Can someone "paint" this motorcycle for me? (Update)

[Thomas Rogers]

Gavin,



Would require someone with more photoshop skills than I to paint the fenders. It's easy to paint the darker colors, but the fenders are mostly white and bright in color since they are chrome. The "trick" I use of a color overlay and hard light doesn't really work for shiney surfaces like that...it keeps them white.



I tried.



Someone else can do it, maybe.



TJR

 

[Gavin Allan]

Hey- you can do more than I can. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[Tom Schindler]

I am a tard when it comes to photoshop.





Tom

 

[Tom Schindler]

The parts are back from the painter. The paint job is show quality. Perfect paint. It looks absolutely stunning. The parts are not installed on the frame as of yet, but the parts are in my living room and they look gorgeous.





Tom

 

[Tom Schindler]

The bike has been put together. Rode it for about 40 miles yesterday.



The bike looks awesome. I got the exhaust painted flat black because it was rusted and ugly looking. The painted fenders, tank, and side covers look stunning on the bike. Believe it or not, the bike has a retro look even with the new color. The emblems were gold colored and the painter put gold metallic into the paint. The paint looks awesome.



Thank you to TJR for helping me to decide which color by using Photoshop. Thank you everyone else that made their suggestions. I was hell bent on the Green color, but I am so happy I went with the blue.

I am sure the green would have looked great too, but the blue is about as good as it gets.





Tom

 

[Clay Campbell]

Can we see some pictures?



I just did a similar refresh to my bike. I painted the exhaust flat black. Just beware that it will chalk it you scratch it with anything. Mine is holding up well but it seems impossible to maintain a perfect finish.

 

[Les]

Need some pics...



:worthless:

 

[Tom Schindler]

I will be posting pictures today. I just need to clean the engine off a little. I may end up painting the mufflers a different color that the header pipes.



Just got back from a 10 miles ride around town. Man was it great!!!





Tom

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Caymen,



You are welcome. Looking forward to pics.



TJR

 

[Tom Schindler]

Well, here they are...



Mind you, the bike is a work in progress. Still more work is needed. Wheels and tires will be replaced soon. Also putting a new chain and sprockets.



It should look really nice when done.



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Close-up of the tank paint to see the color and a look at the front fender to see how it looks.



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It still needs the emblems installed. The ones I have are worn. I have some new tank emblems, but can't find them at the moment.





Tom

 

[Clay Campbell]

Holy Bug Blocker Bat Man! Thats one huge windshield!



Paint looks great!

 

[Tom Schindler]

I hate the looks of the windshield, but I LOVE to be behind it.





Tom

 

[Clay Campbell]

I think thats a common feeling. My dad has the same dilemma. He has been debating getting one cause of the looks but thinks it would make riding much more comfortable. At this time in my life, I'm still vain enough to worry more about looks than comfort i guess.



My bike is at a friends shop getting tuned up. I can't wait to get out and ride some. I hope you enjoy your bike a lot. Keep the rubber side down!

 

[Tom Schindler]

I think I may end up painting the mufflers a different color black. The pipes and mufflers needed painted. The stainless steel used was a low quality grade (typical Japanese junk) that rusted from the inside out. I went over the whole muffler and pipes with a grinder using a type 27 style flapper wheel. Numerous places had holes right under the surface of the muffler. I ended up patching those areas with JB Weld and then sanded it smooth. Flat black just hides so much, it is hard to use another color. The muffler had to be patched up in so many places, it looks like crap.



Odds are, I will end up with a 4 to 2 exhaust system instead of the 4 to 4 that is on it now. If I had a source for some nice, but cheap, mufflers, I would try to cut the mufflers off and mount those. Since I have a 4 to 4 exhaust, I am looking at a minimum for over 200.00 just for mufflers. The OE system is $800.00 plus shipping from Japan. I would be looking at $1,000 for a stupid exhaust system.



The paint job has energized me to work on it more. I got some other small stuff to do to it. Wheels, Tires, and Brakes is next, along with the sprockets and chains.



It will be nice when complete.





Tom

 

[Les]

Looks nice...

 

[Clay Campbell]

I think I may end up painting the mufflers a different color black. The pipes and mufflers needed painted. The stainless steel used was a low quality grade (typical Japanese junk) that rusted from the inside out. I went over the whole muffler and pipes with a grinder using a type 27 style flapper wheel. Numerous places had holes right under the surface of the muffler. I ended up patching those areas with JB Weld and then sanded it smooth. Flat black just hides so much, it is hard to use another color. The muffler had to be patched up in so many places, it looks like crap.



Odds are, I will end up with a 4 to 2 exhaust system instead of the 4 to 4 that is on it now. If I had a source for some nice, but cheap, mufflers, I would try to cut the mufflers off and mount those. Since I have a 4 to 4 exhaust, I am looking at a minimum for over 200.00 just for mufflers. The OE system is $800.00 plus shipping from Japan. I would be looking at $1,000 for a stupid exhaust system.

I did exactly the same thing with my exhaust. But I couldn't take care of all the rust so i smoothed it as much as I could and like you said, hid it with the flat black paint. After doing it I like it ok but not as much as I thought I would. Since I am gonna chop part of my frame and make mine into a softail bobber I am thinking about cutting of the horns(mufflers) and welding on SS exhaust pipe with a turn out at the end. I have 4 into 2 right now and will probably leave it that way. I may leave the front pipes flat black and wrap them with header wrap.



This is where I am at now. After tearing it down to bare frame and working inside the motor I wanted to make sure I could put it all back together before I started doing cosmetic work. Now that its back together I am trying to get it running right then I will begin with the major body work. Still haven't decided a color.

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Plans are to lose the big A$$ seat and cut the back loop of the frame. Replace it with a solo bobber style seat and better looking rear fender. Thats it for body mods. After that it is just paint. Paint all fenders, tank, side covers, and engine covers. I will change the exhaust when it is convenient. I found this example online that it similar to what I want mine to look like. Not exactly though



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[Tom Schindler]

I have seen bobbers. While they look cool, they look too uncomfortable. The CB line of Honda bikes is very popular for a Bobber or "Cafe Racer" conversion. I don't want to do that with it.



My CB550K is just a project bike that I want to learn to work on motorcycles and figure out the motorcycle parts lingo. I find that the more I do, the more I want to do. It is a never ending cycle.



I plan on teaching Theresa to ride it this summer.





Tom