How to Paint a Motorcycle

Painting motorcycles is an every-month job for bike enthusiasts around the globe, as it sets an image of who they are, how do they think, and their level of madness towards motorcycling. They ensure that they use the best paint techniques that would make their motorcycles attractive enough to suit their personalities. Nowadays, airbrush painting is widely used by bikers to give their bikes a unique look with different colors and graphics like fire flames, skulls, fierce animals, etc. Painting your motorcycle all by yourself may save you hundreds of dollars as paint shops charge a considerable amount for a task that you can do at home.

Airbrush Painting

This is a modern paint technique that is being used for almost every type of motorcycle, be it a Harley Davidson or a sports bike. The way in which people want their bikes painted can be done by this technique, as it allows the painter to easily color specific parts on the bike in different colors and styles. If you want to paint your bike in a colorful way, you would need an airbrush, which is a tool used for spray painting.

How to Paint a Motorcycle?

If you are wondering how to paint a bike at home, you need to follow some steps and tips to come out with a good result. If you are not careful with the task, your bike may end up appearing like a motorcycle which kids have played with color on. Nevertheless, with the appropriate tools and paint techniques, you can carry out the job in a pretty good manner and give your bike a shiny customized look that you always wanted.

The first thing you would need to do is to choose the color or colors you want to paint your bike with. You need to purchase the paint color from a reputed dealer who you know wouldn't cheat you. There are some dealers who may provide cheap quality paint at the same price. You also have the option of mixing two or more colors to make a customized color of your own choice. You can refer to many related books or brochures to check if the colors match appropriately.

After you are done with selecting and buying the appropriate color, remove the motorcycle parts which you don't want to paint. This will remove the possibilities of over-spraying on any other part or area of the bike which is not to be painted. Use sandpaper and remove the old paint from the motorcycle parts which are to be painted. You should never paint over the old paint. If you do so, the bike's painted surface won't get a smooth coverage.

You need to ensure that the parts to be painted don't have any dents or dings on them. If they do, you need to get the dents fixed. Just ensure that the surface is free from any old paint and smooth enough to be painted. Keep the parts on a drop cloth and ensure that the surface is facing outward. If required, you may position small blocks of wood beneath the fenders to hold them up.

Check if the spray gun works properly, and ensure that the paint comes out in a fine manner. If you see any trickles, simply adjust the nozzle in an appropriate manner. Sweep the airbrush to and fro, which will apply a light and smooth coat on the surface of the part. The paint should be applied as if you are putting fine color powder on the surface.

Keep the painted parts for drying, and after some time repeat the painting process by using another paint color. As color paint layers are applied on the surface, the color will deepen. After you have dried out the paint, the last step would be to apply the clear coat which will give the painted parts a shiny protective finish.

There are many motorcycle paint colors that you can choose from to make your bike one of a kind. If you just want a single color, you can always think of painting your motorcycle at home itself.

If you are not sure about how to paint a motorcycle and want a professionally customized color and finish, you need to take assistance from a bike-painting professional who would have several formats and designs that would certainly make your bike unique.