Painting windshield?

[marvinmckenzie]

Do any of you know if a plastic windshield can be painted?

I would like to paint the lower half of my slipstream enterprise windshield black to match the motorcycle.

Can that be done?
Do you think it can be done and look good?

[chef1366]

As long as you can see through it???????

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. marvinmckenzie,

Is your windshield made out of acrylic? You'd probably have to sand the area then use a lacquer paint, but I would imagine that you'd have some touch-up now and then.

How about applying a section of really dark window tinting instead? Just a thought.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Steve]

Yes, it can be painted. \\/

I had a Kawasaki KZ1300 that I had repainted and chromed, and part of the repaint included the bottom of the windshield. It worked and looked very good.

To paint the bottom of your shield, you can use paint to match or contrast with the paint on the bike, or you can try for a look made popular by Memphis Shades by using transparent colors (candy colors) and feathering it at the top.


.

[earlfor]

Lowe's and Home Depot both carry spray cans of paint for plastics for a couple bucks. I sprayed the bottom half of my Bandit windshield with a spray can of plastic paint about 10 months ago. It still looks like it did the day I painted it. Just washed it with soapy water and sprayed it. No sanding needed. :-) BTW, paint the INSIDE surface of the windshield.

E.

[beby99]

. :-) BTW, paint the INSIDE surface of the windshield.

E.

Yes..the inside...lol. I painted my YZF shield with "Nite Shades" found at G.I. Joes. http://www.modernperformance.com/all...des_tint.shtml

I added a yamaha sticker before spraying and than peeled it off after. This was a clear shield.

[78550Detroit]

Lowe's and Home Depot both carry spray cans of paint for plastics for a couple bucks. I sprayed the bottom half of my Bandit windshield with a spray can of plastic paint about 10 months ago. It still looks like it did the day I painted it. Just washed it with soapy water and sprayed it. No sanding needed. :-) BTW, paint the INSIDE surface of the windshield.

E.

I used to paint a lot of bugshields for trucks and that is exactly how I did it by painting the inside. No need for clearcoat that way and the paint won't chip because it is on the inside.:-D

[rustybronco]

It should be lexan, yes you can paint it but I don't think i'd use lacquer paint because the solvent may be to hot and cause issues with the material being painted. we paint the lexan windshield on the race cars with enamel paint, I would recommend spraying the inside also, not the front side!.

[marvinmckenzie]

As long as you can see through it???????

I had not thought of that\\/

Actually I got the idea from the fairings I see on a lot of the newer harley's. The fairing is attached to the front forks raither than the frame as is this slipsteamer and the lower portion of the fairing is painted the same color as the motorcycle.

I don't really like the looks of the slipstreamer as it is, so I wondered if this would not make it more appealing to me.

[marvinmckenzie]

Hi Mr. marvinmckenzie,

Is your windshield made out of acrylic? You'd probably have to sand the area then use a lacquer paint, but I would imagine that you'd have some touch-up now and then.

How about applying a section of really dark window tinting instead? Just a thought.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

I was thinking about doing that. It think I would have trouble conforming the tinting to the shape of the windshield. The tinting, as I understand it, is a sheet of material you apply to the surface. I am afraid it might bubble alot given the many curves of the windshield.

[marvinmckenzie]

Yes, it can be painted. \\/

I had a Kawasaki KZ1300 that I had repainted and chromed, and part of the repaint included the bottom of the windshield. It worked and looked very good.

To paint the bottom of your shield, you can use paint to match or contrast with the paint on the bike, or you can try for a look made popular by Memphis Shades by using transparent colors (candy colors) and feathering it at the top.


.

Some of these Memphis shades are very similar to the look I want to try out.

[marvinmckenzie]

Lowe's and Home Depot both carry spray cans of paint for plastics for a couple bucks. I sprayed the bottom half of my Bandit windshield with a spray can of plastic paint about 10 months ago. It still looks like it did the day I painted it. Just washed it with soapy water and sprayed it. No sanding needed. :-) BTW, paint the INSIDE surface of the windshield.

E.

I thought it would be best to paint the inside. Thanks for the info about the paint at Lowes.

[marvinmckenzie]

Yes..the inside...lol. I painted my YZF shield with "Nite Shades" found at G.I. Joes. http://www.modernperformance.com/all...des_tint.shtml

I added a yamaha sticker before spraying and than peeled it off after. This was a clear shield.

That is sharp!

[IOWA450T]

Urethane for windshield?

Glad I found this old thread; I would like to paint my fairing (along with the rest of my bike) and the lower part of my windshield. I read somewhere (I think it was the Vetter site) that the fairings should be painted with urethane paint so I was curious if that type of paint would work ok on my windshield. Anybody have experience with this? I have a multicolor layout in mind and also wonder about mixing different paints (rattle can for the black and silver trim and urethane for the main color). I've never done any painting but am reading up on it and am ready to take the plunge! Another option I considered would involve taking a very thin piece of sheetmetal and cutting it to the same shape as the windshield and then painting it and mounting between the the 'shield and fairing. Any thoughts on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

[bonanzadave]

I know some guys at a body shop that swear by Bulldog adhesion promoter.

http://www.wmbarr.com/product.aspx?catid=1&prodid=58

Prep is the bigger part of a good pain job.