Plastidipping SV frame. Got plastidip pics/advice?

[Finesse]

I want my copper/silver SV650 to be a copper/black one. I already have a set of black wheels and a black swing arm. I'm gonna plastidip the fork legs and the frame black with Rustoleum Flexi-dip.

As you can see from the photo, the exhaust and the tank are dented. The paint on the front fender and the tail section is, as the PO put it, 'a reasonable, but far from perfect, color match'... someone rattle canned those plastic parts before I got the bike, and it has a salvage title, so I'm REALLY not worried about it looking 100% perfect. The clear coat on the plastics is chipping/flaking off, so whatever.

I do not have the time or money to powder coat. It's 100% not happening. The reason I want to plastidip is because it's cheap, easy, and you can peel it off if you don't like it. Yeah, I know it's not durable, it won't last forever, it doesn't look as good as powdercoating, but it's on a frame so it doesn't need that glossy finish and it'll be easy to touch up if I need to.

Has anyone plastidipped something like this? I was gonna get a box of garbage bags, a roll of painter's tape, 4 cans of plastidip and do it outside on a day when it's about 70 degrees and not windy. I plastidipped my dirt bike handlebars today and I'm happy with how it came out considering it was an experiment.

Any tips/photos? Personal experience? Is Rustoleum flexi-dip a good one to go with? I wasn't planning on doing any sanding, just cleaning with a degreaser/strong solvent that we have at the shop.
I cannot be convinced to powdercoat, don't bother, I'm too stubborn!!

[NevadaWolf]

The best things i learned from plastidipping my fairing

1) apply plenty of coats, but din't wait too long between coats as...

2) peel the blue tape while its still wet. Waiting until it dries means you peel the dip up right along with the tap.

3) get the trigger nozzle. Really saves your index finger from pressing down on the little spray nozzle. Plus makes for a much more even coat as the pressure is easier to maintain.

[liquidnine]

I used PlastiDip on my bike while I take my time deciding about paint. The Dip Coat product helps durability... it cuts down the rubbery feel quite a bit. Any area that sees regular friction, though, will wear through. The metallic Anthracite dip looks good. Not black, but a reasonably dark grey.

[alex.s]

a frame? i would not bother with plastidip. strip it and use a plasma thrower powder coat gun

[Finesse]

what about vinyl wrapping it??

[Bigballsofpaint]

i would clear coat over the plastidip if you go that route, it will hold up a lot longer.

[ninjunk]

eh.. if you're going to go through the work to strip it all down, powdercoat is the only way to go.

i agree the SV's look way better with the black frame.

[Finesse]

I'm not stripping the frame down

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by Finesse

what about vinyl wrapping it??

i think vinyl wrap frames look like the ****. (in a good way) ... just don't do fake CF.

[Finesse]

I plastidipped my 125 handlebars and it looks great, I like the matte black finish... I just am worried about it holding up to my knees rubbing the frame when I ride.

[liquidnine]

My tank has held up okay to knees, but I do think the dip coat helped a lot. Give it a shot! It sounds like you know what to expect (as to the lack of durability) and you can always peel it off when the finish wears through. All in all, it is a cheap experiment with minimal risk.

[liquidnine]

here are some pics. The dip went on in August, and I haven't sprayed it again since. There are maybe 6 coats on here, with the DipCoat on top to toughen it up. You can see the friction point where the seat hits the tank has worn through the dip, but where my knees hit the tank looks just fine.

[MrAtom]

Be careful with the blaze colors in the can. I tried blaze orange and it just spurted out these uneven blobs all over the project. It was a huge pain in the ass to get off.

And, yes. It was warm enough. Yes, i shook it enough. Yes, I soaked the tip in naptha. Nothing was done wrong on my behalf (surprisingly...)

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

Be careful with the blaze colors in the can. I tried blaze orange and it just spurted out these uneven blobs all over the project. It was a huge pain in the ass to get off.

And, yes. It was warm enough. Yes, i shook it enough. Yes, I soaked the tip in naptha. Nothing was done wrong on my behalf (surprisingly...)

you forgot the sacrificial goat.

[Bigballsofpaint]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

Be careful with the blaze colors in the can. I tried blaze orange and it just spurted out these uneven blobs all over the project. It was a huge pain in the ass to get off.

And, yes. It was warm enough. Yes, i shook it enough. Yes, I soaked the tip in naptha. Nothing was done wrong on my behalf (surprisingly...)

