color on a car. Get the paint code and run with it ... right to NAPA or a AutoBody Supply store.

$45.00 to 150.00 has you covered for all the paint you'll need to buy to do any bike. You have to buy a minimun of one pint.

Ford: N-1 is that nice "Titanium Green Clear-coat Metallic"

GM: M-1 is my All-time favorite. "Royal Plum Mist" Optional on the '66 GTO and offered on a few '67 Vette's.

BMW: TechnoViolet. The sweetest deep purple metallic ... oooh! My 900 got 3-coats!

Find the car. Love the color. Get the code. Order the paint. Get it blown on the bike and let everybody stare at your creation!

 

Mom ran Plum Mist on her 66. She still pines to get it back in that color trim (three paint jobs later).

 

I cant remember the paint code, but GM has a color that I think Im gonna go with on my bike next year thats called dark spiral gray. Its basically a really dark charcoal with a new type of black metallic flake!

 

Nothing against black, but every Maxim I've ever seen up close has been black. They look great, but all the same. I say if you're gonna repaint the thing, be original! Go to your auto paint store and browse through color charts. Pick out whatever floats your boat. We're not talking a large quantity of paint, so get extravegant. Good luck!

 

the colors you did the poll about are all o.k, white really is a pain and like Captain K says the other two colors are really common with the xj`s black especially, i mean i love black on a bike but if i was going to re-paint my bike and put allot of time and thought into it i would`nt paint it one of them colors you suggested.

going to the car lot and picking out a color that you really liked and matching it up is a excellent idea.

 

When you decide which color you like I suggest you do what I did.

I went over to my favorite paint and body shop and spoke to the tech and got him to sell me a kit. I went with Basecoat/Clearcoat.
It came with the hardner and paint and cataylist, etc.
and only ran about $100.00
Be sure he tells you which primer to use with that kit. (didn't come with mine)

Prep is 90% of the trick.

Here's where you learn from my mistake (I hope), when I mixed the Clearcoat I dind't use enough hardner and my paint took forever to cure and then it got defects over the time it took to cure as I didnt wait( I just had to ride it)

If you use enough hardner and all the stuff your supposed to use it will be useable sooner and have less chance of getting messed up.

Please by all means dont shoot it with a can as you wont get the same results,I get compliments on my paint all the time, even though it's black.
It's super deep and rich looking. (yeah, yeah it looks like all XJ's) but istill gets compliments next to other bikes that are sweet too!
That's really rewarding to me.

 

90% is the Prep. No doubt about. If there's a flaw you have to struggle to see in the Primer ... It will stand-out like a sore thumb when you blow-on the color.

May sound silly to those who don't do restorations ... but, GREAT things happen to those who go the extra mile.

After at least two coats of color is blown-on ... leave it the (you know what) alone. Treat it like a cake in the oven. Best case scenario ... blow on the color Friday afternoon and let it sit until Monday before you even think about it again.

Then ... Wet-sand the color with 600 and make sure you keep it dripping wet. Change-up the 600 > often < ... and do a nice job with the 600 even-ing the whole job.

Don't panic when the wet-sand job dries. That dull-looking effect you put on the color is going to practically glow-in-the-dark after you blow-on the Clear.

The job IS the clear. Two coats of clear will bring-out the beauty and protect that perfect finish.

The final touch is having someone who "Has the touch" ... buff-out the clear with the two compounds that finish the job.

Do it right ... and when you stop at a light ... all you going to see when you look around is wide-open eye's and people's mouths open as they say: "Holy crap"

Don't just knock 'em out -- Knock 'em DEAD!

 

I did my paint job with a rattle can and it actually came out pretty decent. It probably wont last as long as long as an automotive paint, but I have to say I am really pleased with the way it came out! Pretty much a booger free job with some minor orange peel from not wet sanding quite enough, but none the less a lot better than the "spider web" cracked orignal paint it came with when I bought the bike. I do plan on painting mine with ppg paint hopefully next year. I just wanted to get my bike covered for now till I have enough money for a professional job. I'll say like the others, Black is rather common for these bikes, but if done right always ends up looking good, white alone is boring and burgundy has some possibilities especially if you slap on another color on with it to compliment it.Good luck and make sure that you or who ever does your paint job puts the most emphesis in the prep work.

 

Yeah it's all in the prep and the clear. I wouldn't want to learn on my own bike though. I voted for burgundy because, well, look at my avatar

 

Burgandy with metallic flake gets my vote. This is what I was going to do before I did the pewter with metal flake...I'll redo it for the summer for sure...

