Frame Paint Gloss Level?

[Nessism]

When I came home for work today, I took a second look at the frame paint on the '80. it still has the original paint on the frame and under the tank where the sun hasn't beaten down on it over the years, it should be close to the gloss as it came from the factory. it is glossy black, not the kind of gloss you get when you put clear over a paint, but the kind of gloss you would see on a single stage.

It's very hard to tell with the indirect lighting in the garage, but the shade of black looked close to what was on the side cover. tomorrow, if the sun co-operates, I'll take a third look and compare it to a side cover and the single stage black I painted the Honda with.

Hampshirehog might just be right on this one.

I looked over my frame tonight and I agree with Dale, it definitely is not supposed to be high gloss, like a gas tank. I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but I'd say it's about 70% gloss. And I agree with Cafe Josh about the headlamp ears and various bracketry around the IP, it's more semi gloss - duller than the frame.

I've got 1000S-2 stripped down for paint and I'm teetering between painting it myself and having it powdercoated. Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

[TheCafeKid]

I looked over my frame tonight and I agree with Dale, it definitely is not supposed to be high gloss, like a gas tank. I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but I'd say it's about 70% gloss. And I agree with Cafe Josh about the headlamp ears and various bracketry around the IP, it's more semi gloss - duller than the frame.

I've got 1000S-2 stripped down for paint and I'm teetering between painting it myself and having it powdercoated. Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

Yeah, it seems, for whatever reason, the cost of PC went up a bit. I remember maybe as recent as last season guys getting them done for about 200 or so. I was going to PC my GSXR wheels for my conversion bits, but I dunno now, as I was quoted $200 from two different places just for those, and that was if I blasted and cleaned them MYSELF With the variety of fairly durable paints there are, and the ease of touching it up should it get knicked or chipped, when I get to my GSXR mods and what not on my 1100ES, I will be painting rather than PC. I MIGHT PC the frame, but that would be it. We will see. I have been pretty darn happy with my results on the frames ive painted, we'll just see how durable they end up being.

Oh and I wanted to add, Ed, if you can get it out there, check out that Duplicolour Low Gloss. Its not flat black, its not semi gloss, its more like a "satin" black. Its so close to OEM, its crazy. Im thinking, on my ES motor when it needs a re-coat, of doing the cases, jugs and head in this, and then doing either semi or High gloss for the case covers, and such, to add some depth. Ive really started taking a deep interest in learning more about painting. Rose and I are going to attempt to do a second set of body work I have for that 750B in a "Cooley" type tribute scheme, using a decent air brush and stuff. If we can get good with that, maybe I will invest in an air dryer, or getting the one on my old compressor fixed anyway, and some decent guns. Oh, and also Ed, if you have time some time, maybe you could help Rose out with her thread about this (I think it was called Bombarding you with paint questions, or something like that) since you've got a lot of experience with turning out nice nice finished products. She just needs some suggestions on airbrushes, or laying out schemes and whats the best/easiest ways of doing it.

Sorry for the 'jack, back to the thread!

[Mysuzyq]

The 1100 frames were high gloss from the factory...they tend to fade and weather over time more than the body pieces, as the spec was probably different in terms of the prep and clear coat etc....they also receive much less attention & cosmetic maintenance.
Now here is a very clean local GS1000 that also seems to have a high gloss factory frame... I shot this guy an email when I saw this ad, and he replied saying he had bough this bike new in 1978 and has kept it pretty clean (English isn't his first language). He indicated he would like to meet up and go on a 'GS ride' so I'll take a couple more pics of the skunk, and invite him here, if/when that happens.
Tony.

[rustybronco]

Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

That would pay for a nice exhaust system on the '78.

***edit***
I "very lightly" drug a razor blade over one of the areas on the '78 that are still shiny. the only thing that came off was black paint; no evidence that I could see of any clear when looked at through my 7X eye loupe. do any of you suppose that the metal might have been cleaned, acid etched, then shot with something like an acrylic enamel and baked on, with no primer used under the paint?

[Nessism]

OE's don't clear things like frames, particularly back in the UJM era, that's for body work where decals need to be protected. Regarding the lack of primer, I'm not surprised but keep in mind they may have used a black primer.

[Nessism]

Digging up this thread...

Need to order some frame paint this week. I'm still waffling on the gloss level. I'm inclined to agree now about the bikes coming with high gloss paint on the frame, only Suzuki's application looks ever so slightly dull due to their application.

I'm going to use urethane of some sort...just need to figure out what to get.

[pete]

Or you could go with POR 15 Blackcote... I'm hoping it keeps those stone chips at bay due to its toughness...