FZR400 winter overhaul
- Thread starter Brian P
- Start date
Seems a little high I had my track bike painted minus the gas tank 3 color paint scheme for $500. Not a cheap shop either it's all Lamborghini and high end cars there. On the other hand a friend of mine had his street bike painted all one color at another shop and he paid $700, although there was a lot of runs and imperfections in
his. So sometimes paying more doesn't get you a better paint job
I asked carbon cat for a quote and I remember it being very reasonable, but he was away when I needed it done so I had the other guy do it. If he wasn't away I would have had him do the work
I'm not going to talk prices , but there's a big difference in price from track body work to street.
Track can be a 8/10 and look waaaaay to nice for a track bike , while street has to be perfect, every part top to bottom. That's where the price difference comes.
And to say the parts are going to be prepped "ready to go" is never the case, the labour isn't the expensive part , it really is the materials, a quart of waterborne base coat (pearl) is nearly 250 dollars now!
On my paint station, I have 25 pearls alone.
this is only 3/4 of the paint station needed in today's world of colors
Track can be a 8/10 and look waaaaay to nice for a track bike , while street has to be perfect, every part top to bottom. That's where the price difference comes.
And to say the parts are going to be prepped "ready to go" is never the case, the labour isn't the expensive part , it really is the materials, a quart of waterborne base coat (pearl) is nearly 250 dollars now!
On my paint station, I have 25 pearls alone.
Thanks for the info!
Teaser...
Wow, looks pretty nice! May need to have my tank sprayed at some point. Looks like I may have to get a quote from Carboncat!
I'm not going to talk prices , but there's a big difference in price from track body work to street.
Track can be a 8/10 and look waaaaay to nice for a track bike , while street has to be perfect, every part top to bottom. That's where the price difference comes.
And to say the parts are going to be prepped "ready to go" is never the case, the labour isn't the expensive part , it really is the materials, a quart of waterborne base coat (pearl) is nearly 250 dollars now!
On my paint station, I have 25 pearls alone.this is only 3/4 of the paint station needed in today's world of colors
I agree TJ people have no idea what it costs. Prep is one thing but taping and buff just as long most times. I am done with taking jobs that are self prepped. Few people know the materials cost, I find even fewer know what prep should look like. I am sure you see it too? FYI folks NO new race fairings are "paint ready" I dont care what they said. THEY LIE or just dont know.
Some thoughts that go to cost
Paint and as TJ touched on Pearls and other Tri phase are on top anything with red in it also a premium
Clear and activator
Proper primer (not rattle can)
sandpaper (not as cheap as you would think)
proper equipment (a good gun is a grand), compressor,air dryer,booth,.........
rubbing compounds, glazes, buffer
I do a fair amount of paint (more all the time) but its not my main business. I really enjoy doing it but I am done doing it at a loss.
... and it's a whole lot better in the sunlight. Setting the bodywork on the bike last night reminded me that I still have a list of odds and ends to do.
Relocate fuel filter so that it is not pinched between crankcase vent and fuel tank (done)
Buy M10x1.25 nut and install it in the missing place on the suspension linkage (done)
Install a piece of clear film on the upper triple clamp in the area where damage from key fobs etc could be expected (I have a piece ready to trim to fit, but I still need to do this before the tank cover and upper fairing go on)
Trim a corner off the top couple of cooling fins for the voltage regulator where they hit the bodywork (I need to buy a better Dremel tool to do this properly)
Fix/fit lower fairing brackets
Then after it's all together ...
Order "YAMAHA" stickers for a couple of spots
Wheels need to become black, and tires need to become new
but there's no point doing that until there is foreseeable decent weather ...
Relocate fuel filter so that it is not pinched between crankcase vent and fuel tank (done)
Buy M10x1.25 nut and install it in the missing place on the suspension linkage (done)
Install a piece of clear film on the upper triple clamp in the area where damage from key fobs etc could be expected (I have a piece ready to trim to fit, but I still need to do this before the tank cover and upper fairing go on)
Trim a corner off the top couple of cooling fins for the voltage regulator where they hit the bodywork (I need to buy a better Dremel tool to do this properly)
Fix/fit lower fairing brackets
Then after it's all together ...
Order "YAMAHA" stickers for a couple of spots
Wheels need to become black, and tires need to become new
but there's no point doing that until there is foreseeable decent weather ...
OOo can't wait to see this back together! We have the same plan for wheels... I keep looking at the set I'm going to buy, but no point in buying them now to have them sit in my basement and collect dust. I need to get my rims powdered as well, guy in Caledonia charges $80 a rim.
That's a trick used by many that do porting on aluminum heads. That's how I discovered it.