 

There's a wicked-good Burgandy (maybe a deep burgandy) that's on that Lexux AWD - SUV

Check that out.

 

If you live near a decent sized metro area, find a paint supply house where the auto body shops get their supplies. Usually the guys in there are more than happy to help you with getting what you need.

Pick up some manufacturer pamphlets, from PPG, DuPont, etc, and compare what each offers in the way of paint.

I'm partial to catalyized enamel, but you might see a paint that you like better, or will fit with what you want. Remember to pick the paint guy's brain for info about mixing and if you need any additives due to lower temps when you shoot your color.

 

You also might enjoy spending some time looking at the endless selection of colors available in each of the paint manufacturers "Color Chip" books; or the samples of the wide variety of finishes available in the Auto Manufacturers Color Guides.

If you really want to "Go Crazy" ... you can bring-in something with the color you'd like your bike painted and let the Paint Mixing Pro duplicate the color on a high-resolution computer screen. As you tell him "Lighter or darker" ... he'll make the adjustment.

While you two are tweaking: "Lighter, darker, more or less red, brighter, duller, metallic, pearl, candy or iridescent" ... the computer is immediately updating the mixing formula.

You want something real special ... you got it! All you have to do is tell them you want a Custom Mix. You'll get your own personal "One-off" color that's the end product of your wild and vivid imagination.

Try tinkering around like this, with a Supply Store mixing guy who's also a biker!

He'll get right into it with you and start showing you your picks in some fine-looking exotic mixes ... he might get excited about some color you land on and say:

"Ooh, nice! Let's see what that looks like in a 'Pearl-metallic'"

Have some fun picking your paint ... your bike will all yours.
That: "One in a million"

 

I have a friend who works at a paint shop (real one not mayco) and he will be helping me with his kit, I need a good source for good motorcycle paint,
thanks,
Mike

 

See if he has the "Flip-charts" for -- "House of Colors" and "Kandy-Colors"

These two are niche players in paint supply. "House" does colors used by the guys who build bikes, in one hour, on TV.

Kandy's been around supplying nifty-looking paint for Hot-Rodder's since right after some guy made a big score without getting busted and got boored of his flat-black street-rod looking like everybody else's!

I think the tree-trunk on Fred Flintstone's ride is Kandy-Apple Oak!

 

Hey new paint is always great, redoing mine this winter while the season is over. Think I am going with a two-tone. Haven't decided on colors yet. I agree with Rick, pay attention to the details, make sure your prep work is right or you will regret it. I am very particular about prep work, maybe a little obsesive but hey it's me, lol. Hope it turns out like the picture in your head, it's always nice when it does.

 

I just recently painted my X a sweet cherry red color. You can see the original color on the rear fender (to be done this winter).

A couple of things to keep in mind:

Take your time. If you make a mistake, take the time to fix it. Not fixing it can cause serious problems later on.

Be sure to use light coats.

Sand sand sand... it's a pain, but its worth it.

Be sure to post pics when you're done!

 

I am thinking of doing a deep green, like a british racing green, any thoughts on that? I have a friend who works at a paint shop who is going to do it for me, I just have to figure out what color I want.

 

Genuine "British Racing Green" is one of the true Classic colors. But, "Real" BRG is dull; almost flat.

While you still have some time before buying the paint and loading the gun ... do a little shopping. Cruise a few new car lots and see if there's a color you'd like ... or, ... and this can be fun ... INVENT a new color!

Remember ... you don't need a lot of paint to cover all your parts. Paint is a hazordous waste. Some shops have boxes with small amounts of left-over's they'd love to get rid of.

Grab a bunch of those colors and blend-up and original. It's facinating to do the mixing and blending. A drop of white, a teaspoon of bright red, a couple ounces of purple ... and you'll be closing-in on a one-of-a-kind burgandy.

 

Mad Maxim, did a super clean job on that bike!!!!

Nice one Mad
:lol:

 

Thanks! With the old color still on the rear fender, it makes the bike seem... I don't know, off... but by next spring, I'll have it completely done and ready to hit the road.

Oh, one other thing for people painting their own bikes. Make sure you're careful putting gas in your tank. I dripped a bit on my tank, and it ate into the clear coat. Now, I may have to re-paint it... I'm thinking of a two tone color.. there is a cool red metal flake that rocks!

But, I'll stick with the cherry red for now.



By the way, this was all done with spray cans. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do a good job with them.