Powdercoat or Anodize???

[.One.of.a.kind.]

I am wanting to color my factory wheels(06 1300C). I'm not sure which would be better. Powdercoating or Anodizing?

Any thoughts...

[razorbak57]

Just wanted to say hello. Jonesboro here. Nice looking bike.

[mscales]

Depends on what kind of look you want. A solid color then powdercoat. You want a candy transparent color then you can anodize. Anodizing will fade in sunlight so that may not be the best way to go. But, I have painted wheels on cars for many years and never had a problem with paint. And using todays paint is great. The new 2 part paints are very hard and will hold up for years. On the plus side for paint is the fact that if you dont like the color you can just repaint and with anodizing or powder coat you have to strip the finish off. Stripping off powdercoating is expensive and can/will damage the rims. Stripping off auto paint is much easier and cheaper.

[VTX Bonnie]

They also make a transparent powder coat. The bumpers on my Jeep where chrome and I had them powder coated with "Candy Blue" transparent powder coat. It turned out looking like blue chrome. I like it. They have done other parts for me too that weren't already chrome. They just powder coat the parts silver first then the candy color and it has the same effect.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/bonnieseymour/Frontbumper.jpg

[KYVTX1300]

I agree with mscales (http://www.vtxcafe.com/member.php?u=2916) my body shop does wheel refinishing all the time. Usually we polish off the factory crap and put on a high quality clear, but painting works well too. You can even get paint that looks like different colors of metal. Stick with the high quality paint and it will work well. Sherwin Williams has a line of bed liners that goes on real thin and has wonderful color selection, if you want a flat metalic look.

[.One.of.a.kind.]

Thanks for all the replies, fellas!

This will really help my decision. Here's another...

What about my factory pipes? Black....paint, podwer, anodize...

I'm planning on sending them to VTX Exaust for the short version. I'm going to do my wheels, pipes and headlight(leave edge chrome) in black.

Any thoughts???

[VTX Bonnie]

Thanks for all the replies, fellas!

This will really help my decision. Here's another...

What about my factory pipes? Black....paint, podwer, anodize...

I'm planning on sending them to VTX Exaust for the short version. I'm going to do my wheels, pipes and headlight(leave edge chrome) in black.

Any thoughts???

First of all...I'm not a fella. LOL :bleh: I got the VTX exhaust mod done and I love it! Just my two cents.

[KYVTX1300]

I talked to my paint rep and they recommend against painting chrome. I know some people disagree and have done it on the chromed plastic, but I am told that even the best agressive primers are not rated for painting over a surface that has been chemically modified like in the case of chroming. I personally would not paint exhaust pipes. You might be able to put a covering over them to get the look you want.

[VTX Bonnie]

The powder coat shop I got my bumpers done at ceramic coats exhausts. A friend of mine got his pipe ceramic coated on a sport bike and it looks great. Not my thing though.

[mscales]

I talked to my paint rep and they recommend against painting chrome. I know some people disagree and have done it on the chromed plastic, but I am told that even the best agressive primers are not rated for painting over a surface that has been chemically modified like in the case of chroming. I personally would not paint exhaust pipes. You might be able to put a covering over them to get the look you want.

They have primers now that will work on chrome. You have to sand or etch the chrome for any product to adhere but it will work. Also, like Bonnie said you can get a transparent powder coat but if it sin't done by a good shop you could have issues. Also, anything that is in the aluminum when coated a casting can come out and stain the color. Bonnies bumpers are tubing and extruded so they are going to have less chances of leaching and stainiing the finish.