Painting 84 250r...which paint to match Maier?

**kbreese** · 03-20-2009, 06:31 PM

Going to buy a new Maier rear fender for an 84 250r and thinking about painting the tank and front fender to match. What paint do i need to buy and how best to prep both the metal tank and plastic fender? I don't have paint equipment...is there anything I can get in terms of spray paint?

PS - Also, looking at the Maier rear fender, it looks like it doesnt run all the way to the tank on the side. Is there a separate middle piece of plastic in between the tank and the rear fender?

**Dirtcrasher** · 03-20-2009, 07:09 PM

MAIER, IMO, never made an attempt to match OEM plastic, or maybe they couldn't do to copyright infringements??

Anyhow, they are usually a darker red that matches like crap, but what else can ya do!!

If your gonna ride the trike, forget being pretty and make life easy. I end up changing the frame and gas tank color (metal parts) so that I don't have to sweat the colors matching.

Rattle can paint does not last but it works in a pinch and is easily changed

Painting plastics doesn't ever seem to work well for anyone, unless you don't ride it!!

**kbreese** · 03-20-2009, 08:09 PM

I hear ya bro, but the back plastics have many cracks held together with zip ties, so I'd like it to at least look decent.

What about this stuff:
http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

I heard the "Red Pepper" is a very close match, and this paint is supposed to adhere well to plastics. Figuring maybe I will clean the surface well, than rough it up good with sandpaper than clean again...than spray....

As far as the tank, not sure about that yet.

**toocheaptosmoke** · 03-21-2009, 01:10 AM

No extra piece of plastic, just how they are.

The Krylon fusion is decent, you're right about prepping the plastic, that's the most important part. Use a finer grit before you're done or scratches will come through on the paint. After painting I let things bake in the sun for a while.

**kbreese** · 03-21-2009, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by toocheaptosmoke

No extra piece of plastic, just how they are.

Thats dumb. For the amount they charge for a piece of plastic they should at least make it an exact copy...what the hell do they just leave out a section of the fender for? it's such a glaring and obvious visual flaw to have a gap between the tank and the rear fender on the side. Sigh.

**SYKO** · 03-21-2009, 10:15 AM

if you have a cuttin torch there is a old trick I learned it takes a bit of skill other wise you can really screw up your plastic..

it basicaly uses the cuttin torch to melt the outside just enough to make it shinny again you will have to practice on some old plastic first becouse you have to do it at the right distance for the right amount of time other wise you ruin it.

it will make a old faded fender look new again

just thought I would put that out there.

**kbreese** · 03-21-2009, 10:29 AM

Hmm, interesting and I can see how that would work. How long do you usually wave the torch in front of a portion of plastic before you pull away, roughly? Like a 5-10 seconds or like a minute or so? I would guess it would only be like 5-10 seconds but looking for a rough idea...

Also, isn't there some kind of rubbing compound /polish out there that is supposed to bring back the luster to plastic?

**SYKO** · 03-21-2009, 10:32 AM

yes you can sand it like you would color sand a car and buff it back as well

you just have to try the torch meathod it varies for whatever size/type of torch you got even a little handheld propane torch will work

if your looking for a paint code

MARTIN SENOUR (AUTO PAINT)
CROSSFIRE SINGLE STAGE OR BASECOAT (YOUR PREFERENCE)

58471
MAGMA RED

its a near match for both honda red and maire red it sits right in between and so far everyone likes it.

**1upfront** · 03-21-2009, 11:07 AM

I used a ford color called torch red on my tank, frame and shrouds it matches the maier fenders dead on.

**saleen_n_around** · 03-21-2009, 11:11 AM

I thought torch red was a Chevy color on the old Lumina Euros....

**kbreese** · 03-21-2009, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by 1upfront

I used a ford color called torch red on my tank, frame and shrouds it matches the maier fenders dead on.

Wow, looks brand new. How was the paint applied though?

**1upfront** · 03-21-2009, 11:35 AM

It's a single stage urethane paint I got from work and it was sprayed with an automotive paint gun. Just get the paint code for torch red online and have sykolincoln spray the parts for you.

**1upfront** · 03-21-2009, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by saleen_n_around

I thought torch red was a Chevy color on the old Lumina Euros....

both ford and gm used the color but I don't know that they where exactly the same I used ford torch red.

**rdlsz24** · 03-21-2009, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by sykolincoln

if you have a cuttin torch there is a old trick I learned it takes a bit of skill other wise you can really screw up your plastic..

it basicaly uses the cuttin torch to melt the outside just enough to make it shinny again you will have to practice on some old plastic first becouse you have to do it at the right distance for the right amount of time other wise you ruin it.

it will make a old faded fender look new again

just thought I would put that out there.

I used this trick on a YFZ450 I had. The blue rear fenders had got bent back in a rollover and it made white creases. I used a heat gun (way lower heat than a torch) and it brought back the blue. It didn't look perfect but it was better than it did look.

Rob

**kbreese** · 03-21-2009, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by 1upfront

It's a single stage urethane paint I got from work and it was sprayed with an automotive paint gun. Just get the paint code for torch red online and have sykolincoln spray the parts for you.

That would be cool, but with the shipping, I am not sure how cost & time effective it would be.

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Painting 84 250r...which paint to match Maier?