Powdercoating the Frame on a 2011
- Thread starter andykr87
- Start date
GMP
Active member
Some '11s had issues with paint, poor prep it looks like from the one I saw. I've seen Chevys and Dodges like that too! I had my '03(nickel frame) powdercoated, turned out great. I went over the frame and cleaned off any weld spatter with a chisel. I wiped it down with solvent, washed it with Simple Green, and dried it off/out by placing it on my wood stove. VERY important to get all moisture and crap out of the frame tubing so it does not blow out when heated in their oven. Any threaded holes I used sacrificial bolts, and washers on the inside engine mounts. I plugged the steerring head with large high temp rubber stoppers. The powder coater chose to bead blast the nickel surface to remove anything that might peel later.
Thanks for the pointers gmp, using old bolts and washers is a great idea. What do you guys think semi gloss black on a 11??? I wish i could photoshop a pic of my bike w that color but i dont have a computer right now. Repowdercoating the swingarm is prob a good idea too while im at it.
Rick
New member
I don't think I would coat the swingarm....just my .02....... if that gets dinged up then the shinny aluminum will be exposed, then it will look like black rims after a ride through a rock garden. I thought the newer bikes had a swingarm cover / protector on them?
FYI, my nickel coated frame is still holding up great! Very little rust after all the abuse!
FYI, my nickel coated frame is still holding up great! Very little rust after all the abuse!
pj7
Gold Level Site Supporter
I did the same thing with sacrificial bolts and didn't have to do any thread clean-up. I used some big washers and a long bolt to block off the steering head bearings. I've got an older model that was originally gray which I changed to gloss black. I thought about going to the new red color but wanted to be able to do touch-ups with spray paint if I ever needed to do any repairs and didn't want to deal with finding paint to match whatever red it got powercoated. Good thing too, I broke a footpeg mount a few months back and was able to touch up the black with spray paint after welding it and it's not noticeable.
Yea i thought the black would look good too, the swingarm has silver showing through now so i bet powdercoat would hold up just as good as whatever they put on from the factory( i think its PC too). Would a piece of allthread w big washers be a good way to cap off the steering head? I heard aluminum foil being used but im not sure how it would keep PC off the races or surfaces the races sit in.
GMP
Active member
I did mine in a black hammertone, like gloss black with silver specs. Looked good, plus the guy had a lot of it and made me a deal. I'll try and find an old pic. I wouldn't do the swingarm, if anything I'd strip it. Natural looks better with age.
If you do the washes for the steering head, the top edge of the head tube will not be coated. The other option is just use masking tape on the races, and ask the coater if he can remove it after coating and before it goes into the oven.
My '12 looks real nice and has held up excellent. My '07 isn't bad, just a bit dull. My '00 and '03 nickel frames were pretty poor in spots. I thought about the spray on bedliner coating for the lower spars before the frame guards existed.
If you do the washes for the steering head, the top edge of the head tube will not be coated. The other option is just use masking tape on the races, and ask the coater if he can remove it after coating and before it goes into the oven.
My '12 looks real nice and has held up excellent. My '07 isn't bad, just a bit dull. My '00 and '03 nickel frames were pretty poor in spots. I thought about the spray on bedliner coating for the lower spars before the frame guards existed.
fletchman45
New member
How bout a white frame with the blue and white six days plastic from the overseas bike. They look pretty sweet. 20 Hours and looking like crap ALARMS me. Man I wish it was nice out I would ride mine!
