Spraying plastics

Author
Discussion

LiamB

Original Poster:

7,922 posts

142 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I want to respray the whole of my bike when I take it off the road for work soon, is it possible to spray plastic without it cracking and looking crap yet? Would just like gloss black all over again.

Cheers smile

roboxm3

2,414 posts

194 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I've seen it attempted numerous times but never seen it done well.
I'd say you're better off either buying new plastics (UFO, Polisport, Acerbis will be worth a look) or buying a graphics kit for the plastics you've got.

Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
quotequote all
I must be missing something here. Why wouldn't you be able to spray a plastic part?

Probably 99% of road vehicles have sprayed plastic parts.

If it's fked that's a different matter.

mickrick

3,700 posts

172 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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^^^^wot he said^^

LiamB

Original Poster:

7,922 posts

142 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Prof Prolapse said:
I must be missing something here. Why wouldn't you be able to spray a plastic part?

Probably 99% of road vehicles have sprayed plastic parts.

If it's fked that's a different matter.
Normally when you spray plastics on a bike the paint cracks and looks st after a while

Plastics are fine, just a bit scratched.

anonymous said:
[redacted]
Ah, cheers smile

I don't think there is any body shops around here that would do them for me, and I would rather just pay for just paint rather than paint + labour..

kenno78

321 posts

154 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Vinyl wrap?

8potdave

2,280 posts

212 months

Sunday 27th July 2014
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kenno78 said:
Vinyl wrap?
This. You can't really fk it up and it's easily reversible if you want to put back to standard or change it in the future.

Fleegle

16,688 posts

175 months

Sunday 27th July 2014
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I saw who the OP was and immediately re-read the title as 'Playing Spastics'

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Sunday 27th July 2014
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Fleegle said:
I saw who the OP was and immediately re-read the title as 'Playing Spastics'
hehe



As well as a plasticiser for the paint don't you need plastic primer to help it stick too?

catso

14,771 posts

266 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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Just don't do it with an aerosol. I bought a dirt-bike that had been 'rattle-canned' blue and the paint started cracking and flaking off almost immediately.

The good news was that it didn't take much to strip it off completely to get it back to white, only to find that the front mudguard was actually blue, so I had to rattle-can that white... banghead

Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

189 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
LiamB said:
Normally when you spray plastics on a bike the paint cracks and looks st after a while
I did it on DT 125 some years ago and didn't have this issue. I used plastic primer. I had some Yamaha paint mixed up. I don't remember telling him to do anything special with it. Same with the lacquer.

A proper paint shop will advise you what to use.

Most time consuming part is surface prep. If it isn't you're not doing it right.


Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

189 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
catso said:
Just don't do it with an aerosol. I bought a dirt-bike that had been 'rattle-canned' blue and the paint started cracking and flaking off almost immediately.

The good news was that it didn't take much to strip it off completely to get it back to white, only to find that the front mudguard was actually blue, so I had to rattle-can that white... banghead
Just a lay opinion, but the issues I've had with using a rattle can is it's very very hard to get a consistent thickness of paint and finish.

I've never had issues with the paint cracking and flaking unless the surface wasn't prepped properly or the wrong primer used. It is the same paint after all.


catso

14,771 posts

266 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Prof Prolapse said:
Just a lay opinion, but the issues I've had with using a rattle can is it's very very hard to get a consistent thickness of paint and finish.

I've never had issues with the paint cracking and flaking unless the surface wasn't prepped properly or the wrong primer used. It is the same paint after all.
Didn't help that the plastics on this bike were the really flexible MX type (bend & straighten after a crash) rather than normal fairing plastics. I doubt any paint would stick properly and they are always supplied pre-coloured AFAIK.

Prof Prolapse

16,160 posts

189 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
You know what that's a good point actually. I'm basing this on road experience and I've no idea whether the bike I sprayed was used much at all.

I'm just thinking road bike and you're right, that isn't necessarily correct here.

catso

14,771 posts

266 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Road bike fairings, such as on my 916 would probably paint up fine, even with a rattle-can? as the flex in them is very minor (probably should use proper paint though?) but generally off-road stuff is different, similar plastic to what a Frisbee or 'Little Tikes' outdoor toys are made from and definitely not suitable for painting.

Don't know about the OP's bike but my son had an RCR50 and the plastics on that would definitely not have taken well to painting...

Freakuk

3,104 posts

150 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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I've never seen a dirtbike with painted plastics I just don't think they would hold up long given the flex and vibration.

Roadbike stuff is a different matter altogether

LiamB

Original Poster:

7,922 posts

142 months

Monday 28th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies.

My bikes plastics are very flexible, I can bend the front mudguard so it points to the floor and it doesn't snap. I do also go off road quite a lot on it so I think it might be better to wrap it gloss black if there is less downsides to that. Or just keep trying to find panels to buy.. I can buy the tiniest stupid little bolts for my bike but not the plastics mad


y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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What about asking the main dealer if they sell different colour plastics?

peteO

1,790 posts

184 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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you can get aerosols specifically for painting plastics. as others have said they contain a plasticiser that allows for flex in the paint...

alternatively there are loads of cheap 'sticker bombs' on ebay.

peteO

1,790 posts

184 months

Monday 28th July 2014
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also, you could sand out the scratches (course to fine up to 800). work through grades of wet and dry up to 1500-2000 then polish em...