Trunk Paint Scheme

[natemoen]

I am looking for ideas on how to paint a trunk. It looks like it is the trunk that would have come with the early bagger kit. I really don't know how to paint it so that it looks decent.





It does have a pair of rails as well that wrap around the sides and meet in the back center as well they just aren't on.

Here is what it is going on.

[sparkfly88]

Dude that looks wicked!

[motoman]

I am looking for ideas on how to paint a trunk. It looks like it is the trunk that would have come with the early bagger kit. I really don't know how to paint it so that it looks decent.





It does have a pair of rails as well that wrap around the sides and meet in the back center as well they just aren't on.

Here is what it is going on.

Correct Nate.......that is the tail trunk that Yammy acessories offered back then for the 80-81 standard. Same as on my Venturer that I got new from same dealer I bought bike new from. Apparently, at that time someone ordered it, but never picked it up. So being already color matched to the Venturer I bought it and mounted it. At that time, decades ago I had a free-hand pin striper that was at a local wing gathering do the striping that matches the sidecases on it. IMO, I'd match it color wise to the fairing. Re-doing my side covers a few years back, rough sand it so primer 'bites' good, then go to your local automotive paint store and buy the quality primer for plastics. Take the bike with you and outside in the sunlight, match color up. Have them mix that up in the aresol can which actually has a nice pattern nozzle on it. Let flash dry between coats, and shoot it 3-4 times. Not sure what kinda paint is allowed in your area, but here, still able to get quality automotive enamal, it layed flat with absolutely no orange peel on my side covers. Colormatched perfectly, and looks totally original as if it were never done. With the chrome bars back on that trunk, would not even require a matching fairing pin stripe, but could be done to make trunk look like it 'belongs' to rest of bikes tupperware......JAT.

[natemoen]

It just seems that if I were to just go all yellow that it would be too much.

But I don't really see how I could do the stripes so that it fit. The shape is so much different than everything else since it is just a box and everything else is much more angular (I guess).

Maybe do the yellow and then have the center band around the trunk black? Any other ideas, I am not liking any of mine so far all that much.

[Rasputin]

I am torn on what paint I would use. If you match the trunk to the rest of the bike the ammo cans will look out of place. If you match the ammo cans then the rest of the bike looks like it is chopped in half and welded together.
Not being critical of your choice of using the ammo cans but why not match them to your trunk and other parts of your bike?
I do not like the look of the ammo cans myself but do not begrudge those who do. I always wonder why anyone would want to make it look as if they are carrying a ton of ammo (when everyone knows you are not) instead of trying to make them compliment the rest of the bike.
To me bags is bags and I would try to work the whole scheme to make it work together. Maybe just a few highlights on the ammo cans to make it look good with the trunk. I dunno just shooting the crap in my head out loud I guess.

[Gallaecus]

how about yellow flames on the ammo cans and trunk ?

and maybe trade out the ammo cans for some period correct bags, ?

[motoman]

Agree with Ras........the ammo cases kinda throw things off a bit, but something maybe two-tone on them to downplay there look would help IMO.

[Rasputin]

how about yellow flames on the ammo cans and trunk ?

and maybe trade out the ammo cans for some period correct bags, ?

That is not at all what I was suggesting! I simply stated that maybe he could work with both to make a superior product

[natemoen]

Yeah they don't really match (but there is yellow text on the cans....) and they do stand out.

To a point I do agree with you all on the ammo cans. Originally I put them on just because they are entertaining, now I don't know if I would even want to get rid of them for regular bags. They are freaking STRONG! I think they work way better than even the best crash bars. I have dropped the bike in a parking lot a couple times when not thinking and the bike just falls on the cans and nothing happens.

I hesitate to paint them because the person I got them from had attempted to mount them on his bike and had drilled some holes in them (which I used for my mounting) but the way he drilled the holes makes the diagonal bar running on the outside of the can go in opposite directions on either side of the bike, which would look weird. Also at this point the cans do have a little rubbing going on (modified original mounting hardware), when I get a new mounting frame made up (after I finally get a welder sometime soon) they will get moved some.

