What should a complete paint job cost?

[thewiz]

As many of you already know, I recently got my SF bagger scraped up after tangling with an SUV in the DMV parking lot. I think the damage settlement will pay for complete paint job. That will include the tank, side covers, bags, fairing (also cracked) and lowers.

I would love to paint it myself but I really don't have the place to do it so it seems like it will go out to a shop. What is the price range of a good quality paint job?

[Paintman]

Cost of color

Hey Wiz if i was doing a bike and i had to dissasemble everything and paint a full bagger minimum would be around 1500$ for a single color Job if two tone add another 400$ and thats not including reapir to any plastis or glass parts.


John

[psycoreefer]

Call a few shops and get some prices. Will save you some money if you disassemble and "prep" everything yourself. Work with the shop you choose though so you do as much as possible yourself. The key to a good job is the prep work.

[thewiz]

Pricey, John ...

that's the area that I'm hearin'.

[thewiz]

Accidental reply launch ..

I meant to continue rambling ....

So I wonder how much help the painter would consider helpful, if that makes any sense? Of course I can take it apart (since I put it together), do the plastic repair and some of the prep as I do have experience in that area .... but what's that worth to the painter, I wonder?

[Paintman]

what you save

Hey Wiz some guys will take work that has been prepped by others but over the yrs i found i ended up spending twice as long fixing someone elses work. its all depends on teh shops and alot of gusy wont guarantee the finish is you did teh prep .

John

[mro]

What should a complete paint job cost?

I'd get a check from the insurace company and wind up with several more XSes


mro

[Pat Kelly]

I got a few estimates on my E with fairing, lowers, hard bags, and trunk.
Price ranged from $400 to $2500.
$400 seemed ok for some decent color. $2500 was for a "show-quality" paint job.
I rattle-canned it for $30.
Some day I will buy a paint gun and try a better quality job. Thanks for beating me to the paint scheme I was already thinking of TC , it looks good

[DiverRay]

I'm going to have a "local" painter do my fairing, tank and all as a "side job". It will cost me about $1,200 to 1,500. To have a "shop" do the work it will be about $2,500 to 3,500. That is NOT a "custom" job, just a nice, stock looking paint job!!!
This IS in Central California, so I'm not that far off from what it will cost you!!

[gearhead76]

After you get a paint gun, you'll wonder why you didn't try it sooner. The only trick was make sure you have a practice piece so you can get the gun set up the way you like it. Than spray away. It covers a lot better then rattle can, and if you use a good clear coat it will hold up to gas spills on the gas tank. Rattle can clear coat doesn't. Found that out the hard way.

[thewiz]

Lotsa' money ...

My buddies in Colo were bodymen and never would take any money for painting several of my bikes in the late 70's .... great days. They could whip out stuff in a couple of days .... bring 'em some beer. Ashmore ... Burns ... are you out there somewhere? Prices are sky high now, though. Was all single stage enamels and even acrylic laquer. Materials were much cheaper then too.

Paintman .... I would have bet a painter could be reluctant to spray color over the work of an unknown entity. I'd feel the same way if were in their spot too !!

MRO ... that sounds like some repressed XSive behavior pattern, but don't think I haven't thought about that ... I have three and a parts bike now

Gear .... I have a good enough compressor but not hooked up currently .... but if the estimate doesn't come in very high, I will find a place to do it.

[dpotter58]

Had mine done this summer

Tank, both fenders, both side covers in black with clear coat, Nodents no fill, $700,,,,
Had the forks and a bunch of small stuff powder coated, $100

[Paintman]

Paint

Hey Wiz if you were closer i would show you how to do it and help anyway i could, i have always swapped off paint work and have taught alot of people how to do body work and paint. good luck with the bike.

John

[Mashermoto]

Wiz,

Here in Okie land it ranges from cheap to insane

But a reasonable price for a good base coat clear coat gas tank is about 350 bucks. You could probably talk them into doing the side cases for the same money. I ran accross a guy advertising on Craigs List that does tanks and side cases for 350 and his pictures showed a mirror finish.

Also, I had a neighbor who did his own body work then tried to get shops to do the painting and they wouldn't. They didn't want to risk the possibility of their paint not being compatible with the body material.

I've painted a couple of gas tanks and side cases now and got good and bad results. My last one was OK, but the first one cost me a lot of time and money. I'm about to do my third one, but only because of the success on the second paint job. I quit for awhile after that first disaster

Here is what I found, I'm at a break even point now with cost versus benefit. Paint materials now days is insane If you plan on doing only one paint job, I would recommend taking it to a good shop and cutting them a good check for work well done, unless you just enjoy taking on new projects (like me). The reason is simple...the start up cost of compressors, paint guns, paint materials, the mess, your time and the real possibility of having to redo the paint job can add up to much more than the shop will charge.

The trick to having a shop do it is finding one you trust. I find most of them are already too busy or just plain A.. Holes to do business. Around here the best deals are the guys like the one I found on Craigs List, or someone that works in a shop, but does work on the side.

If you do decide to do it yourself, I would recommend you stay away from purchasing those paint guns like Sata, unless you just need a reason to spend money. If you do have too much money in your pocket...buy the high dollar guns because they are better. But for us garage warriors, I find I get as good a result as others by using El Cheapo guns from Harbor Freight for the primer and base coat. I use a Devilbis Finish Line gun I bought brand new in the box from an online store for less than 100 bucks that sprays clear coat like nobodys business

Well...that's my bad advise

[gearhead76]

I will agree on that, I know a lot of guys who have the expensive paint guns and perfer to use the ones from harbor freight. Must make sure you get the HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) Type of gun. It takes only 15-21 lb of air and has far less overspray. Harbor freight has them for 20-30 bucks and they work great.