My OFFICIAL "Broken Promise" thread.

[Macguyver]

LOL I actually plan on painting it black or textured metal flake. I painted my starter cover with the textured metal paint and it looks good. Think I'm gonna go the same route with the valve cover. It'll hopefully be a nice compliment to a polished motor.

Thanks for the words of incouragement Mac.

So, where's the pic of the starter cover? huh? You know we are pic whores around here.

[AF_Bill]

Got tired of the rain.

So I decided that I was gonna paint my valve cover today and TADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No clear coat yet. I'm lettin the paint dry.


EDIT: Its 9:25 EST and I just finished layin down the clear coat. The textured metal finish looked good alone but I think the clear coat will make it pop. Pics of the FINISHED valve cover will come tomorrow.

[Macguyver]

EDIT: Its 9:25 EST and I just finished layin down the clear coat. The textured metal finish looked good alone but I think the clear coat will make it pop. Pics of the FINISHED valve cover will come tomorrow.

Tease!

Looking good. I've been picturing in my head what it will look like with the clearcoat for the last couple minutes. Are you thinking of painting the rest of the engine covers the same?

Is it tomorrow yet?

[AF_Bill]

Tease!

Looking good. I've been picturing in my head what it will look like with the clearcoat for the last couple minutes. Are you thinking of painting the rest of the engine covers the same?

Is it tomorrow yet?

Yes I know I'm a tease and SO good at it too. LOL It actually depends on how well the valve cover looks agains the motor.

[AF_Bill]

Here's the valve cover w/ clear. Sorry if ya can't tell the differance but I can't find my digital camera and all I have is my cell phone.

[Macguyver]

Looks good!
It almost has that old enamel cookware look to it. Should look very nice on the bike.

When you find your digital camera could you please post up some pics when you get it installed?

Keep up the nice clean work Bill!

[AF_Bill]

Funny you should say post a pic on the motor. Well, here it is (again from cell phone). NOW I've got a problem. Do I paint the engine covers or paint them to match. I really can't decide. I did polish one of the caps just for fun. Have to go to my local parts guy and get just one (it fell off on a ride to Ocean City last year).

Again, what do ya'll think. Paint the covers or polish the hell outta them.

[AF_Bill]

FINALLY got to ride today. Upper 50s in MD and clear. When I stopped to get smokes, I checked the valve cover and found out that its still leaking. And that the paint seems to be melting a little bit. BUT on the plus side, all the gauges work perfectly. And the super bike bars are perfect!!!!!!! I love the way they feel. I'm so much more relaxed when my feet are on the controls and highway pegs.

So now I'm waiting for her to cool down and dive into her again.

[Macguyver]

Looking sweet there Bill,
I am kind of worried about the leak and the "meliting a little" spot though.

If it were my bike, I would paint the rest of the engine covers to match, to bring the overall look of the bike together. Your bike, so what do you think?

Keep it going! I hope you enjoyed the ride!

[AF_Bill]

Thats pretty much what I decided Mac. All the covers painted will look so nice together. And I think that the primer wasn't high temp. I went the cheap route on the primer. So I think I need to get some GOOD high temp NAME BRAND primer.

[Macguyver]

Too bad about the primer.

Thats pretty much what I decided Mac. All the covers painted will look so nice together. And I think that the primer wasn't high temp. I went the cheap route on the primer. So I think I need to get some GOOD high temp NAME BRAND primer.

Your local auto supply store should be able to order in high temp engine enamel primer in a spray can for you. One can should be plenty to do all of the covers.

One good thing about redoing it is it should take less time since you have had some practice!

Keep us in the loop, keep up the great work, and need I say....Pics Please!

[Tim Tom]

Engine Paint

I ran into a similar problem when i painted the valve covers on my '73 Triumph Spitfire. I didn't use high tech engine enamel the first time and it would off gas and smoke every time the motor ran. Eventually it ended up cracking because of the heat and i had to re-do it.
Moral of the story, check the heat tolerances on your paint and clear coat the first time around lol.

[AF_Bill]

OK!! So I have figured out (with the help of Macguyver) how to solve my "melting paint" issue. I got the correct HIGH TEMP primer and flat black base coat (500 degree). Mac, again thanks for the tips and tricks ya gave me. I'll be playing around with the paint later today.

On another note:
I've been lookin around on craig's list, ebay, and here for another GS. BUT this one is for my dad. He bought a 74 Honda CB350 last year to ride and he wants a bigger bike. He's lookin to get a GS550 cuz he likes the way my 650 is turin out. SO i've been checkin ads and all and keep comin across 1000s and 1100s. Most have no pics, which sucks. So I was using the gallery to show my dad. I can across a pic of an 83 1100GL that's got a Harley rear fender conversion done to it and I F-in LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanna do this to my 650 now. It just looks SO sweet. Does anyone know if this guy, BJ Halterman, is still on the site and still has the bike? I'd love to see pics of how he made the seat and fender work. Here's the link to the bike I'm talkin about.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_scripts/gallerydispwnd.php?RegID=751

[Charlie G]

AF Bill,

I've seen another bike done with that Harley rear fender on e-bay in Oregon. Must not be to hard to do. If your considering that route, you might like the front fender off a 650e. Check one out in the gallery. I bought one off e-bay, had it chromed. Bolts right on. You need to get the brake hose clamp/brackets from the e as well. Good luck.

Charlie G

[TomE]

They do a lot of the Gold wings over at the Naked Gold wing site that way. I bet that the Harley fender is bolted at the turn signals and has a second set of bolts attaching to whatever the original fender bolted to over the swing arm.

The seat likely bolts to the fender and there might be a bent 1/8" thick metal strap attached to the underside of the fender, by the turn signal bolts, that the seat bolts to. The bolts would go from the bottom up into nuts fiber glassed or welded to the seat pan.

If you have a big vice and a small sledge hammer, you can beat the strap to the right curve without too much trouble.

That fender does look good!