I've never done anything like that, but I would say that it would be extremely hard to paint those items and have them look good without taking them apart. Just think of all the angles you might not be able to get to that will noticeable from a different one.

Just get a big ole' can of black paint & a roller, then get to work.

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Are you serious! :blink: :dry: :ohmy:

Why bother then for it would just plainly look like crap quickly and just wouldn't hold up to the beating... Rock chips, gravel, dust, rain, oils, chain lube and brake fluids these components will take in time will destroy your paint quickly.

Calipers, for any paint to adhere, these would require thorough cleaning of any oil/fluid residues to be accomplished correctly.

As in any paint, PREP is every thing!
Don't give a rats ass how good the paint is, if prep is crap so will your paint job...

Seriously speaking, if your not going to remove and properly clean and prep these components then don't bother... Just ride the hell out of her as is...

Just my 2 worthless cents...

OMR

kz/pat wrote:

how can i do this without taking the parts off of the bike.

Don't.

scuffing up frame tubes and parts of swingarm aint no big deal.biggest thing is to clean the hell out of everything and scuff areas up depending on how bad they are.then mask off areas you dount want to get paint on,footpeg brackets and small parts are easy enough to remove to do more prep job on before painting.then get ya couple cans of gloss black krylon or rustoleum and start touching things up,this works fine for a daily rider if you spend a little time prepping and detailing parts it will work fine.id suggest removing the calipers if youre going to paint them though

I think it would just be easier to tear it apart and paint it. Trying to do it with everything together is going to be a lot of work in itself. Plus it might not even come out how you would like it.

I did this to my bike and it was pretty easy. I know it wont last forever but it looks good enough for a daily rider,which is all I want.
Clean is most important, paint wont stick to dirt or grease. I presure washed it with degreaser and then acid washed it, rinsed well.
Sand/scuff bad ares with 320-400 grit.
Wrap the engine in $1store platic wrap,mask what you can, use a small piece of thin carboard behind what your painting for overspray protection.
Find some rattle cans with the same gloss your looking for,some small paint brushs.
Paint only what you have to.
This bike looked bad, I talked the guy down a couple hundred bucks because it was so dirty and rusty

Pat,
if this is going to be a daily rider I would(and did)take the swing arm off. This allows you to check the bearings. And if bad, you are ready to replace them. Same with the front end. Then you can paint some pieces off the bike.

One thing that will help our answers is for you to go to your profile and enter your year/model info.

By removing the parts for painting you will be able to inspect them for damage and wear. Do it right the first time....Russ

There are lots of shortcut tips in the junkyard and the graveyard. If you saw an ad for an airline mechanic that said "Looking for shortcut taker and hack mechanic." I bet you wouldn't fly that airline. Same with a bike. Never trust what previous owner says about a bike or his work. I know paint isn't that much of a safety deal but as stated it helps you diagnose major problems if you do a off season takedown at least once on these old bikes. There are some real dangerous practices out there. But it is your bike and your butt. Usually with paint if you do a fast job you will be doing it again and soon. GLUCK!