Hi all,
I recently bought my first cruiser, have been a member here for a few months, but recently (as it is winter over here), went about changing my Dec 1993 vt1100 from this:
to this:
It is "black Velvet" cerakote, a ceramic based paint that is very tough and impervious to solvents. It is often used for firearms. this is in their "C" series, which is air-cured, but withstands up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit without discolouring, so it is okay for exhausts as well (which I am still thinking about).
I had to paint-strip and sandblast all the parts with 120 grit garnet or aluminium oxide, and spray them with a HVLP gun with a .8mm tip. It cures fully in 5 days, but is tack-free after 45 minutes.
I have also got rid of the buckhorn handlebars. I got a set with integrated risers from a Honda 250 magna, the risers didn't fit, so I ground them off. the position is much more comfortable. I have had the stock seat altered, added floorboards, replaced the headlight bulb with a 4000 lumen LED one, removed the sissy bar and rear pegs and de-registered it to single-seat only, as it is $250 for the year as opposed to $500 for a two-seater.
If I had my time again, I would not sandblast the chrome, but take it and have it all reversed. It has worked okay, but I think it would be better starting without the chrome.
I still have black mirrors coming, and am thinking about whether or not to do the engine and clutch covers next time I change the oil. It is very hard to get all the oils etc. out of the metal, and there cannot even be the oil from a fingerprint on the parts or the cerakote may not stick properly.
Anyway, that's what has been keeping me busy for the last week.
I recently bought my first cruiser, have been a member here for a few months, but recently (as it is winter over here), went about changing my Dec 1993 vt1100 from this:
to this:
It is "black Velvet" cerakote, a ceramic based paint that is very tough and impervious to solvents. It is often used for firearms. this is in their "C" series, which is air-cured, but withstands up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit without discolouring, so it is okay for exhausts as well (which I am still thinking about).
I had to paint-strip and sandblast all the parts with 120 grit garnet or aluminium oxide, and spray them with a HVLP gun with a .8mm tip. It cures fully in 5 days, but is tack-free after 45 minutes.
I have also got rid of the buckhorn handlebars. I got a set with integrated risers from a Honda 250 magna, the risers didn't fit, so I ground them off. the position is much more comfortable. I have had the stock seat altered, added floorboards, replaced the headlight bulb with a 4000 lumen LED one, removed the sissy bar and rear pegs and de-registered it to single-seat only, as it is $250 for the year as opposed to $500 for a two-seater.
If I had my time again, I would not sandblast the chrome, but take it and have it all reversed. It has worked okay, but I think it would be better starting without the chrome.
I still have black mirrors coming, and am thinking about whether or not to do the engine and clutch covers next time I change the oil. It is very hard to get all the oils etc. out of the metal, and there cannot even be the oil from a fingerprint on the parts or the cerakote may not stick properly.
Anyway, that's what has been keeping me busy for the last week.