i need to paint my hurricane and think i have finally decided what i shall do. i was thinking about using the stock '06 600RR scheme to paint onto my 87 hurricane. i was going to use a candy red and a gloss black and use chrome decals for the hurricane. was also thinking about putting black ghost flames in the black sections. any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated.

any tips on how to paint multiple plastics to carry the same design. (ie. the black wing that goes from the front of the fairing all the way to the gas tank)

local://upfiles/5310/C77C8BA9881648DFABC7AEA4DC4BED93.jpg

okay, i was responding to this yesterday and dumped it because i didn't really feel like touching this subject. but seeing as no one else replied, i'll give it a go again.

keep in mind i am NOT a professional painter, but i'll attempt to do anything myself once to learn a better way later. also, the following is what "I" would do, not what someone else would do. take it for what it's worth but i take no responsibility for a bad outcome, but i believe if you google around you'll find another way, better or worse, i don't know.

okay, here goes...

1. get list of items... narrow thin masking tape, abs plastic filler, paint, primer, gelcoat, degreaser, sandpaper of various types/grit.

2. remove tank from bike. dump/drain gas. are there stickers? remove them. is paint on tank iffy? sand it down or take to sand blaster to remove. probably cost $20. if you take to sand blasters, tape up all the holes with ducttape, and tape over the gas cap. when you get it back wash surface with soap and water then wipe with acetone to remove any remaining oil, dirt, etc. make sure to wash around the fill cap of any remaining sand or bead particles, leave fill cap in place when doing this. remove fill cap slowly when finished and wipe away any particles from the area.

3. remove bodywork and fairings. are you going to paint over existing paint? remove stickers or striping. wash as best you can all grease, grim, dirt, dust, tar, etc. medium sand bodywork.

3b. are you going to remove all paint from the plastics? remove all paint with sandpaper. if you are planning to chemical peel, be careful, might eat the plastics.

4. check to make sure all bodywork is smooth, if not, use plastic abs filler to fill in those rough spots or road rash. now is a good time to fix any cracks or broken tabs. reinforce cracks with fiberglass for added strength. sand down all repair spots on external portion of bodywork.

5. use a gelcoat to prep bodywork for painting. lightly sand surface after completely dry. use fine grit sandpaper.

6. primer both the gas tank and bodywork. lightly sand surface after completely dry, use fine grit sandpaper or wet sand.

7. now choose your colors. let's use the example you gave, black wing, red body. paint the tank and bodywork black. watch for drips and runs, don't get too heavy on the paint. if there are thin spots, go over spots again. let paint dry completely.

8. put all the bodywork and tank back on bike. now use masking tape to tape inside portion of wing. if you want to make the lines on the bike easier to follow, get a laser leveler from sears or DIY store. this is what you are trying to accomplish. if you paint a surface and then paint over it again with something over top of the first coat of paint, when the second coat is applied and you remove that something, you will get and outline. like painting over a leaf black on white paper. when you remove the leaf, you get an outline of it in white surrounded by black. think of the wing as the leaf and the black paint as the red paint that you will apply last.

9. narrow masking tape is easier to make curves with and thin masking tape doesn't leave a thick buildup of paint on the edge. give yourself a little extra tape to fold over the edges of the bodywork and tank. then continue along the line set by the laser leveler. when you are all done and step away from the bike, there should be a shape of a wing taped on the bodywork. make sure edges of tape are secure or else paint will seep in and leave a nasty edge instead of a clean crisp one that you are trying to get.

10. remove tank and bodywork/fairings and paint untaped areas red. watch out for runs and laying on the paint too thick in one pass. if you need to go over again wait after first coat sets and dries.

