Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Custom Corner "Time for Change" project

Hated your bike when I first saw it, the colour and the flames but am so impressed by what you've done to it so far and your ideas.
This is going to be my new favourite bike I'm sure.
Now wheres my angle grinder.
Cheers
Chris

how do you have that mounted to the swingarm?...Just surface welded thats square steel to the top and thats it?

I'm curious to see how that holds up under pressure

It would be cool to take those frame rails to a point like Keith said. That'd be some sculpting though since theyre sucha wierd shape.

Thanks guys!! Yes the swing arm is surface welded, but that's why I used square stock and ran it the length of the swing arm....more then strong enough, could have used just 2 ears for mounts...I do have plans for the frame section I cut off...like the idea for bring it to a point...

Hey BD,
That's looking VERY Sharp !!!!!

Few updates: added vancent Hines slip ons..then took the baffles out
Haven't had time to work on the exhaust system the way I want but needed something that sounded good until then...finally got some paint on it trying to figure out what color I want...the color on the tank is a Mercedes charcoal, I will be adding a Honda blue to the charcoal in the design of my tattoo...tell me what you think about the color....

Next

I think it's a great color combo. If you like it, do it.
btw...looks like a bad flame job on the lid of the charcoal.
What are you going to do with the blue?

the blue will be in the design of my trible tatoo...i will run it up both sides of the tank and the top of the fender..
yeah it does look like a bad flame job on the lid..LOL

She's looking real good! Love the way you've lowered the bike but I sure hope those pipes don't drag when you're out having fun!

Took some pretty tight turns probably as low as I'll take it after I put them on and was close but didn't hit...I will be changing the exhaust soon to just one side and try to give more room...it will be a two into one...

Love the color. Reminds me of BMW Graphite Grey, a color my dad painted one of his cars when I was a kid.

******....I really like that color...I was looking for something like that but couldn't find it...so I just went with low gloss black.

I was going with flat black. But decided I wanted something different...this has some purl in it...not to much but just enough to give it depth...when I sand the clear down to put the blue on I am going to see what both colors will look like flat...mite be an option..or keep one color gloss clear and the other flat???

I usually go for gloss accents and flat/satin for the main colors

Hopefully I will have the rest of the bike ready for paint in a week or so...then I can play with the gloss or flat...I do like Your idea of the accent color being gloss and the rest flat..

yeah if not flat then satin. I kinda like satin more cause its got a little sheen to it and seems like its a little more durable than straight flat. Spilling gas and whatnot..haha

your right about the sheen being tougher then the flat clears..the best is to use gloss clear over the paint then wet sand it down then use your flat/sheen clears...Dupont has a sheen clear..PPG has a really good flat clear..

A while ago a few comments were made about having a "extra" set of tins to change up the look some, and be able to keep the originals.
This is the tank I was in the middle of painting. Bought off ebay for $100, then sprayed with rattle cans from pepboys.

I like the change in looks that just changing tanks provides, so much so that I'm looking for another tank to spray Charcoal metallic on the background, and some REALLY BOLD, BRIGHT metallic color inlays!
I have a bobbed rear fender in Gloss Black, that is just about cured enough for color sanding and mounting. The black will go with whatever tank I use, and not having to change the rear fender/struts/lights cuts changeover time in half.
On Saterday, I have the Green one, two up, for a nice ride with the spouse.


On Sunday (and 90% of the rest), I have this Gold one, for not so nice riding.

You did a great job painting that tank with rattlecans. Nice work and it looks professional. Looks like you got a heck of a deal with 100 and the price of a couple cans of paint.

Dude, that looks really cool! Sets off the brass accents nicely!

Looks good! Especially for a rattle can! Nice work.

Looks good, but needs a rear fender to set It off...nothing stock...
The pics below are of bikes I did or helped do..
Love this bike the most..the rear fender sets it off


This is a more suttle fender but still adds finish with out standing out...my ex.

Very cool. I can't remember if this was asked and/or answered before, but did you remove the headers to wrap them? I've got the header wrap kit from DEI still, but I'd sorta decided to have them ceramic coated instead. Now I'm not sure.

My triumph is the charcoal one w/mono mount...I didn't rap mine yet....most of the previous ones that I've done I took the headers off and started the rap behind the mounting hardware...there has been a few that I've done with the pipes still on and went over the mounting hardware...no matter how you do yours (pipes on or off) install the rap wet...when it dries it will be nicer....

love that bike your ex is on

Chris, the tank was 50, and shipping was 50. a hundred even, I was stoked!

Dave/scott, Thanks. I was pleased with the color combo, since the colors to choose from are extremely limited. That was the ONLY "med. brown available!

Bonedaddy, I'd kill for that Knuck. Looks like it's straight out of the local mechanics garage!!!

And yes, I will have a bobber, Gloss Black fender in a week or two.
ALL of those rides of yours look NICE!

I put my DEI Header tape on while the pipes were on the bike. 2-3 years ago? I should do a touch-up spray on them, but I just haven't yet.
+1 on keeping it wet during application.

Could you tell me about step c and e in a little more detail...
Color sand? Sand the color till flat?
wet/dry? Sand it wet and sand it dry?
Thanks for your pointers.

After the paint's dry, (REALLY DRY, I let mine cure for six weeks) it's got a shine to it.
I turn the garden hose on slow and run water over the tank,it's still nice and shinny, and sand with the 1,000 grit on a rubber block until the whole surface is flat looking(no shinny "dimples"). Then you just rub the whole tank with Rubbing Compound until the paint shines again.
Ditto for the Clear Coat step.

Think Erie's tank looks great and his methods worked well for him..Nothing better then riders doing the work on their bikes themselves..it makes you more proud to ride and say you did this when people ask.

I am just adding a different option to the rattle can paint job..
...if you want a professional paint job at a DIY price, then I can help you...I was born into a body shop and have been in the business in one aspect or another all my life....I do all my own body and paint work except on few rare moments when I'm working at a shop and I just have a painter clear my stuff when he's doing a car or parts...saves me the time and I still get it done...
Any location in the world will have a body/paint supplier close by...the best option for the DIY is to get the best material for the money...automotive paint suppliers will have base colors and clears in spray bomb cans that will be your best option....these products will only cost a few dollars more then the rattle cans and be designed for automotive use...they will last longer and hold up better then off the shelf paint cans meant for little projects...
I can teach you how to use and do the same things the best customizers do at the price you can afford...its not hard its just knowing where to get the stuff and how to use it...I can do a complete bike with base/clear and all the body work for $50 and it last for longer then me...
If Interested, pm me and I can explain it in details
Bonedaddy customs