Maybe this winter they will get redone. Imagine they are painted up somehow to match (ideas there) what would you do to the trunk then?

[fredintoon]

Yeah they don't really match (but there is yellow text on the cans....) and they do stand out.

To a point I do agree with you all on the ammo cans. Originally I put them on just because they are entertaining, now I don't know if I would even want to get rid of them for regular bags. They are freaking STRONG! I think they work way better than even the best crash bars. I have dropped the bike in a parking lot a couple times when not thinking and the bike just falls on the cans and nothing happens.

I hesitate to paint them because the person I got them from had attempted to mount them on his bike and had drilled some holes in them (which I used for my mounting) but the way he drilled the holes makes the diagonal bar running on the outside of the can go in opposite directions on either side of the bike, which would look weird. Also at this point the cans do have a little rubbing going on (modified original mounting hardware), when I get a new mounting frame made up (after I finally get a welder sometime soon) they will get moved some.

Maybe this winter they will get redone. Imagine they are painted up somehow to match (ideas there) what would you do to the trunk then?

Hi Nate,
there is no such thing as "too much yellow" it is not a valid concept.
And so what if those diagonal stiffeners slope differently?
It'd only bother a person who could see both sides at once, eh?
And you should only swap out those ammo cans if you can find panniers that are stronger, hold more and cost less.
I'd paint the ammo boxes the same yellow as the bike but use masking tape to keep the white military spec. stencils and the olive drab immediate surround unpainted to show you are not ashamed of what they are.

[IanDMacDonald]

I think they give the bike character (ammo cans). It's your bike, and the only idea I can really come-up with is to match the bike to the ammo cans, ergo (military theme). I know that sounds like a lot of work, but it would be cool to see an OD green XS. Then join Fred's club, and throw a sidecar on it, lol.

But, if you're going to throw the trunk on there, you might think about some sidebags to match, otherwise you might be getting stares from the same people laughing at those using rubbermaid totes for luggage.

The lines on the front fairing remind me of my Seca Turbo.

[Garagamus]

Maybe to break up the "too much yellow" comment on the trunk, leave the top hinged cover black and run a scallop in matching black from the bottem of the trunk up to the lid. (Sounds confusing in words, but trying to match the curve of the scallop on the gas tank to flow into the trunk.) Then to break it up even more, you could "frame" the yellow with some angular pinstriping like the rest of the bike. Even without the scallop idea, you could always leave the top black and frame the yellow trunk body with some pinstiping to make everything blend.

[Gallaecus]

you could go a bunch of different ways on this.

get some matching fiberglass bags with chrome rails.
paint it all yellow. chrome and yellow look very good together.

mount the trunk as is. it seems to match the ammo cans ???
you seem to like the cans as is, so why change that?
mount the trunk and see how it all looks together first.

what do you think about horizontal yellow flames across cans and trunk ?

[natemoen]

Every time I am out riding I get at least one person who yells out their window commenting (positively) about the ammo cans.

And so what if those diagonal stiffeners slope differently?

I would know, I am a man and I need visual symmetry.

I'd paint the ammo boxes the same yellow as the bike but use masking tape to keep the white military spec. stencils and the olive drab immediate surround unpainted to show you are not ashamed of what they are.

I do like this idea some, it is a good thought.

I think they give the bike character (ammo cans). It's your bike, and the only idea I can really come-up with is to match the bike to the ammo cans, ergo (military theme). I know that sounds like a lot of work, but it would be cool to see an OD green XS. Then join Fred's club, and throw a sidecar on it, lol.

No, I can't do the OD green theme.

[CRXSi90]

Here is my contribution to the circular bin...

Keep the ammo cans as-is.

Paint the trunk yellow to match. Then paint the front/leading edge black. Finally, get some pin-striping of the same width as on the rest of the bike. Use a strip of it at the top and bottom of the center rib, going circumferentially around the trunk. At the front, connect the top and bottom "rungs" with a short strip using a right angle bend.