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[2006ULTRA]

Since day one my lowers have been real easy to chip.  Not sure why?  My old bike was never that way then finally last fall I gave it a final wash before storage and the clear coat started coming off. 

I finally got the paint code numbers for the Inferno Orange so I pulled the lowers off and I'm hoping we can get the paint to match.  I'm going to use a high quality clear and pray for better results in the next 11,000 miles.

Look to the right of the speaker enclosure buy the crash bar.  That's where the clear came off.

[mark]

Since the lowers don't touch another orange painted part, it should be easy to get the color close enough that the eye can't tell.  BTW, I've noticed the clear on my CVO isnt as tough as the clear coat on my autos.

[2006ULTRA]

I've been fairly happy with the paint quality in the 2 Harleys I've owned other than this issue.  I always give them a nice buff job in the spring and maintain it all year.  I've never had an issue with the fairing and it takes a beating.  I knew from day one these lowers weren't going to make it.

I had a friend of mine who owns a body shop with PPG paint figure the code out.  He had every color to mix except 1.  That color was $908 for 4 ounces.

I ended up getting the paint through a parts store locally.  $100 a pint and I needed 2.  So $200 plus clear coat and labor.

[Lars]

I must have misread your post;
Did you repaint your lowers and it took two pints of paint to do that??
How many coats did you spray on them??

[grc]

The durability of the coating isn't just dependent on the actual material (paint), but a big part of the equation is the process used to paint the parts.  The best or most expensive paint in the world won't provide good results if it's not applied properly to a properly prepared surface under the properly controlled conditions.

The vendor Harley used for the CVO paint back then tended to do a truly lousy job, so it's not surprising to me to hear about your issues.  If you use a good painter who does things the right way, odds are you will have much better results.  However, even the best polyurethane clear coats aren't chip proof.  Chips are a fact of life for any vehicle that actually gets driven or ridden a lot.  Peeling is a different matter.

Jerry

[CVODON]

Something wrong with your post, You did not need 2 pints of base unless you were painting the motorcycle, the complete motorcycle. It is amazing, if you use a PPG system and tint your sealer how far 2 pints of base would go. I bought four ounces of typhoon maroon to do my taillight housing, heat deflectors and inside of the lowers and I still have half of it left.

[2006ULTRA]

I must have misread your post;
Did you repaint your lowers and it took two pints of paint to do that??
How many coats did you spray on them??

I bought 1 pint of base and 1 pint for the second stage=2 pints.

I know I have more than I need but I wanted extra just in case we use more than expected to get a good color match on the test cards before painting.  Didn't want to come up short during the job.

I'm using a good local painter but not real experienced shooting a tri coat.

I can live with a rock chip if I earn it but my lowers were funky from day one.  I knew I was going to have a problem with them early on.

[Lars]

Your explanation makes good since. It gives your painter the opportunity to get it perfect.
Then you will be set if another project of that color comes along.
Hope they turn out nice.
I added speaker pods to my lowers and my painter took a couple of try's to get it right. He explained that there are two formulas for Typhoon Maroon depending on the year of bike.
The main thing is that on the second try he got it right.

[2006ULTRA]

I initially got in contact with an experienced shop a few hours from me to do the job.  After a few emails with the owner he realized he did not have one of the color mixes in his paint station to mix the paint.  It was $900 for 4 oz's of that color.  That pretty much killed that deal.  I own a car dealership and the shop I farm my mechanic work to also has a paint booth and primarily does collision work.  He just hired a new painter that is good but doesn't have a lot of experience with a tri coat.  Since we were able to get the paint mixed for $200 I figured I'd give it a shot.  The kid is a few years out of body school etc but does study his craft and takes his job seriously.  If it takes him a few tries then so be it.  I'm still money ahead if I have to get more paint.

[Boatman]

The durability of the coating isn't just dependent on the actual material (paint), but a big part of the equation is the process used to paint the parts.  The best or most expensive paint in the world won't provide good results if it's not applied properly to a properly prepared surface under the properly controlled conditions.

The vendor Harley used for the CVO paint back then tended to do a truly lousy job, so it's not surprising to me to hear about your issues.  If you use a good painter who does things the right way, odds are you will have much better results.  However, even the best polyurethane clear coats aren't chip proof.  Chips are a fact of life for any vehicle that actually gets driven or ridden a lot.  Peeling is a different matter.

Jerry

The paint on my 2005 SEEG (red) chipped easily (especially the lowers).  The 2010 had no chips at all after 35,000 miles (ok, maybe one or two).  Hopefully the 14 paint holds up.  Good luck!

[Lars]

2006ULTRA, Keep us posted on how your painter does, and maybe post some pics of the results.
I bet the lowers will look great!!

[2006ULTRA]

Will do, they are finishing up a couple projects before they get started.  I'll take pics and post them up when the time comes.

[S.E.Chic]

I've got the same color and my lowers were chipping and pealing from day 1. I used the 3M film to help, but when I took a piece off to replace, it took the paint with it. Would like to have them repainted at some point. Keep us posted!

[2006ULTRA]

I have the lowers back and they turned out excellent.

Here is some advice if anyone is planning to do this with this color anyway.  I got the paint codes from PPG.  Had the paint mixed.  Not even close.  Rather than running back and forth 20 miles away to keep altering it we used a guy that is well known for mixing paint for body shops when they can't get a match off a code.  Spend another $135 but at least it was within a few shades of the actual color.  The paint we used wasn't PPG either.  I guess there are several variations of the actual paint code so roll the dice if you go off the PPG paint code mixing chart.

Next, spraying this tri coat is another animal in itself.  Gun pressure will change the shade of the color and getting it even isn't easy either.  My guy's messed with it several times to get it right but what I have now is extremely nice!!!!

My painter wrote down every step he took along with gun pressure to get it to match so if I have to do it again down the road it will be much easier.  Because it would have been to difficult to mask off the black on the inside while this hole process was going on I just decided to let them get over spray on it and I just masked it off and reshot the black last night.  They turned out great.

[mark]

Looks very nice-good job.  BTW, did your painter have any ideas on why the factory clear coat held up so poorly?  Just curious.