• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Helmet Painting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
Has anyone ever repainted their helmet? What kind of paint would be the best for this application? The paint on my helmet seems to be fairly hard, more so than a regular automotive paint. Maybe it's the clear coat? Any information will help a lot. Thanks.
 
buy a new helmet with graphics you like. you dont want to risk painting your helmet and accidently weakening it from chemicals used.
 
I was afraid someone was going to say that. :) People put custom paint jobs on their helmets all the time. I see a lot of airbrushed graphics and the like. They don't seem too worried about the structural integrity of their helmets being compromised by fresh paint.
 
There are places that do it with the proper paint so as to not ruin the structural integrity of the helmet. I remember seeing it several times on Speed channel and they do talk about that so that is a good point crazyguy brings up. You don't want to just use any old paint. It should be done by someone who knows how it can be done correctly.

I wish I could recall some names of places that do it for you but I do not.
 
Has anyone ever repainted their helmet? What kind of paint would be the best for this application? The paint on my helmet seems to be fairly hard, more so than a regular automotive paint. Maybe it's the clear coat? Any information will help a lot. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I have done two different helmets, one myself with spray bomb laquer and one done professionally. In both cases, I bought new solid color helmets and then added graphics over the base color. It was no problem to do, you just scuff the clear (with 400 or 600 grit sandpaper) and then paint away, then clearcoat the finished job. In both cases, I had a bodyshop spray the clear and cure it in their booth for a hard shell. Neither one was any more prone to chipping than an OEM paint job from what I could see.

The comments about damaging the shell integrity do apply if your helmet has a plastic shell (virtually all DOT helmets and some SNELL helmets, check with the maker), but if it is fiberglass, it should be no problem.

The toughest paints are the urethanes, but they are two-part and must be mixed and sprayed immediately. You can sometimes get spray bombs of urethane paint mixed at a body shop (phone around your area, look in the yellow pages) and then you have to use them within a fairly short time span (a few days). If you want a metallic, then it will be a base/clear system and will be harder to do a good job with at home. If you have the sprayer, the urethanes are pretty easy to work with in your garage.

Mark
 
Thanks for the info, guys. I have an HJC, so I'd be willing to be that the shell is plastic. So, I guess it's time to start looking for a new helmet(s). It's probably time to replace them anyway.
 
I have several HJC's marcolli.
Yes you are right, they are plastic.
 
I have an HJC, so I'd be willing to be that the shell is plastic.
Click to expand...

Depends on the model. Some of theirs are composite and some plastic. Which one do you have?

Mark
 
CL-10
Click to expand...

Most likely plastic. I think all of the CL series are plastic. I have a CL-14 and it is definitely plastic. I believe the FG series is composite and the AC-11, as well.

Mark
 
last bunch of HJC's I looked at were painted with decals and clearcoat over them, and I am sure they were plastic. Almost purchased one for the price (very good sale), but the thought of painting a new helmet is just more than I care to do right now.

I have painted helmets over the years, mostly with Enamel, but I would use urethane without hesitation. Lacquer on plastice is the only one I would stay away from. If straight lacquer thinner damages the shell, it isn't worth the chance the paint could too (Actually it would be the thinner in the paint until it is dry that would do the damage). If memory serves me correct, back in the day they were most afraid of the thinners attacking the foam liners and weakening them, and if you ever poured most thinners over styrofoam, you would understand.

Fiberglass..paint away with anything and you should be fine.

Kenny
 
I have an HJC AC-3 and the shell is fiberglass.

Doesn't need repainting though, the shell is already a beautiful flat black 8)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jdub6092
Painting Bike parts
2
Replies
31
Views
657
oldGSfan
oldGSfan
oldGSfan
Stock paint has crooked emblem, clear coating over it, what to do?
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
1K
oldGSfan
oldGSfan
T
Potential sale 1980 gs550L project + parts near Seattle, WA
Replies
0
Views
48
tadakan
T
niclpnut
Plastics painting vs metal
Replies
1
Views
95
nvr2old
nvr2old
Rich82GS750TZ
Helmet Shopping
Replies
13
Views
211
argonsagas
argonsagas
Back
Top