Anyone care to vote on a paint scheme for my bike?

[1980GS1000E]

Let me think about this....

[wirelessguy]

Decals on the bike nice.

However, my big concern is the shape of my 1100EZ tank.
It's not really conducive to the cafe racer stripes (at least I haven't seen any great examples. Have a look at my original post and you'll see the difference in shape.

Let me think about this....

[ikantbreave]

This is sweeet!

Well done racing stripes have always been the bees knees to me. Here's an old sportster chopper I did several years ago.

This is EXACTLY what I have in mind for my 425 (stripes-wise). Gonna do red with silver stripes. I have to agree that stripes really make it stick out, break it up enough to actually show the colors rather than looking like a big blob of color and accentuate the lines of the bike. My $.02.

[Texasgs]

Re

What works on one shape, wont work the same on others. It is sort of a flow the stripes have to have. Its really hard to explain, I think it is an art form, and I have seen some really good paint. But really it is what ever floats your boat, as long as it isn't "sweet mercy a lime green hatch back" that is closer to a crime LOL. At least you don't have to worry about a solid color having a clash with the shape of the bike, then it is all up to the body lines to flow.

Mock it up with colored paper, and stand back and look at it, or if you are lucky enough to know someone that draws and is good get them to do a couple of different schemes. Photo editing software is great too. What sucks is to realize after it is done that there is something fuggly about it. It is worth taking your time on.

[wirelessguy]

While doing my google searching I actually came across something that might work.

This is the same shape as my tank. I don't thin it was an original 83' color but it may have been.

I'm not sure what I'd do color wise (black etc..) though.

It certainly does show that a cafe style can be done with what I've got.

[wirelessguy]

Just going to give this thread one more BUMP. Poll closes tomorrow afternoon, so check out the first post and get your votes in. :-)

On the good news front, I got in my POR15 today and the tank and fender are totally stripped down. I'm going ot give some thought to paint removal on the plastic pieces (since paint stripper seems to melt those parts). I'm considering tryign the Easy Off thing and seeing if it's any better than hours of manual sanding. I also have the soda blaster but I'm not convinced it will do all that much (worth a try I suppose).

[cyclefvr2]

remember its your bike were not going to be riding it, so it comes down to what you want

[wirelessguy]

remember its your bike were not going to be riding it, so it comes down to what you want

I'll partially agree. :-)

The real premise in starting this thread is to understand what kind of paint jobs would add the most value to my bike. What makes others stop in their tracks and say, "What the heck is that thing? I don't think it's new but it's shiny!"

I'm feeling like the paint job needs to be a show stopper, in a classic way. I like both the Cafe and classic black styles but I also realize that it's not easy getting the right shade of black (so as not to look like any car out there on the road.)

I do have some concepts that I'm mulling over and have some images of what I'd consider a cafe hybrid (or the best I've seen given the lines of my tank). I'll try to post them up here soon, for more comments. I just hope my painting abilities are as good as my photoshop skills. :-)

[ReTread]

Well done stripes always trump one solid color, the trick is the well done part. I have been looking at hundreds of pictures of cafe racers, choppers, and other custom painted bikes to come up with ideas for mine. I have saved a heck of a lot of pictures in a paint job file. It's kind of fun.
Edit, a few of my favorites. Not that I would copy any one of these, just use some of the basic ideas:

Great tank...

I love everything but the white and the red frame...

I like the stripes, but it needs to be black red and silver or something...

Again, sweet except for the white...

This one just rocks...

The Kawi is beautiful. So simple, yet elegant.

As for the Norton, it's a work of art.

[Octain]

Less is more!