what to do with frame powdercoat or paint ?

[Kawasakinut]

just wondering about your thoughts on this subject. got a guy that said it will run about 300$. is this a good price or not (2000 kx 250 main frame only) not including the swingarm and subframe. i figure that i've got it all apart so i should just do it right. i donot intend on selling this bike when finished so your thoughts are welcome.     

[maddoggy]

powdercoating the frame is the most durable choice, especially if you intend on keeping the bike. $300 seems to be about the average price for coating a bike frame. if you're ambitious you could look into a inexpensive powdercoating system of your own, but most of the kits i've looked at only have basic colors available to the average consumer. then of course you need to have an oven large enough to bake it in. i say do it. MADDOGGY

[maddoggy]

$100 ?? i would make sure the guy is doing a decent job. if you know anything about powder coating, then you know that a half a$$ job might as well not be done at all. the old rule- you get what you pay for apllies here. you want something to be proud of.  MADDOGGY

[Hillclimb#42]

Sounds like a good deal to me. I got a real good deal on mine for 200 and I had to sand blast old paint and powdercoat myself. They have colors too.  Forget the paint. It wears way too fast, especially on underneath side.

[Danger4u2]

I work in the coating removal industry.  I've seen companies go bankrupt that did bad powder coating.  Do it right the first time or it cost big dollars to get it blasted without chewing up your frame.  We plastic bead blast MX frames for 35 dollars, striped of parts and ready to blast.  A powder coated frame runs 100 dollars and up.  Make sure your powder coater knows what he's doing.  The coating is only half of the job.  Prep before the coating is equally important.  If they coat any holes with threads you have to run a tap in, to clean it out.  Bearing races won't fit in the steering tube if it gets coated.  Powder coating in not indestructible, try to pick a color that matches a common spray can color.  That way you can do easy touch ups.

[FuriouSly]

I work in the coating removal industry.  I've seen companies go bankrupt that did bad powder coating.  Do it right the first time or it cost big dollars to get it blasted without chewing up your frame.  We plastic bead blast MX frames for 35 dollars, striped of parts and ready to blast.  A powder coated frame runs 100 dollars and up.  Make sure your powder coater knows what he's doing.  The coating is only half of the job.  Prep before the coating is equally important.  If they coat any holes with threads you have to run a tap in, to clean it out.  Bearing races won't fit in the steering tube if it gets coated.  Powder coating in not indestructible, try to pick a color that matches a common spray can color.  That way you can do easy touch ups.

Ditto....  a powder color they have in stock is cheaper than one they have to special order or custom match.  Bead blast costs, prep holes/recesses costs, and craftmanship costs.

Here is an example of a custom powdercoat job on my 84 RM250.  I did the frame metalwork restoration.

Powdercoater bead blasted, prepped, first coat is a hammercoat type powder that is silver and metallic.  It is baked/hardened.

Second coat is a clear/blue pearl powder that can electostatically attach to the first coat and then is baked.

CR500 has the same finish but in Red.

Sly

[Danger4u2]

If you have a mishap, paint or powder coat, use Jet Strip or it might be called Aircraft Stripper.  If it doesn't burn the skin it's not the good striper.  2 or 3 applications on powder coat.  Chemical stripper leaves a residue, clean real well before repaint.

[Wizzy214]

i painted my frame came out really good. but installing motor and etc. it chipped easy then had to touch up with nail polish. 

if you plan on keeping the bike even for more then a year or so powder coat it you wont be dissapointed.

[Hillclimb#42]

I'm partial to black, myself, but they have silver. I think they do have flat colors. The standard or stock colors most likely vary from place to place, but I would imagine colors like Silver, gray, black, white are typical colors. I think the shine of the silver would still look good even without being flat. Danger probably has the inside scoop. I'm a hands off guy on alot of this kinda stuff. I park my parts down at Thomas Racing Service and tell him what I want. Its a good relationship, because it always turns out right without the the normal three steps forward and two steps back issues that I get when I attempt to save a couple hundred bucks. A good point has been made about that on here. Don't try to save money on powder coat too much. If they don't cork all threaded holes, that powder coat is a pain in the a** to get retapped back out, and can be tough on bearing tolerances. Even if you get it done by a top-notch outfit, be sure to go over every hole visually and take care of any issues before assembly.

[Jeeks]

Lookin good Jim.  I'm partial to green frames.  In fact, if I ever bought an 03-up KX, I would paint the frame green.  I dunno, the new bikes look unfinished or something.

If you use PJ1, use a respirator, one made for chemicals, not a dust mask.  When I painted my frame I got a serious migrane from it.

[Wizzy214]

wow that frame looks brand new, for color i'd go with the new kx color or gun metal looks good too.

[gwcrim]

Wiz this frame is pretty rough on the bottom.....

Dood....... you need to rethink your definition of rough!  This lurks under my 19 yr. old KX500:

[Danger4u2]

The most important part of powder coating is starting with clean metal.  That's 60% of powder coating.  Blasting for powder coaters is 20% of our business.  We use a fine grit aluminum oxide.  It gives a slight etch to the metal that makes powder coat stick.  We blasted a striped dune buggy frame, it ran about 150 dollars.  The guy up the highway from us coated it the color the customer picked out.  He did a great job.  The customer got it home and decided he didn't like the color. No fault of the coater.   Had us reblast it and it cost 480 dollars. My point-  get it done right the first time.  Here's a few pic's of what we do.  The cars will be plastic bead blasted.  The Road Runner is being prepped for blasting, the Charger is ready to blast, no prep.  The rotisserie makes it easy to blast a car body 100%.  This customer is a pro, when he does a car it looks new.  He's one of those ground up restoration guys.

[gwcrim]

I have no idea from whence that hole came.

And Danger...... Mopower to ya!  I've got a '70 Challenger that I've owned since 1978.  I'll probably be selling it this spring.  I haven't touched in 10 years and I'd rather have cash for it than let it sit there.

[Jeeks]

Had many Mopars myself.

73 Cuda 440
70 Road Runner  440/tubbed/12 pt cage/fiberglass body
70 Challenger 340/4 spd
73 Charger SE 400 (beater)