11. after it's all dry, remove tape slowly and carefully making sure no paint on the edges is lifting. if the paint is completely dry, this will not happen. w

thanks for the idiot gide to painting. i have never painted before and although not an idiot, needed to make sure i could get it done right. it will sure help having a guide for my specific job. once i get it done i will post some new pics. thanks again.

do you think i should use chrome or carbon decals?

neither, it's an older bike don't try to make a show bike out of it, just make it nice and clean. i'm painting my 87 1000f in about a week, i'll post pics

i didnt mean a lot of decals, just the original 'cbr' '600 f1' and 'hurricane'

i've always liked to maintain a low profile. i'm not the flashy type, so if it were me i'd go carbon.

i think i have actually decided to scrap that idea i want something original. nothing too flashy just something pleasant to look at that no one else has.

hmmm,

the bike is classic from the standpoint that the lines are very identifiable. when a person sees it (if they know what they are looking at), even at a glance, they know it's a hurricane. there is no other motorcycle that has that classic synonimous shape. only a early 900 ducati comes close.

i would start with repairing bodywork first while you are in the process of coming up with something. it helps get you familiar with what you will be dealing with, the lines, edges, vents, etc, helps familiarize yourself enough should you run into any issues you can find a way around them.

are you going to keep the seat as-is or new topping. that'll run about $40.

rims? going to keep those the same color. or something else.

i ride a '89. all original bodywork. original paint, silver graphics over white w/ white rims. a note about white, it takes alot of work to keep clean especially the rims. what a nightmare cleaning them.

i spent quite a few hours repairing cracks and broken bits on the bodywork including the front fender. there is a abs plastic repair kit that you can get to fill in missing tabs and whatnot. it's basically a make your own abs plastics kit. work pretty well.

whatever you decide, prepping the bodywork for paint is important especially if you're looking to have a nice paint job applied.

good luck.

michigan_313

i was just going to leave the seat as is. i thought it would cost about $100 to get that redone. i would also like to get the rims painted either chrome or to match the red i will be painting it, maybe even black. i have debated to do a race replica just for the hell of it. i was thinking the koji maybe?

local://upfiles/5310/72194736445643BDACC7476E83C6E3E5.jpg

I like the idea you have of keeping it simple. Really, no matter how hard you try, you will always have a hurricane. Unless you dump a ton of money into it, and get new plastics, swingarm, rims, etc... I like a nice clean, simple bike myself. I'm also doing some paint work on mine. Here she is now:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/highfigh/DSC00034Small.jpg

I've plastic welded a few cracks, fixed some things here and there. Removed the tire hugger and fabbed up a chain guard. I also removed the rear turn signals and replaced with some that are a little less bulky. I've got everything preped and ready for paint. This is something close to what I'm aiming for:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b109/highfigh/My-project-bike-paint.jpg

I'm using Sherwin Williams base/clear, on top of primer and sealer. Since I have white rims, and don't want to put the money into repainting them this season, I'm just going with a black/white theme. The red accents I might do, don't know yet. Good luck with your project, and keep us posted. I'm gonna be shooting mine this weekend, and I'll post some better pics when i'm done. :D

i also have an advantage, i am getting the paint for free. my dad is a wholesale manager for napa so i get the hookup on auto parts as well as their full line of martin senour(sherwin williams) paint. i dont want to have to take my wheels off but i think i am going to have to. i am actally keeping it relatively simple in comparison. but they should all prove to be simple yet highly potential. i still have not completely made up my mind, but i will make sure it doesnt ruin the image of the bike. hopeing to get the paint soon, and when i do i will start the prep work on the plastics. and i am not trying to change the fact that i own a hurricane, i love the hurricane, just trying to bring it up to date.

The Hurricane is a special bike, it was one of the first to change the sport bike image. There is something to be said for keeping the stock colors and body work. I have a 87 hurricane 600 and I get many compliments on my bike. Last week I took it to the local dealer and I had multiple people come out and look at the bike. Most of the people were excited to see one clean and still stock. This is just something to think about before you paint your hurricane. Once a Hurricane always a hurricane. I will soon post some better photos, these are taken with my phone.

true that, but as yo can see someone has already attempted(attempt being the key work) to paint my bike before. i am just looking at level of difficulty and what i can actually do to spruce this baby up. she'll look perty i promise!