My Stampede Bike for 2015, Paint

     I decided that I wanted to paint the bike myself and I wanted a high quality paint job, a high quality "rattle can" paint job. I don't have a paint gun or compressor and I've never done any automotive quality painting. So I started...
     I know a few of the basics. First get the metal as straight as possible and as clean as possible. I used a self etching primer and a sanding primer over that. For the fender I sanded the primer until any imperfections were filled. I wet sanded with 500 grit and 1200 grit, on the theory that the better the primer coat finish the better the final coat finish.

      I decided not to pull the engine to paint the frame so I masked it off and primed. I used a chassis paint for the frame, fender struts, seat mountings and other hardware. It has a good semi-gloss finish and, I hope, is extra tough. 
     For the fender I used Rust-Oleum gloss black automotive enamel. I had a couple of ideas about how to do a good rattle can paint job that were wrong, but after a couple of restarts, I got the paint on the fender and after 48 hours curing time, I wet sanded, very lightly, with 1200 grit just to knock off any orange peal. 
     I used Turtle Wax Polishing Compound and a small random orbital polisher, which brought the paint to a high gloss. 

     I sent the oil tank to Custom Coating in Ukiah. They used a chrome powder coat with a clear top coat. I am very  pleased with the finish.

     I put everything back together, I think it looks pretty good and I'm a lot more comfortable with what it takes to do a good paint job.