It sounds like you knew what you were doing, but just case (i had this problem, not the blaze colors though). They claim temps over liek 60 are fine but i found this not true, it was much higher. I put hot water in a bowl and put the can in the bowl for 5 minutes, went out and sprayed fine. Repeat every 15 min until i had 4 coats on.

[MrAtom]

Originally Posted by Bigballsofpaint

It sounds like you knew what you were doing, but just case (i had this problem, not the blaze colors though). They claim temps over liek 60 are fine but i found this not true, it was much higher. I put hot water in a bowl and put the can in the bowl for 5 minutes, went out and sprayed fine. Repeat every 15 min until i had 4 coats on.

I did that too and the can started to bulge at the bottom. Didn't look too dangerous, but it made me nervous. My water might have been too warm, though. So I don't really want to blame that one on them.

Also, I called their tech support line and explained, she asked me some questions, saw I was doing everything right, and said "thank you for calling plasti dip. Have a good day!" and hung up suddenly. Their product is fine for some people, but it doesn't work for me. I won't be buying again.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

Also, I called their tech support line and explained, she asked me some questions, saw I was doing everything right, and said "thank you for calling plasti dip. Have a good day!" and hung up suddenly.

hahahaha! classic.

[EsrTek]

I just bought a few cans (for rims and black plastic trim)...will see how it goes.
I only spent like $25 for 1 can and 1 pearlizer just to test (not sure I'll like pre-mixed color).

If it works about how much is actually needed (e.g) will 1 can do the bottom (oil pan fairing) of a 300?

[verboten1]

6 cans white, 6 cans pearl.





I've used it for quite a few applications, I don't think I'll ever use it again. Yes, it was a (relatively) cheap way to get my bike one color. But it's a pain, it's peeling, and not super durable.

[Jono]

Came across this today, and thought of this thread....

http://www.dipyourcar.com/forums/sho...650-frame-dip&

[Finesse]

^yeah I saw that. I have no doubt it'll look good I just don't know about how long it'll last or what it'll look like when I ride it with my knees all up on the frame. :\

[Jono]

Probably not very well. I put plasti dip on top of the shift knob in my car and it only lasted a few weeks. My car sits outside, so in the summer time that plasti dip peels very easily when it's constantly touched.

[Finesse]

aw man. I wonder if just regular old spray painting is a better option?

[MrAtom]

Originally Posted by Finesse

aw man. I wonder if just regular old spray painting is a better option?

You're gonna get a lot of **** for saying that one.

[Jono]

I wouldn't spray paint it. In order to get the paint to look nice you are going to have strip down the bike to just the frame. At that point, just get it done right and have it powder coated.

I say just leave it alone. The silver frame doesn't look bad. But a poor paint job will.

[KawiKid860]

do your legs touch the frame at all when you ride? If not I'm inclined to say the dip should last quite a while if there's no mishaps that damage it. That's not really an area where you get a lot of rocks thrown up or anything and if there's no friction on it I don't see why it would start to peel, except for maybe heat. Dips rated for 200* though and I don't think an SV frame would get that hot. Either way, if it doesn't last what do you lose, $15 and an hour maybe? And you gain the knowledge that dip won't hold up there. If it does last you have a trick black frame that everyone else on the block wishes they had.

[Finesse]

Originally Posted by KawiKid860

do your legs touch the frame at all when you ride?

[KawiKid860]

Plasti dip the frame then throw some clear or matte vinyl over the portion that your legs touch! Or just wrap the whole thing, definitely more durable but a lot harder and much more expensive.

[Finesse]

hmm. I didn't consider rattle canning it because the advantage of plastidip is it peels off (I know I'm not gonna want to un-black the frame, I hate the silver lol) and it requires almost no prep work. but I have easy and free access to all the tools i'd need to sand and prime it so ... I'm starting to think rattle canning might be more durable.

[KawiKid860]

You could use bedliner. The rustoleum stuff is pretty smooth, I used it on my rearsets. It's not plasti dip levels of smooth but it's pretty close. Otherwise I'd recommend duplicolor engine enamel with ceramic, it's tougher than your standard rattle can paint and resists gas and oil which a frame could easily come into contact with.

[Finesse]

so many options! not a fan of bedliner.

[Jono]

Back when I had a 250, I sanded down the swingarm and sprayed it with the bedliner stuff. It stuck pretty well and seamed like it would stay for a while. Sold the bike before I could tell if it was durable or not. But it looked good. I wouldn't rule it out as an option. Well, for the swingarm at least.

[Finesse]

I already have a black OEM swing arm, just gotta find the time to swap it. proving difficult