I just purchased a 1996 CBR 900rr about a week ago with 33,000 miles for 2k. It had some body damage so I took it apart and started sanding. I sanded with 400grit to get it smooth, then fixed the body damage with body filler and fiberglass resin repair kit. I've sanded the parts back down with 50grit, then 400grit again and it's smooth. I primed the front piece ( headlight piece ) and the tail pieces with duplicolor black spray can primer... and stopped because i figured I would post on here and because the weather in Kentucky is 50degrees, then 20 the next.

NOW TO MY QUESTION..

I was going to buy a compressor and spray gun, because I need a compressor anyways.. However, I'm on somewhat of a budget and i've read several posts on this forum and several other parts of the net about rattle can jobs that look good. Any opinions on rattle can jobs and what brands are good?

Also, my bike has black rims and a chrome frame. Any solid color suggestions? I am leaning toward a satin black, midnight blue or maybe a red.

 

I don't want to step on any toes here but IMO you will never get a rattle can job to "be" as good as a true catylized or automotive style sprayed paint job. Its considerably more difficult to even simply approach it in appearance alone. Durability and quality, particularly on a motorcycle, is not even in the same millennium.

If you have the means to gear up for it, you wont regret you did.

(This is where somone comes in and posts how they did a show winning rattle can job on the space shuttle that's lasted 3 trips to the moon)

 

It probably won't be as good as a professional job, but rattle can jobs can be easy. I would highly recommend the Rustoleum Engine Enamel because it's cheap, easy to apply, resistant to oil / gas / bad fluids, and comes in lots of colors.

I used VHT during most of my Summer Bike Overhaul Project and regretted the hell out of it. I went back over it with Rustoleum and haven't had any durability problems over the last year, except what I messed up with the VHT. If you want lots of gloss, the trick is sanding with progressively finer paper.

Was that about right, zaqwert6?

 

Well, I primered those first couple pieces with duplicolor.. Will going over it with rustoleum hurt? Also, any color recommendations?

What type of sand paper is best and the process after painting the primer? I was thinking...

1) First coat of primer
2) Sand with 600
3) Second coat of primer
4) wet sand with 600
5) Base coat ( kind of sprinkled on ) wait 15min
6) Second coat
7) wet sand with 1500
8) 3rd coat
9) Wet sand with 1500
10) Any spray can clear coats or should I just add several more base coats?

 

you can get the paint to go on good, but to get it to look really good you would have to coat the paint with a compressor paint gun clear! No rattle can clear comes close to the compressor clear. Rattle and compressor clear(meaning you need a compressor to spray it)both do the job, but over time the rattle can will give.I would not jump from 50 grit to 400 grit. Move up from 50 to,220 to 400 give it some room to fill in the thicker scratches from the lower grits. It will show in the paint!!!! Any paint job will come out good with prep work.

 

Rustoleum has a clear coat as well, and you should be able to cover up the duplicolor with that. I had some trouble doing that with VHT (which I think is duplicolor) so if it's not -too- much work you might want to strip and repaint it (but try the Rustoleum on something else to make sure you like it first.)

It really shouldn't make too much of a difference unless you're covering stickers or something. You could just use base coats.

 

Clothing, Toys, Electronics, Jewelry, Jaclyn Smith - Kmart.com

Would this multi-purpose paint work? I'm thinking either the winter grey, forest green, flat black or satin expresso...

 

and I'm not looking for a perfect gloss, I'm actually leaning more towards a satin finish anyways.

 

How much would a good compressor cost? How big etc should I go for?

 

Not bad. Little too reasonable though.

Hey, I've beat my head against enough rattle cans over the many years of my life to know what can and can not be achieved. And for some they can provide satisfactory results depending on what or how high your standards are. But once I broke down and bought some simple cheap gear (harbor freight) to get my feet wet, I can't believe I ever did it any other way. The bottom line is you have to justify the start up cost vs need, use and desired outcome and go with what makes the most sense for you.

I'm absolutely no pro painter but I can put down a finish that will go head to head with any body shop or better at 1/10 of the cost and outlast any of them at 180mph.