TOPIC:

Hey, I'm currently sprucing up a kz550 and i'm thinking about changing the color of the wheels to white. Just wondered what the best option is. Anyone have experience with having wheels powder coated. Any potential problems or precautions i should know about? I'm familiar with the process but i have never personally had anything done,
I know a guy who would probably be able to do this inexpensively for me so it is very appealing. Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks

A lot of stock wheels are powder coated. Do yourself a favor and have them done by a quality powder coater. Proper prep is crucial. I suggest a 2 coat process, color and a clear coat.

thanks. my cousin previously had a contract coating military equit. and bought out the tools and ovens when the contract ended. I guess my main concern is re-fitting a wheel that originally had no coating. Just wondered if anyone had specific clearance issues when re-installing or things of that nature. thanks

You can try this:
www.por15.com/mobile/WhiteCote_p_44.html
I love POR-15 products, super tuff stuff, thinner than powder coat.

thanks, i've used por-15 a few times but I didn't realize they made white. I'm researching how it will adhere to aluminum now. this may be the way to go thanks

as long as you don't powder the machined surfaces you will be fine.

jramsey89 wrote: thanks, i've used por-15 a few times but I didn't realize they made white. I'm researching how it will adhere to aluminum now. this may be the way to go thanks

It adhere great to aluminum as long as you you prep the surface well. I bought their dark blue engine paint and painted the cases and heads of my motor. I should have pics up in a few weeks.

Duplicolor engine enamel is another option. It comes in a variety of colors. I went w a stock-type semi-gloss black (photo below). After painting, I baked the wheels in a low temp oven. The enamel has held up well & cleans up easily --- I often times use silicone spray on the rear wheel to remove chain sling & brake dust.

Color. I know it's a personal preference thing & It's your bike (my disclaimer, hee), but if you plan on selling the motorcycle, white may not be a very good choice. There are worse colors, though.

I would talk to an experienced powder coater knowledgeable on cast parts. I've had some parts powder coated and one of the concerns was "gassing out" of trapped air pockets. This is an issue on welds and cast parts. Small pockets are trapped inside the metal. During the baking process, these pockets open. The escaping gas blows tiny holes in the powder coat. The coater I talked to compared it to micro sized volcanoes. The problem with powder coating is there is no touch-ups. The part has to be stripped and start over.
If you're going to do the entire rim, I'd also be concerned with chips in the bead when mounting the tire.

thanks for the tips everyone. I'm going to give it some more thought but i will post up some pics when i'm done.

haha well i saw a white 550 on white wheels (i think on this site) a long time ago and it looked pretty good to me... and no i have no intention of selling haha

ok i was wrong. the bike was on instagram. after lots of scrolling, this is the look i'm after for my wheels