New paint scheme?

[thenation]

Hi all, I have a red 99 ST4 and the fairings and panniers have seen better days while the lacquer on the carbon front fender and key guard is basically gone and there are ugly water marks all over the carbon. The paint is badly chipped and scratched and the paint shops around here will not be able to repaint the bad bits to exactly the same as original, hence I have decided for a complete respray.

I'm casting for opinions on what paint scheme I should opt for; currently I'm thinking of having black fairings with red wheels (which are 5 spoke marchesinis btw) and maybe red lettering on the side fairings and red side fairing inserts. The frame is the original grey and will remain so as I do not intend to repaint it, just touch up the scratches.

I can pretty much rule out the stock blue, yellow and silver paint schemes as they just don't do it for me, faster colours though they may be.

What do you guys think?

[Bill_Anderson]

The lines of the ST series can lead to some very good two tone schemes which flow from the front through sides of the bike to the panniers.

[SE84]

Please don't attempt a Tricolore scheme. I've never seen one pulled off successfully on an ST. They all look strange due to the proportions of the panels.

There are a few other threads on this topic, and some photoshop work that I did along with them.

'Paint my ST' Christmas Competition

Unpainted, some paint or full paint? Kinda miss the Duc Red…

[chitownson]

Well, Ducatis should be red, but I really like my 2002 ST4s' factory semi-flat silver gray paint (don't ask me the factory color's name, it escapes me.) I get tons of compliments on the factory color and people ask me if it's a custom paint job. It goes real nice with the silver trellis frame, and I like the fact it looks satin from some angles and reflective from other angles. My wheels are the matching factory silver gray paint. No offense, but I personally don't like the red wheels (I get a plastic and "toy-like" impression from them.)

I also agree about the tri-colore paint schemes; unless it was a Ducati factory paint scheme, home made tri-colores never seemed to look quite right. A solid color seems to make the lines of the ST's look more fluid and emphasize the bike's stance, giving an implied sense of "motion". I've also seen some attempts at two-tone on the ST's and they just looked too "Japanese".

[thenation]

A buddy of mine has attempted a tri colour scheme pretty successfully on his ST2 actually.







SE84, I looked through both threads before starting this one but only found one scheme that I liked:



However, my fairings and wheels are not carbon and I don't think there would be the same visual impact.

Bill, what kind of two-tone schemes? Something like above where only the lower fairing is a different colour?

[Bill_Anderson]

Originally Posted by thenation

Bill, what kind of two-tone schemes? Something like above where only the lower fairing is a different colour?

Here is a photo of my friend Marshal's 98 ST2 with the comfort fairing and Ducati Designs headlights. Not the best angle, but you can see how Marshal, who teaches industrial design, developed a two tone paint scheme which makes use of the bike's lines. He told me the colors are Ferrari colors.

[John]

I like all of them strangely enough.

[JasperST4]

What about white? Has anyone done a ST in all white? That might look cool.

[stryder]

I like the old 750 F1 paint schemes. But, it's hard to beat a plain RED!!! Ducati IMO.

[thenation]

Originally Posted by JasperST4

What about white? Has anyone done a ST in all white? That might look cool.

In fact, there is one such bike.