[Choclabguy]

Anyone have any experiance painting the trellis frame. I have an 06 Black ST 3 and was considering painting the frame red this winter and wanted to know how big of an undertaking I am looking at.
Thanks

 

[strider3]

It is a very big undertaking. One must dismantle the entire motorcycle from the frame. Not an easy task. I am not afraid of wrenching and would not attempt it. Even if I had the entire winter. Just my .02 though.

 

[DT996]

Aside from the dismantling as mentioned, trellis frame paint is a bit of a challenge. There are a multitude of angles that need to be covered in a pattern that allows good coverage while keeping the paint wet. Sounds like a tongue twister, and it feels like one when painting. But it can be done if you are an experienced painter, or you aren't an experienced painter and you are not that picky.

Good luck with your decision, and if you need pointers or a road map for how to do it, I'll be glad to help.

 

[guido]

Hello
Just get it powdercoated. It's a big job to dis/re-assemble, but might as well get a good coating job while it's apart. I got mine done in "Ferrari Red" which is a stock color and is pretty darn close to "Ducati Red".
A good (read: experienced) coater will plug all the threaded holes and bearing surfaces, etc. and mask-off the VIN stamp.

JMHO.....

 

[RockingM]

Hello
Just get it powdercoated. It's a big job to dis/re-assemble, but might as well get a good coating job while it's apart. I got mine done in "Ferrari Red" which is a stock color and is pretty darn close to "Ducati Red".
A good (read: experienced) coater will plug all the threaded holes and bearing surfaces, etc. and mask-off the VIN stamp.

JMHO.....

I did the old bevel when I painted it. Used base coat clear coat. Now I think I'd go powder coat. The clear is easy to chip when reassembling and I think the powder coat would be so much so. So ditto what Guido says.

 

[dirkwrong]

I think chrome plating the frame would be nice, and actually functional.
http://www.classiccomponents.com/index2.html

 

[MarkST]

I think chrome plating the frame would be nice, and actually functional.

How would chrome plating be functional Dirk ?
Wouldn't it just rust like a Harley ?

 

[joshcxcb]

I can tell you from experience its a huge job! It looks amazing though. I think i paid $225. You have to worry about getting the coat in all of your threads and what not. The wiring harness is a SOB to mess with! Unless you are going all out and doing something extreme I don't know if I would do it to a stock bike.

 

[DT996]

Here's a Streetfighter frame I changed from Black to Red. No worries about chipping when you use the right materials, and lay it down with the proper steps and preparation. It's not easy, but it kills powdercoating in every aspect despite what most people say. It just has to be done by a Pro (shameless plug).

 

[RockingM]

Here's a Streetfighter frame I changed from Black to Red. No worries about chipping when you use the right materials, and lay it down with the proper steps and preparation. It's not easy, but it kills powdercoating in every aspect despite what most people say. It just has to be done by a Pro (shameless plug).

well what did you use? Share man!

 

[DT996]

well what did you use? Share man!

here's the list:

PPG DP90LF Epoxy primer (Black)
HOK Ko-Seal Sealer (Black)
PPG DBU Basecoat (Ducati Red)
HOK UFC35 Urethane clear coat (6-8 coats)

Prepwork was not the most difficult due to it being brand new and no chips or scratches. De-greased frame, washed with mild detergent, hand sanded frame with 400 grit wet, pre-paint wash to remove sanding particles. Apply Epoxy primer in 3 coats wet, cure overnight, detail for dust and debris removal after 24 hours without disturbing integrity of Epoxy primer. Apply sealer (2 coats wet) and allow to cure for minimum 1 hour/maximum 24 hours before applying basecoat red. Apply basecoat Red @ 4 coats full wet, inside frame to outside frame, front to back progression. Use appropriate reducer to allow for wet coat application, that will not run, but will remain wet long enough to keep overspray to absolute minimum.

Use of HVLP touch-up sized spray gun is critical to success of this type of paintwork, as a larger sized gun will interfere with movement and coverage inside of frame, along with wasting material. Following instructions to the "T" for each material used is also critical, as skipping steps or waiting too long/ not long enough can cause unwanted reactions and ruin all progress.

The frame pictured came out virtually flawless and had no issues before, during, or after application - mostly thanks to the amount of prep-work done and sticking to the rules. Frame was delivered straight from the booth with no buffing required, a painters dream!

 

[dirkwrong]

How would chrome plating be functional Dirk ?
Wouldn't it just rust like a Harley ?

A good triple chrome plate job should last a very long time without rusting. Most chrome plating is the cheap stuff, but good plating starts with a thick copper plate.

Anyway, back in the 1950's, it was common to chrome plate suspension parts in Formula 1 because it made it easy to see if a part was flexing too much. The chrome is brittle, so it would crack if the part was flexing. The chrome made it easy to see when a part was about to fail. So, in theory you could tell if your motorcycle frame was going to crack because the chrome would crack first. Maybe this isn't that important for Ducati's, I don't know.

 

[Choclabguy]

Thanks for all the feed back