engine- black or silver?

I'm building a new engine for my bike and i cant make up my mind on a color the engine is completely striped down to the case halves. I know what it looks like on the bike silver but not in black. what do you guys think? anybody have a black engine on a 650?

from what ive seen of silver painted motors they tend to look a little cheesey compared to bare aluminum in my opinion for what its worth anyway

Here's mine in black with polished covers, etc.

Hey SLEEPER650; When my son and I did a ground up project on his '78 KZ650SR-D1A, we decided to paint the motor black. We wanted a gloss finish. I had done a couple of other motors using Dupont Centauri acrylic enamel and they turned out great. The color we used is 99A Pitch Black, if memory serves. The process begins with prepping the surfaces with a two part etcher. The first one is clear and the second kind of a yellow color. It leaves a residue on the aluminum preventing oxidation and helps bond the paint. We sprayed the color on over the "coating". You will end up with near optical clarity on the smooth surfaces, such as the outboard engine covers (if you choose to paint them). If I remember correctly, the spec sheet said the product could handle 400 degrees F and I've not seen any lifting, blistering or other forms of compromised surface finish. It does OK with gasoline that sometimes leaks from the carbs (aaaarg) and by that I mean that the gas will leave a visable mark. A coat of wax fixes it.
I'm starting on my '74 Z1-A and want an aluminum color this time. I'm going to the paint store and see what they can do for me. I'm sure they use aluminum for tinting so maybe they can replicate the bare look of a fresh engine casting. Ride safe, Steve

I've been thinking about painting mine this winter as well. I really like the look of Bluemeanie's bike.

Just wondering how hard it is to keep clean? Does it show the dirt more?

I have an 82 GPZ1100 B2 and the engine came from the factory in black paint. For touch up I use PJ-1 engine black and for preserving the black color I spray on Armor-All (it will smell a little when hot but dirt seems to come right off when I clean it with soap and water).

Yea, the cleaning question! The absolute worst mess is riding in the rain. The black really shows the gray haze much more than the bare aluminum. That's the bad. The good is that the casting pores are sealed and the stuff will come off. Yep, it takes some time and a few beverage units to complete. I've found from experience that a soft bristle brush works the best for getting in between the fins. Truthfully, there are areas that cannot be reached and it has nothing to do with color. Remember how good a black car looks after washing and waxing. Now remember what it looks like when dirty. Same deal. When the motor is clean it looks much better than the patina that the bare aluminum develops, in my opinion. I love the bright aluminum color on new motors, they just won't stay that way for me. Ride safe, Steve