repaint or wrap question

I have a racebike that has been down and has some pretty deep scrapes and scratches on the fiberglass race fairings. I want to get it repaired and repainted, but all the painters around here are backed up for months. Someone suggested I wrap it instead.

How does that work, can you just wrap over the existing paint? What about the scratches and scrapes, do the wrap places fill those somehow, or would the vinyl cover them? Some of the scratches are shallow and just mark the paint but others are all the way through the paint to the fiberglass. The glass is not cracked, the issues are all cosmetic.

After talking to a few local wrap places, who btw do NOT like doing motorcycles, the cost to wrap will be comparable or more than paint, but MUCH faster, probably a week turnaround versus a month before a painter would even start it and probably 3-4 weeks to finish it.

Any advice on which would be the better approach?

 

From what you described it's probably a draw; with turnaround time being the tie breaker. I had my current bodywork wrapped because the guy that did it was trying to expand his market. It was his first/ practice bike so he was easy on labor cost. Plus, I gave him free reign on design and let him put his logo on it.
Bodywork prep for a wrap is easier, which for me was a plus. Minor repair is also easier on a wrap job.

 

Minor repair is easier if you damage the wrap, or minor repair is easier when prepping for the wrap?

 

Both. I did a decent at best job (little bit of bondo & sanding) on prep and just cut and replace any area that gets skinned up.

 

The real question is, does vinyl have the same attraction to the ground as fresh paint?

 

Do it yourself. It's a fun little project. I watched some YouTube videos on fiberglass repair, picked up the supplies at the local auto parts store, and had at it. Results have been complimented everytime I take it out.

I used pre-made fiberglass sheets (didnt want to muck around with loose fiberglass) on the backside of the fairings. I used fiberglass impregnated bondo on the front side and used a random orbital sander to smooth and shape it. A glazing putty for pinholes, then spray painted it myself.

For spray paint you can use whatever you prefer, I used rustoleum. Primer for a uniform base color, then white, then fluorescent orange and fluorescent yellow. Then I cleared over it all with two coats of Spraymax 2k High Gloss Clear. It's a catalyzed clear that's the same as what you have on cars. Its gives a super deep gloss, and is oil and gas resistant like all catalyzed paint so you dont have to worry about spilling gas and having it crinkle your paint.

 

Any imperfections under the wrap will show. Needs to be smooth. I dont repair bodywork I just get new stuff. I have a painter here that sprays for $280. 3 different colors. I supply all the paint. I spend about $200 on paint. I would not wrap, I like the fresh paint look.

 

Also, I asked for names of local painters at the paint supply store (I usually spray my own stuff but wanted this bike done by pro). The shop gave me the # of a local car bodyshop guy. Did shit on the side. My point being dont be so set on having a "bike" painter. The car guys do great work and love that the stuff is off the vehicle for spraying.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I'll spend a little more time looking for a painter and then if that is going to be too long a delay, I may tackle the repairs myself and then go with wrapping it but I still want a pro to do the wrap. I've done some of the clear wrap so I have an idea of what it takes and I don't think I have the patience to do the whole bike and make it look good.

 

you be amazed what you can do with alittle YouTube guided fiberglass repair and a 10 dollar throw away paint gun from HF.

 

The only viable option is to buy a new bike.

 

First World Broome solutions....LOL.

 

Paint it yourself. You don't need to buy the top of the line paint or equipment. 2 stage paint with reducer for the paint and activator for the clear coat will set you back less than 60 bucks for a basic color. Some cheap equipment which will last a long time if cleaned and you can do your stuff for the rest of your career. I'm still on the steep part of the learning curve but I've gotten compliments for my initial tries. Next time around it will be 10 times better.

 

Yep. I did this for years. Hit or miss, but usually looked pretty good. plus once all the decals are all over you dont even see the imperfections. This current build was the first time i actually paid someone to do it. I had more money then time right now.

 

Wrap will show every imperfection and look terrible if your body work is like you said it is. Terrible choice until you do the body work, and at that point you might as well paint it.

 

+1 on vinyl wrap showing every scratch. And wrapping the intricate shapes of fairings, tanks, and tail pieces is a total PITA. But if you're gonna do it, watch CK Wraps on YT.

 

Good info and good point, thank you.

 

It's an MD250H with race fairings, a lot of smooth surfaces so it wouldn't be the worst in terms of intricate shapes or lots of pieces. But y'all are starting to talk me into trying to paint it myself.

 

Yep. It was my first try and I repaired several really bad areas. A hole about 1.5" x 5" that was ground in the upper fairing from a low side. Some spots where the fairing was cracked all the way through. Some weakened mounting points. A few layers of fiberglass sheets in the backside and some fiberglass impregnated bondo on the front. Unless you're a paint/body guy you'd be hard pressed to find the repair areas. The fiberglass impregnated bondo is much better at preventing cracks like is a common complaint when traditional bondo is layed on thick.

 

Repaired and painted after a trip to the gravel trap in T2-3 at Barber. Did all the fiberglass repair and painted work at home. I’m not a pro but I can follow directions. Done with a 5 gallon compressor a $50 Home Depot paint gun and an EZ-Up wrapped in poly for a “booth”. Sprayed PPG shopline base and clear.

The fiberglass repairs took lots of hours. Mostly the filling and sanding and sanding and sanding done after the structural glass repairs were done.

You’ll end up spending probably $300-400 if you do it yourself and will have paint enough to spray it again.