Should i powder coat at this point

[MikeinSaudi]

Hi guys,

Grateful for your views on this; i don't think there is a right or wrong answer so i am very much interested in your informed views.

For those that i have not already had comms with since joining the Forum, i am out in Saudi Arabia, i bought a project bike when home on Christmas leave but due to courier delays i have not actually seen the bike yet as it was delivered home after i returned to Saudi.

The guy i bought the bike from is a serious project bike guy who had too many live projects and an impending house move - i kinda know him via a friend on the Facebook "Shed built motorcycle". You will see from the picture that he had started the frame build with the intention of making a cafe racer and that following welding the hoop at the back of the frame and then painted the frame.

This leads to my question.. as the bike is already torn down should i have the frame powder coated or leave it just painted. While new to the project scene my initial thoughts are to rebuild the bike first and get it running, the tank will need work regardless and i am sure some other things will be a challenge. However, to my simple mind i think if i rebuild and get the bike running then i can tear down again and work on the cosmetics.

I am not clear on final colour schemes yet hence my hesitation about committing to a powder coat colour that could drive me down a particular route (excuse the pun).

So....your thoughts. Hopefully a fun discussion too

Oh and here's the frame and some other pictures of the bike in bits

fefd4f2e-d763-405c-8570-e46037907039 by Mike Balmer, on Flickr

3ebf2939-5053-4f45-81a0-9fb856ab97b2 by Mike Balmer, on Flickr

cfc2b8a7-f9c5-466b-944d-c02b0456734b by Mike Balmer, on Flickr

You can see the state of the tank (aesthetically not mechanical integrity) in the last picture.

[Gorminrider]

If riding it is what you want to do, I'd always go with "get the bike running". That frame looks pretty good already...the engine too. Touch up any damaged spots you see along the way of assembling, especially if these'll be inaccessible later ...but the tank is easy to do anytime .

Make sure you like the bike enough to lavish $ on it. and the practise of assembly now will save scratching any fancy paint jobs later..let alone accidents with brake fluid or (dare I say!) sandstorms!

the one exception might be the exhaust headers. These are hard to do with longevity with spray-cans...your sandy roads may wreak havoc?

[MikeinSaudi]

Make sure you like the bike enough to lavish $ on it.... your sandy roads may wreak havoc?

Thanks Gorminrider, exactly the sort of input i am hoping this discussion will generate. I have kept two aspects of your comments as i think the first is really important. When looking for a project bike i had been hoping to get a 4 cylinder, carbs, tax exempt bike to 'spanner on'. Delighted to have got this bike and more importantly to have been told about this GS Resource site and forum. But while i look forward to assembling and riding the bike .... a cafe racer is not really me.

So i think this will be a real learning project bike and maybe i will keep it as it was so cheap to buy in the first place but i hear what you say about lavishing money on something you are not in love with.

Re the second point the bike is in the UK its just me that is in Saudi and in spite of having done covert motorcycle recon in Afghanistan (yeah i am that stupid) you literally couldn't pay me to ride a bike on the roads around here!

Again, thanks for the input bro hopefully there will be more input!

I know the Afghan thing can sound a bit Walter Mitty but .... its a living.

Looking happy by Mike , on Flickr

[steveb922]

I'd go with 'get it up and running' first. Apart from anything else, you don't yet know if you're going to alter the frame at all (eg add/remove brackets). If you have to mess up an immaculate powder coat job, you're not going to be happy.

If you were doing a back-to-factory restoration, i'd say powder-coat now, but that's not the case.

[wyly]

If you're 101% sure the frame staying as it is, powder coat now.

I'm doing something similar my ride is complete runner but I don't have a clear picture of how the finished project is going to end up. So I'm doing all the mechanical, electrical and body work now so I don't need to worry about scratches modifying the frame if I want to go that route.

When I'm satisfied I've got the finished picture clearly in my head then I'll strip it down and powder coat the frame.

[renorealtors]

Hi Mike, Paste this 1978 KZ1000 Restoration Part 2

into Youtube and it will show you my frame painting method. I have done a number of full on restos and I have come to the conclusion that if I can do it myself without sending it out I am much better off. Once a project gets delayed it is hard to get the enthusiasm back. My first Powder Coat job came out great but it took a number of weeks to get the parts back. I have painted all my frames from that point forward with great results and in a day or two I am starting the reassembly not waiting on others to "get to it" Hope the video helps. Not necessary to have a paint booth but I would recommend a cheep Harbor Freight paint gun and some Summit Chassis Shield paint. John

[JohnnyL]

Following!

[MikeinSaudi]

Hi Mike, Paste this 1978 KZ1000 Restoration Part 2

into Youtube and it will show you my frame painting method. I have done a number of full on restos and I have come to the conclusion that if I can do it myself without sending it out I am much better off. Once a project gets delayed it is hard to get the enthusiasm back. My first Powder Coat job came out great but it took a number of weeks to get the parts back. I have painted all my frames from that point forward with great results and in a day or two I am starting the reassembly not waiting on others to "get to it" Hope the video helps. Not necessary to have a paint booth but I would recommend a cheep Harbor Freight paint gun and some Summit Chassis Shield paint. John

WOW, i mean seriously John, wow!!!

I watched all 6 videos in the series, just amazing. Huge respect for the work that you have done with that bike and the other bikes in the back ground. Clearly you are into what i guess is concourse restoration. To be honest i don't even aspire to that ...yet. Maybe when i retire in hopefully a couple of years.

For me there was some great learning in the series and occasionally some good music that seriously improved by part 5 (just joking John, please don't take offence).

Thank you so much for your input to the thread, this is exactly the sort of debate/views/advice that i was hoping for.

[MikeinSaudi]

If you're 101% sure the frame staying as it is, powder coat now.

I'm doing something similar my ride is complete runner but I don't have a clear picture of how the finished project is going to end up. .

Thanks wyly, its encouraging that others are thinking the way i am as i want to really want to try and use as much of this dead time here in the sandpit so that i can get tore in with focus when i get home.

Appreciate you taking the time to reply.

[MikeinSaudi]

Apart from anything else, you don't yet know if you're going to alter the frame at all (eg add/remove brackets). If you have to mess up an immaculate powder coat job, you're not going to be happy.

You are spot on Steve, my lack of clear vision for the end bike and therefore which tabs i may or may not need is a key factor. Thanks again for the input mate.

[renorealtors]

Thank you for the compliment Mike! Below is some pics of one of my first bike restos. The tank looks similar to yours! It was painted in my back yard on a calm day. It came out as nice as any I painted in my small pint booth! The booth is just more convenient.

[MikeinSaudi]

Thank you for the compliment Mike! Below is some pics of one of my first bike restos. The tank looks similar to yours! It was painted in my back yard on a calm day. It came out as nice as any I painted in my small pint booth! The booth is just more convenient.

Now that is an inspiring tank. I know it may sound stupid but i watch a lot of YouTube while deployed and it is watching people making a decent job of things (or not) with backs tools that has driven me to try as well. There is a saying in the Special Forces world, "no one is coming" its not defeatist as it may appear at first reading; rather, what it is referring to is rely on yourself. Thanks again John really appreciate you giving up your time to post pictures