New project: XS1100 endurance racer

[DEEBS11]

This is the sh*t.

https://www.jet-hot.com/coatingsoverview

[LAB3]

This is the sh*t.

https://www.jet-hot.com/coatingsoverview

I was going to mention that but have no real world experience with those types of coatings.

[DEEBS11]

I did an 84 XL600 frame for a restoration and it was a beautiful job. I have also did the exhaust of a VFR700 and it came out great as well. I highly recommend it.

[Mathh]

Thanks for the support! I already heard of polishing the frame, LAB3 Have you done this yourself? I am curious if remains of the polishing paste will mess up the clear paint. If so it would be a great solution. DiverRay As for using metallic spray paint that was my first thought as well so I have tested a LOT of them varying from some RAL colors to metallic silver / platimun / aluminum in all shades , all from cars. Mostly Mercedes as they have very light silver colors on their cars. Once sprayed they were all too dark to my taste, almost gray. I'll make some pictures of some results tomorrow. DEEBS11 : That jet Hot coating is interesting as I spotted some pics with colors that com close to an aluminum frame. I'm just curious how hot the proces will be, I am a bit scared that the frame will warp a bit. We also have a ceramic coating proces overhere but the best color they have (for me that is) looks like a zinc finish which I find too dark. Anyway enough food to start a new search on the internet, thanks guys!

[LAB3]

I've never clear coated a bare metal frame but have polished and sealed refinished aluminum. Have seen custom builds done that way and it just seems to make sense that if you're looking for a metal finish to use the metal you already have.

One of the other ideas I've come up with (but have never done) would be to use an abrasive to "grain" the metal in other words scratch the metal in a certain direction. It would be a challenge to get the symmetry right but I bet it would set the project apart from other builds as I've never seen it done before

[DiverRay]

A 3M green pad as used on stainless steel would probably do it. The big problem with aluminum is trying to get a clear coat that is "self etching", as that is what is needed. Aluminum starts oxidizing as soon as you are done doing anything to it. A clear anodized look should give Mathh what he is looking for as far as color and durability.

[DEEBS11]

Clear Coat.

https://shop.everbritecoatings.com/i...products_id=23

[Schming]

This product works amazing :

https://sharkhidestore.com/products/...num-protectant

[Mathh]

Here is a picture I took from a test session with different spray paints . I did almost 35 of those, luckily I got a hefty discount. They were all sprayed on square pieces of aluminum, painted white on one side, no paint on the other side. it made no difference as none of them were to my taste.



I also asked for the indoor ones but I got a warning to not use them outdoors and / or add clear paint over them.
My visit to the powder coating company also turned out to be a disappointment. I got 4 samples for chrome and nickel colors to try. Once in the workshop I saw they were not close to them but more to metallic silver / gray .. So another no go.





I am now still investigating the last mentioned options (sharkhide, everbrite and polishing the frame)) although I have not yet found something comparable overhere for the first 2 options.

Now this is the last status of my racer.. (this afternoon)



I am going to clean up the frame from scratches and heat colouring and will then have a try to see if I can experiment with some polishing.
There is alot of truth in what LAB3 said: "it just seems to make sense that if you're looking for a metal finish to use the metal you already have".
Not sure yet about that graining he also mentioned. It will be a lot of work to get that undone if I don't like it

[LAB3]

The "graining" idea has been an idea I've been kicking around for a long time. In the project I've been imagining the side covers would be grained or brushed then treated with a chemical agent to create a patina. This would the be sanded/polished to leave the high spots with a bright finish and the lower spots left darker from the reaction of the patina agent.

Someday I'm going to sit in one spot awhile and give some of these ideas a real world try! For the graining/brushing part I'm imagining some sort of a jig to hold a wire wheel etc in the same horizontal plane is the work moves below it to keep the orientation of the scratches going in the same direction. With the strong contrast between the bright and colored metal I'm betting some pretty stunning visual effects could be produced

[Mathh]

@LAB3: I must admit that it sounds great but for me it is very difficult to visualise. So ... someday as you say ... this year?

In the mean time I brushed the frame with 800 grit so all heat colouring from the welding is gone. It looks way better now. Tomorrow a friend of mine will visit my workshop. His specialism is polishing so we'll see what is possible. I also sent a mail to my paint supplier to check if there is a clear coat that fits my project...

[Mathh]

Here are some pictures of the frame done with 800 grit. I now started working on the swingarm as well. The polisher told me to go further than 800 grit, so I'll soon give it another go with 1500 grit. I must say that I am well pleased with the result so far.

[LAB3]

@LAB3: I must admit that it sounds great but for me it is very difficult to visualise. So ... someday as you say ... this year?

Can't say that will happen this year. I'm a full-time camper with quite literally everything I own strapped onto my bike and a small trailer that I pull behind it. At just shy of 62yrs old my body is holding up pretty good but as you know that could change any time!

My "motto" at this point in my life is "Looking for a sane woman with an empty garage and loose purse strings" and although I've managed to come across #2 and #3 on more than one occasion I'm finding the first attribute to be awfully elusive.

[Mathh]

LAB3 Don't give up what you're doing because it's true that it can change any time. Me and my girl friend still ride in Andalucia in Spain twice a year on rental bikes. Excellent weather and, beautiful nature and fantastic roads. We do more miles in Spain than we do in our own country because of that. Overhere we have had mainly bad weather since September last year. As of yesterday the prediction is two weeks dry with sun, wow. So we took out our bikes again. What a great feeling riding these old Eleven's again.

As for the racer I have been busy with 1000 grit pads and with a Dremel with a tiny wire brush to clean up the welds. I also have chosen some designs for the bodywork that I think I can use for the final choice. I'll post some pics after my next visit to my workshop.

[OldGreyBeast]

Holy canoli this is an awesome build, you're a mighty talented dude!