Help with Paint and Color

[LilJayRR]

I try to match readily available colored DUCT TAPE!!

So your bike is all primer huh?

[Boober]

White!!!!

[roadracer162]

Yup you'll be surprise how many people just use spray paint to paint there bikes.

Wait, I use that high class krylon.

[kl3640]

What colors crash the best?  I am leaning towards 1 solid color. 

I'm not sure if one color "crashes" any better than another, but if the paint ever gets scratched through then a color that's closer to the under-coat might not show the scratch as much.  Then again, dark colors might touch up better - you might want to ask a body painter.

What I was referring to by "simple" was what someone else mentioned, which is to avoid multi-colors on a single body panel (or a single large section of a panel, such as the cowl piece of the upper).  That way, small damage will be less apparent and touch-ups and repairs will be easier (and less costly).  If you want to accent a piece, then do so with colored vinyl graphics or stripes.

Regarding the number plates, my advice would be to either paint the upper and tail yellow if you like that, or paint them whatever color you like and then go to a local sign shop and purchase a few feet of yellow vinyl (get your numbers and a few extras while you're there, since they'll be cheaper than buying them pre-cut at the track - just make sure to get the right size and font; check the rules, but I'm pretty sure that it's Arial Narrow Bold 8" Front 6" Rear, with a lowercase L used in lieu of the 1 since the 1 in that font has a serif).  When you're paint has dried and *fully cured*, apply the vinyl to the number plate location.  You can either lay the vinyl over the location with the backing still on it to trace the shape and then cut it before applying, or you can apply it and then trim off the excess with a sharp blade, being careful not to damage your paint.  A lot of people will put some vinyl striping of a different color (one that contrasts against both the yellow and the color of the upper) around the number plates to aid contrast and for looks.  It would also cover up any small marks you make while in the process of trimming off the excess vinyl.

An alternative is to purchase pre-cut vinyl number plates, which are available on-line and at some bike/race shops.  You could also figure out the shape with a piece of paper and take that to your local sign shop, where they will cut you the vinyl for your number plates in the shape that you provided.  Some people take actual hard plastic number plates and zip tie them in place, but I don't like that because they don't look as good imho and could come off on the track.  On the other hand, their use does make changing numbers often easy, if you have reason to do so.

Good luck.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

So your bike is all primer huh?

That's what I do.

I haven't painted the last 3 sets of bodywork I've had on my bikes, I just leave them all white and stick my numbers on!   

[mikendzel]

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=288556912&albumID=149079&imageID=413058

I was bored and tried to work up something in the vein of the Yammy GP bikes....

[Fast4fun]

I like the idea about getting vinyl from a sign shop. I could never find numbers that fit my bike properly so I'm making a template in MS Word using the word art function to custom shape numbers with a slope that will fit my bikes shape. Now I know where to look for the vinyl...thanks.

As far as colors. I dog ear bikes I like in magazines and try to replicate them with Krylon. Since it's several months before we race again, this keeps me occupied. Regarding crashability, remember that your bike will be seen at 50/50... from at least 50 ft away and at 50mph! By the end of the last race season, the pics I purchased still looked great even though the bike had been down several times and up close it looks aweful.

If I see you out there with MV Agusta F4 colors I'll probably try to run you off the track. 

[kl3640]

I like the idea about getting vinyl from a sign shop. I could never find numbers that fit my bike properly so I'm making a template in MS Word using the word art function to custom shape numbers with a slope that will fit my bikes shape. Now I know where to look for the vinyl...thanks.

Make sure of a couple of things:

1) Whichever font or number design you use, make sure that it will be ok with CCS - it doesn't have to match the sample in the rules exactly, but it does need to be close.

2) The plotters used to cut vinyl are driven by programs that require vector graphics.  If you can, use a program like Corel to design it natively as a vector, but if you use Word or something and cannot save it as a vector, then convert it to a vector graphic using the free utility at vectormagic.stanford.edu.  Make sure that you view the final vector version before taking it to the shop, to make sure that it didn't get changed in the vectorization process, as sometimes happens.

Alternately, you can actually bring a physical sample of what you want to the shop, as most sign shops have the ability to scan a sample and reproduce it.

[chaplain220]

  to the adhesive vinyl from the sign shop, it can give a little bling to a custom krylon job, and can cover superficial damage.  Just make sure the surface is prepped and degreased well so the vinyl adheres properly.  Stickers are da bomb as well, and they cover a multitude of mishaps, plus I think they make me look faster.  As far as anyone gettin ticked off cause yer bikes look the same, I think you'll find almost every racer is more than willing to help ya in any way, and will even take time out during the race day to lend you a hand.  I'd be more concerned about T10 at Summit Pt that likes to eat new bodywork.  Welcome to the addiction.