Painting lower fork legs...

[Mattcooke99]

Hi again,

I've got some scratches and paint chips to the black lower fork legs on my 1200 GS. I'll be getting some of the HummVee fork protector stickers in due course, but feel I ought to at least tidy them up a little before hiding behind stickers.

Has anyone else done this? Hammerite Silver Smooth was a reasonable match for the frame...and I've got a similar can of black sat in the garage...is it too much to hope that hammerite black will match these parts?

Ps...tried vinyl wrapping the silver side panels yesterday..not as easy as I hoped. In fact looked much the same as when I'm left in charge of wrapping any presents. A mess. Ripped it all off and googled vinyl wrap companies instead.

 

[Bendy toy]

The fork legs are anodised so getting paint to stick wont be easy. Ive also had no luck with hammerite - it chips way too easily.

Vinyl wrap should be easy enough on the fork legs but it needs to be done in the warmth. Use ACF-50 and wait for better weather.

Another option is powder coat or re- anodising but needs a full fork strip.

 

[Paul Rochdale]

I've just painted my R100GS-PD fork legs and followed the advice from my local paint factor -

1. Key the surface with steel wool.
2. Light coat of etch primer.
3. Light coat of primer.
4. Two coats of Steel Wheels.
5. Two coats of lacquer.

Wait twenty minutes between coats. They look great and for once, no runs.

 

[Bendy toy]

How well will paint cope with jet blasting by grit, stones etc? At the very least put some venture shield over it.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Hi again,

I've got some scratches and paint chips to the black lower fork legs on my 1200 GS. I'll be getting some of the HummVee fork protector stickers in due course, but feel I ought to at least tidy them up a little before hiding behind stickers.

Has anyone else done this? Hammerite Silver Smooth was a reasonable match for the frame...and I've got a similar can of black sat in the garage...is it too much to hope that hammerite black will match these parts?

Ps...tried vinyl wrapping the silver side panels yesterday..not as easy as I hoped. In fact looked much the same as when I'm left in charge of wrapping any presents. A mess. Ripped it all off and googled vinyl wrap companies instead.

What about Plasticoat?

 

[Mattcooke99]

Cheers for the replies guys. Anodising or powder coating would be my preferred option but it means dismantling the thing as spring/summers approaching....that might just end up being a project for next winter.

Maybe ACF it for now and on the first warm day get some vinyl wrap on it to hide her battle scars.

 

[Bendy toy]

Cheers for the replies guys. Anodising or powder coating would be my preferred option but it means dismantling the thing as spring/summers approaching....that might just end up being a project for next winter.

Maybe ACF it for now and on the first warm day get some vinyl wrap on it to hide her battle scars.

Now could be a good time to do it. The forks only carry oil for lubrication so no internal springs etc to deal with.

 

[Paul Rochdale]

How well will paint cope with jet blasting by grit, stones etc? At the very least put some venture shield over it.

Well Smooth Hammerite didn't stand up well at all on my Pan fork sliders. A friend recommended Steel Wheels plus lacquer so this is what I'm trying with my R100GS-PD.

 

[Bendy toy]

I used hammerite with all the correct primers on an MZ 250. The front frame down tube and exhaust hangers looked great for a few weeks but as it hardened the paint chipped badly. The hanger rod soon had more chips than paint.