Changing the colour of my SV.
 

I want to have my rear plastics, tank, grab rail and S-fairing sprayed. They are all in tip-top shape - - I got a red bike because they had no black left at the time. Would it be more cost effective to sell my current rear plastics, tank, grab rail and S-fairing and buy some black ones from Suzuki?

Wouldn't it be easier to just swap bikes?

Do you like blue? I'll swap my blue plastics for your red ones!

What are the chances of me finding some one that wants to swap a black k5 for my red? Plus I like having my bike from new and knowing that it hasn't been dropped or abused. I want a black bike. :D

if you do all the prep work yourself and just hand the pannels to a spray shop (any coach builders or car and bike paint shop should be able to help) it shouldn't cost much. If it's a place that usually does cars, find a car paint that you like (All blacks are NOT the same) and tell them the make, model and year and they should be able to match it.

Remember to inform the DVLA that your vehicle is now a completely different colour!

Thanks! What prep work would I need to do? I'll probably be okay preping the plastics, but what about the tank? Do I need to block off holes and tank out the lid etc...?

Prices from Suzuki are scary!

Rear plastics £69rhs, £66lhs, £36cp
total £171

Grab rail £92

S-fairing £180

Tank £360

Ek!

I think I'll go with spraying!

thats ridiculous is them thar prices :shock:

thats ridiculous is them thar prices :shock: suzuki.....hang your head in shame.

goddammit, stutters back or nackered mouse playin up :D

both? :lol:

where abouts are you? i'd leave all preping for the people your get to do the spraying, the prepings the most important bit :wink: yes for a "proper" job its best to strip the tank down,filler out badges off and the little rubber bits off :wink:

Does any one have a nice guide on preping the tank?

KayDee
If you are serious about getting the panels sprayed to a professional standared then I would agree with ben650 that the prepings is the most important part.

If the prep work is not right then no matter how good the painter gets the paint finish the panels will not look good.

As your panels are practically new a good preper would have the panels ready for primer in no time, another thing is a lot of the body repair shops here are using water based paint only.

HTH

Hey, thanks for the reply. I do want them sprayed to a professional finish. What is the best kind of paint for the bike? What is wrong with water based paint? Do you know any good shops in Belfast or near by that could prep and spray my panels, tank and grab rail to a professional finish?

i agree, Black SVs are the best!!!! lol

make sure you post some "before"+"after" pics

KayDee
There is nothing wrong with the waterbased paint, by law next year all paint sold to body repair shops here will be waterbased.

Any of the repair shops can do a professional job, you would need to go around a few and get quotes for doing the work, some of them may not want to take bike parts on but I would try as many as I could.

Wrights, Lindsays,Bodytech are a few good bodyshops in or around Belfast

if the panels are new theres no need for primer, water based paints are no better than any thing else,and as to what paint is best all painters have there own prefered paints,as long as its a decent 2pack paint and the bloke doeing its good all should be well :wink:

we'd charge about £350 if you brought just the panels but were in the midlands :D

Avoid places doing it to cheap,because if the moneys not there,the blokes heart aint gonna be in the job,he'll just rush it and then nobodys happy :wink:

the 'blackest' black that we used was bmw black .a lot of blacks have have a lot of diff colours in ,binding agents and all that and a bit of 'true black' pigment .with the bmw black it was the other way about i.e a lot of pigment and less binders/fillers we used to use it on all black cars cos it really did look the best 'off the gun' orrr,base black and glasurit lacqer ,ye pays yer money :wink:

If you are serious about painting brand new, perfect panels. Sell them.

buy any old panels off ebay and the like and get them painted