[grego7]

Hi everybody,

I have a few scratches on my red 1098 frame and I can't stand this, so I'm planning of coating or repainting the frame. A few questions came up in me, hoping somebody here knows the answer.
For what i've read, the factory frame is painted, but i've heard it's a paint that contains some sort of rubber, so it would be more elastic. So no ordinary paint than?
I'm still not sure what to do, paint or powdercoat. Who has some experience with this?
For what i know, powdercoating is a bit more durable (and also a little bit cheaper). The negative thing that i've read is, that it's only available in RAL colors. So what is the nearest RAL color to the original red frame?
The pro's of painting is the fact that I can paint any color I want (I want the same original red).
What are your opinions on this?
And my last question, is there any special tooling required to disasseble the whole bike.


Thanks in advance,

 

[Duc_L_over_V]

Powdercoat absolutely is more durable than paint HOWEVER... if you have an "off" that causes structural damage to your frame you run the risk of not noticing it because the powdercoating won't necessarily crack like paint will. It's an unlikely scenario but I know of people who won't powdercoat frames for that very reason. Personally, I'd probably stick with the paint.

 

[ANORXIC'51]

Paint as well here. Powdercoat would've never gotten the color/effect I wanted. Frame has a few chips from the frame color change a couple winters ago, as I'm not the most careful when it comes to switching the fairings/tank between track and street riding. But, overall it's holding up very well.

VERY good point about PC potentially hiding small stress cracks from unscheduled aspahalt & agricultural quality inspections.

 

[Proctologist]

I have a few scratches on my red 1098 frame and I can't stand this, so I'm planning of coating or repainting the frame.

Was this caused by an accident or miscellaneous mishap? ..

Paint and powder coating react differently -

 

[34566]

,,,

 

[cul8er]

I would stick with paint.

Pro's and con's on powder coat.

Pro's
1) Powder Coat is stronger
if applied and prepared correctly.
2) Powder coat is easier to take care of.( washing ect)
3) Powder coat company's are
coming out with new colours everyday.
4) Its usually cheaper then paint.


Con's
1) not a perfect colour match.
2) If powder coat is applied to thick you'll need a razor blade to scrap off to get parts to fit,
3) can't really touch up powder coat if you get scratches, only cover up. Which looks like shit. you would have to re-powder coat it.

 

[ChrisE]

When I got my Bimota DB2, new in '94, the paint on the frame was awful. Within about 3 months of ownership, the paint was flaking off and rust was showing.

The dealer suggested powder coating, under warranty, which is what I did. They did it red to match the original color. They did the frame, swing arm, subframe and faring carrier.

I was very pleased with the results.

About three years later, I had a rear chain break, well actually the master link came apart, lesson learned. The chain wrapped itself around the swing arm, scuffed the underside of the frame and punched a hole in the alternator cover.

It went back to the powder coaters. They stripped all the pieces and this time I decided to go with a gun metal grey.

It's still holding up good today.

 

[pat1098]

Strongly advise against powder coating, in spite of those above who have been happy with it.

The powdercoating process is really not for items of this quality. It is a cheap industrial solution for cheap components exposed to the weather. Garden furniture for example.

You will have problems with it regarding refitting parts, maintaining good electrical earth contacts, and when it chips it will show the undercoat. And as mentioned above, you cannot really touch it up.

Ask yourself why the factory didn't go with the (cheaper) powder coat..

I have rebuilt a lot of bikes, with frames refinished by both methods ( sometimes the owners didn't take my advice)! And back in the '80s when powdercoating first arrived here everybody thought it was THE solution.

But I can assure you that a good two-pack paintjob will be a far better answer.

As to the stripping and reassembling - better if you have some experience in this type of work. It is not as simple as it looks.

If you decide to go ahead with it, take a lot of notes, and a lot of pictures. Particularly of the electrical and cable routing.

 

[W17]

I agree with Pat . Get the frame painted .

 

[grego7]

About the stripping, I have no worries. This isn't the first bike I would take apart. And tools like the "steering stem nut tool" and so, I already have laying around.
Indeed the electrical wiring routing will be the most complicated I think. So pictures will be taken along the way

The frame has no accidents, so hidden cracks or structural damage won't be an issue.
What surprises me the most, is the fact that so little of you have coated the frame. At first I surely was pro coating, but now I hear all your stories and arguments, it does make sense to paint the frame.
Actually, the only thing that stops me from painting, is the fact that it is not such a small job to repaint a frame. And that when i even slightly scratch the frame, that the paint would begin to chip and that all the work would be for nothing. It's just a job that I don't wan't to do again and therefore, I would choose the more durable proces. But as I said, after your arguments, paint makes more sense.
Any other persons who have coated the frame and have any negative experience whit this proces?

 

[Duc_L_over_V]

The frame has no accidents, so hidden cracks or structural damage won't be an issue.

I was referring more to potential future damage. Steel can get stressed/fatigued underneath the PC and you'd never know it until it fails. Kind of the same philosophy as "never paint a wooden ladder."

 

[34566]

,,,