best paint for fork legs?

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

fork legs need a touch up - not corroded just the paint has worn off after my off road exploits etc - any clever solutions that I can do at home?

I heard silver smoothrite is a cracking match if done carefully?

 

[MikeP]

It is but you can always do them black and then use some satin black vinyl to wrap the tubes (to match and to protect the anodised tube);

 

[Dr Bones]

I used Simoniz 5 Wheel Paint (Steel colour version) on the forks and Swingarm of my other bike (MK1 TDM 850)

or if you want black

This stuff is good as well

I used it on my Ammo can panniers

Both bikes have stood up to some abuse and the paint doesn't look the worse for wear

 

[Neil W]

I did the lowers on my old 1150 5 years ago with a gun using silver cellulose finished off with spray can lacquer for alloy wheels and it is still in perfect condition.

 

[Vern]

I don't think it's the paint you use, as much as how well you put it on. Blast them clean them and all that makes a huge difference

 

[illustratedman]

Silver smoothrite isnt actually a great match if you are just touching up. Best results i've had lately is halfords paint whilst restoring my gpz

 

[Mac]

It is but you can always do them black and then use some satin black vinyl to wrap the tubes (to match and to protect the anodised tube);

Wow, nice job dude

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

It is but you can always do them black and then use some satin black vinyl to wrap the tubes (to match and to protect the anodised tube);

Liking that - I have the black engine case too... hmmmmmmmmm

 

[roddy]

Heres a pic of the legs I did on my old 1150GSA the one on the LHS is the original paint, the RHS , was cleaned using wirewool, a light rub down, sprayed with primer, and finished with Hammerite Smooth Silver, I think its a good match

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

well that looks spot on i think.
thanks for putting up the photo.

is that smoothrite silver brush applied?
what sort of primer did you use - just a flat grey 'any type' primer?

 

[Flipfly]

alternatively fit a set of these from Adventure Bike Warehouse

Fitted a set to my 1150 and they look smart and save a whole heap of bother painting

 

[ELIMINATOR]

 

[Flipfly]

Not at all, they are roughty toughty usefulness in the form of plastic and screws

 

[MattW]

well that looks spot on i think.
thanks for putting up the photo.

is that smoothrite silver brush applied?
what sort of primer did you use - just a flat grey 'any type' primer?

When I did my rocker covers and engine front case I didn't use any primer. Just thoroughly cleaned off old bubbled coating, feathered the edges of well adhered coating, abraded the lot with 'green pad' and applied several light coats of smoothrite. I'm not claiming a showroom finish (it's a 17 year old 1100 after all) but it still looks the same as the day I bolted it all back together, two years down the line (this may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your viewpoint ).

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ATpB4VsUwzLIdLBwoblURhJAieIP4IByCYmMpeOVcwI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-aWi8-lDcfPQ/TG_4jA_I3YI/AAAAAAAADqA/r79-vBYhfbU/s800/IMG_5635.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hbrgsqboHln1wP5PgfCaOBJAieIP4IByCYmMpeOVcwI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aNhhS_X-r-Q/TG_4IdIdJJI/AAAAAAAADps/KqVSuGQNdK4/s800/IMG_5641.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kXMGBqyP8dpXxEeG11OVSMdIjVbFe8lpPsa0N09Tvn4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_1SZBjfyjGQ/TFGhgODLd9I/AAAAAAAADfc/QLlEULabNPY/s800/IMG_5575.JPG" height="800" width="600" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y4-tn4wX9n85O9pH2cyhhsdIjVbFe8lpPsa0N09Tvn4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-flLNHDKZRlc/TFGhh8eGNbI/AAAAAAAADfg/HaxWq2K1GVA/s800/IMG_5581.JPG" height="800" width="600" /></a>

 

[roddy]

well that looks spot on i think.
thanks for putting up the photo.

is that smoothrite silver brush applied?
what sort of primer did you use - just a flat grey 'any type' primer?

Thinking back I didn't use a primer on the lower fork legs I used it on the fork bridge as I took that back to bare metal.

The fork lowers where wirewooled clean with parafin then the parafin was cleaned off, once clean the paint was in good solid shape so there was no need for primer, I just masked off the relevant areas and put thin layers of Silver smoothrite spray on, dried it off using a hairdryer, then the next layer, so on till I had a good coating.

Patience and prep is the key to a good finish

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

When I did my rocker covers and engine front case I didn't use any primer. Just thoroughly cleaned off old bubbled coating, feathered the edges of well adhered coating, abraded the lot with 'green pad' and applied several light coats of smoothrite. I'm not claiming a showroom finish (it's a 17 year old 1100 after all) but it still looks the same as the day I bolted it all back together, two years down the line (this may be a good or a bad thing, depending on your viewpoint ).

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ATpB4VsUwzLIdLBwoblURhJAieIP4IByCYmMpeOVcwI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-aWi8-lDcfPQ/TG_4jA_I3YI/AAAAAAAADqA/r79-vBYhfbU/s800/IMG_5635.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hbrgsqboHln1wP5PgfCaOBJAieIP4IByCYmMpeOVcwI?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aNhhS_X-r-Q/TG_4IdIdJJI/AAAAAAAADps/KqVSuGQNdK4/s800/IMG_5641.JPG" height="600" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kXMGBqyP8dpXxEeG11OVSMdIjVbFe8lpPsa0N09Tvn4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_1SZBjfyjGQ/TFGhgODLd9I/AAAAAAAADfc/QLlEULabNPY/s800/IMG_5575.JPG" height="800" width="600" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/y4-tn4wX9n85O9pH2cyhhsdIjVbFe8lpPsa0N09Tvn4?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-flLNHDKZRlc/TFGhh8eGNbI/AAAAAAAADfg/HaxWq2K1GVA/s800/IMG_5581.JPG" height="800" width="600" /></a>

that looks bloody lovely - no-one can complain at that finish eh? smart as a carrot - thanks for putting pics up

well then, when i get back from Overlander in Derbyshire this weekend, once all the mud and shit is jet washed off I am going to give that a damn good crack. Happy days and fingers crossed.

 

[knucklemoto]

Some great work here.... I did the fork lowers on my 80k miles 1150gs a couple of weeks ago. First a wash, then a rub down with wet n dry, then a couple of coats of black smoothrite just cos it was left over on the shelf.
Much better.
I also did the same for the pillion hangers. Wedged a black bin bag behind them and sprayed away, tidied them up nicely.

 

[Kokopelli]

I've been thinking about doing that as well. But currently I am still waiting for the rest of the paint to wear off.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

fork legs need a touch up - not corroded just the paint has worn off after my off road exploits etc - any clever solutions that I can do at home?

I heard silver smoothrite is a cracking match if done carefully?

Is this the stuff your talking about?

http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/31076/Direct-to-Rust-Smooth-Finish-Aerosol-Silver-400ml

 

[Bendy toy]

I had major hassle with Smoothrite chipping off. It was fine for a few weeks but brittle when aged. However I used it over Hammerite primer so maybe it's best used direct to metal.
A thin etch primer coat could be handy.