Appearance suggestions 1980 GS450.

[apopleptic]

ok, so I downloaded GIMP and messed around.
Here is what I came up with for a mockup of the paint I'm going for.

Feedback?

[pete]

Hmmm... not sure about the white crankcase cover... and I think if you're doing the front wheel white you should also do the rear wheel white...

Plans for the missing side cover?

Olddaddy has white wheels going on in his rebuild thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=179991

[apopleptic]

I've actually got the stock side covers. I'll be doing them red to match the rest of the bike.
And I plan on doing both wheels the same white, just quite a pain in the but because the rocks of my driveway were a similar enough color to the wheel that I had to do the fill in by hand.
I was also thinking single white racing stripe from front to back. Every time I went to draw it it would come out square though. Hard to do detail work with a trackball built into the keyboard.

[Flyboy]

Satin Black discs and flat wheels with polished spokes and rim, polished forks, the wheel is not black, it is a dark charcoal colour, a bit darker than the stock colour, to give contrast to the polished bits, I was also going fo the satin, brushed aluminium look on the forks, but couldn't get the tone even, so I said sod it and polished.
I think it looks bitchin'...........but then again, I would, wouldn't I?







I do like wat you have done with the brake caliper and carrier, I think gloss black forks would not be out of place either.
I like the painted fender better than the chrome, mine is being painted to suit the bike as well.
I agree with Pete, loose the white engine cases, give them a polish.
And I agree 100% with you, you can't do a refrubish and put in old rusty or dull hardware, it spoils the whole job, and nuts and bolts are cheap enough.

Oh, yeah, you are right by the way..............it is just you being lazy

[Flyboy]

By the way, nice job on the forks, it is a world of diffirence before and after, if you want to maitain the aluminium look, hit them with some 800 grit paper now and it should look stunning.
As I said, I was going for that, but the tone was not even, some parts had a shine to them, others not so much, so I gave up, easier to polish.
I used a bar of red rouge on a white sewn wheel on my drill, works a charm.
The stuff is dirt cheap, I think I paid around 20 bucks for a bar, probably 3 or 4 of your Dollars, and there is enough there to polish a steam locomotive and then another one.

[herostar]

ok, so I downloaded GIMP and messed around.
Here is what I came up with for a mockup of the paint I'm going for.

Feedback?

I would assume you're doing the back wheel to match the front?

I think it'd look better with a black crankcase, maybe a crinkle-paint.

Have you considered getting a NOS sticker pack? They come in several colors and could make it look really good.

[apopleptic]

I would assume you're doing the back wheel to match the front?

I think it'd look better with a black crankcase, maybe a crinkle-paint.

Have you considered getting a NOS sticker pack? They come in several colors and could make it look really good.

Yes back wheel to match the front.

I haven't seen any sticker pack's I'm not sure what is in it.
I'll take a look, but if you know of one, please link to it.
Thanks!

[herostar]

I think these would look killer on a red paint job like you posted...

http://www.reproductiondecals.com/default_frameset.html?content.html~main

[nvr2old]

Anything white will look good for..oh, about a day. Then it's gonna be a pain to keep looking good, especially wheels and engine parts. Personally, I would paint the wheels gloss black, the forks and chain guard satin black, rear shocks gloss black, pipes satin black, handlebars and mirrors gloss black, engine cylinders dark gray, engine block satin black with polished covers for a little bling. The red is gonna really pop with the darker colors surrounding it. Things like the calipers (same gray as cylinders) and chain guard, to me, should blend in and almost disappear. If you get too many parts all different colors, it looks too busy. Subtle contrasts are what bring a whole scheme together. All just my humble thoughts...

[apopleptic]

Anything white will look good for..oh, about a day. Then it's gonna be a pain to keep looking good, especially wheels and engine parts.

I hear people say exactly the same thing about chrome and black.
Can't tell you how many time I hear people say they won't buy a black car because the paint is a pain.

I'm looking for only 4 colors tops.
chrome, red, black, and white.

[nvr2old]

The problem with white is that it stains so easy, then you have to repaint it. Black is kind of hard to keep clean, yes, but it hides so well, and wipes clean easily.

[apopleptic]

OK, I made another attempt with GIMP.
Here is my original thoughts on the paint.
Personally I think that the white really pops out.

and here is with black instead of white. without the red highlights some have suggested and I have already painted.

[nvr2old]

I like the blacked out parts..looks really good, very sporty.

[herostar]

I like the black better.

I would suggest looking at VHT Engine Enamel for paints. Their Nu Cast Aluminum finish looks really good if you want to keep things silver (how I like it...).

[gearheadE30]

I actually really like the white rims, but if you really want to paint the crankcase, definitely go with black.