I'm bored.
I want to take my motor out and paint it.
It's perfectly fine, requires no engine work at all. Hasn't even hit 10,000 miles yet.
I just want to take it out... and make it blacker.

Is this a tremendous undertaking that sounds like a stupid idea?
To me, it just seems like... drop the swingarm, remove a couple bolts, disconnect some wire... and BAM. Motor is out... Obviously it can't be that simple...

School me.

It's a stupid idea, but it's also a good one

To do a full engine paint job, I believe it has to disassembled completely and it's usually (?) a very big PITA to mask off everything and then do the post paint finishing of gasket surfaces, holes, threads a.s.o.

Maybe you could do a "test run" on the engine side covers and valve covers? If you like it, do the whole thing next.

Personally I don't like a completely blacked out engine - it needs some contrast.

I did my case covers and valve covers last winter. Looks great. The only way I would do the whole engine is if I were to go big bore and re-work the lower end. But for that cost, might as well go with the SF and make it rider friendly. Now if your riding season is over, and you have a nice warm place to work, and you have nothing better to do, then go for it. Not sure painting is the right option. I would think powder-coating.

i dont think pwodercoating would work on the heads since the fins have very close spacing.

i wanted to do the same, but i dont know how to strip the paint off without needing to dissassemble it.

powdercoating the case covers is a good idea, but requires removing more internal pieces than you would think (seals and whatnot) its a pain in the ass but pretty worth it.

painting the cases, cylinders and head is a tremendous waste of time and money if you are not doing enegine work at the same time. even doing the cases opens you up to the possibility of doing a slipper clutch and lightened flywheel. to take apart a perfectly good engine, NOT do performance work and put it back together is sacrilege.

there are also debates about heat and engine coatings.

You could start by doing the case covers, and see how you feel after they're painted.  I had mine powdercoated satin black:

Quote from: He Man on November 09, 2011, 05:39:10 PM
i dont think pwodercoating would work on the heads since the fins have very close spacing.

can. 

riding season IS over. and I have a place to work... but it's not warm.
perhaps i'll go with the side-covers route and see where it leads.

thanks for the input guys!

I am just finishing up my motors paint job and while none of it was truly hard it was time consuming much more than I would have thought. Then again with the winter down time I say go for it. Also i went all black polished the edges of my cooling fins and a few other pieces a stainless bolt kit and a few choice gold bolt-on's later kinda proud of the finished product.

Quote from: SwampMonster on November 10, 2011, 06:10:31 PM
I am just finishing up my motors paint job and while none of it was truly hard it was time consuming much more than I would have thought. Then again with the winter down time I say go for it. Also i went all black polished the edges of my cooling fins and a few other pieces a stainless bolt kit and a few choice gold bolt-on's later kinda proud of the finished product.

That sounds all well and good but without pictures, it didn't happen. Seriously, sounds awesome and would love to see pictures of it with detail shots.

BOMB IT WITH STOVE PAINT.

Quote from: ducatiz on November 10, 2011, 08:23:11 PM
BOMB IT WITH STOVE PAINT.

Considering it...

This is the only pic I had handy sorry for the shitty quality also this is pre bolt-on's. Still hanging in my makeshift paint booth.
If I can pull this off anyone can.

Quote from: SwampMonster on November 11, 2011, 08:20:51 PM
This is the only pic I had handy sorry for the shitty quality also this is pre bolt-on's. Still hanging in my makeshift paint booth.
If I can pull this off anyone can.

Looks good![thumbsup]


What paint did you use? and what did you do for prep?

I did it all with rattle cans it isn't perfect but I'm damn proud of the end result. Prep consisted of a ton of scrubbing some sanding some more scrubbing and you guessed it more sanding. I just really took my time and followed the directions on the cans about prep and application.

As far as what paint I used I went with the over kill method and didn't use anything that couldn't withstand 1000 degrees from primer to topcoat.

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