New bars, new brake lines, and a complete disaster

[Guest]

I picked up some new handlebars to swap onto the bike in place of the dirtbike bars i had there before. I'm 6'3" and the factory bars were WAY to high, and so the dirtbike bars were a good place to start. They weren't quite low or forward enough for me though, so I grabbed some black drag bars. I also picked up some stainless brake line for my front end to replace the old spongy stock one.

Dirtbike/superbike bars:



Drag Bars:





In the process of bleeding the brakes, I managed to spill a small tanker truck load of brake fluid on the top of my newly painted tank... this was the result:



Whoops. Apparently the clear coat I used does NOT like brake fluid, even more so than the factory paint. Looks like I am back to the drawing board on the tank. Oh well. Yet another project.

[Agemax]

oops................ looks like the left handlebar controls are hitting the tank on full lock as well. that is a recipe for dents and squashed fingers. you need to address that problem as well

[MOC]

that's just the angle i shot it at. it's clear. i've checked it lock to lock. it's tight but not touching. thanks though!

[Badooka]

Geez that even makes me ill and it's your bike! That stuff is terrible- just went through same thing on my Regal- had it on my hand and touched the door- now it's ruined as well. I always lay a thick towel over my tank when messing with the fluid- it loves to spray everywhere. How you like those bars???

[sedelen]

I put on a new caliper on my GS1100E, bleed the brakes and somewhere, somehow, I got a little on my forks, yeah had to repaint. Sucked.

[MOC]

Geez that even makes me ill and it's your bike! That stuff is terrible- just went through same thing on my Regal- had it on my hand and touched the door- now it's ruined as well. I always lay a thick towel over my tank when messing with the fluid- it loves to spray everywhere. How you like those bars???

i REALLY like the bars. much much more comfortable for someone of my height. I had battled with the idea of clubmans or clip on bars, but i think that would have been too aggressive. These are low enough to be comfortable but not so low that i'm hugging the tank. All i really want to do now is move the foot controls back about 6 inches and i'll be satisfied with her. For now anyway.

As for the towel, i had paper towel down on the tank (you can see the cross weave in the paint now), but there was about a half a bottle of fluid involved in this little disaster, and of course i was at the end of the roll. It soaked right through.



Next time i do this I won't make the same mistake. I ended up resorting to my T-shirt, but it was too late.

[AJ]

I once spent days rattle-can painting a tank, carefully sanding between layers. This was the first time I used a clear coat too and it came out quite good. Poured some gas in the tank and spilled a little, which instantly took off the clear coat. Never again.

I think the only clear that holds up well to solvents is that 2 part urethane, and that stuff will yellow with time.

In the meantime, just good quality auto spray paint (like Duplicolor) and lots of car wax will hold up just fine.