Blacking out forks and radiator

[nizfiz]

The project to black out my bike continues. I received my roll of satin black 3M vehicle wrap. The bottom part of the forks went on pretty well, but I've already scrapped a couple pieces trying to do the upper section. Part of the problem is that I stripped one of the allen key bolts secure the U-bracket to the lower triple, so I can't remove it. The other problem is that the change in diameter of the fork between the top and lower triples is making it very difficult to get a smooth wrap all the way around.







I also decided to paint the sides of my radiator black. I prepped, masked and sprayed on BBQ paint (CHEAP!)

[danaid]

 

I believe you can shrink that wrap up a bit with a heat gun,   .  Do it your self mods are best!

[muskrat]

where did you buy that wrap?  I want to do the same thing to my forks as my lower and upper trees are powder coated black already.

[nizfiz]

Ebay, it's 3M 1080 vinyl vehicle wrap

[The Bearded Duc]

where did you buy that wrap?  I want to do the same thing to my forks as my lower and upper trees are powder coated black already.

stickercity.com is where I got mine a while back.

[nizfiz]

Ok, I got the stripped lower triple allen bolt out. Voila! Finished product.

It's not perfect around the seams, but I hid those well in behind. The lower sections are really well done.







Now that lower triple is killing me, but I don't have the space or room to take the whole front end off. Maybe I can paint it like the radiator sides while mounted........

[Skybarney]

 "Maybe I can paint it like the radiator sides while mounted........"

NO!  DON'T YOU make the beast with two backsING DARE!  It is enough that you have rendered your forks non maintainable; as the vinyl has to come off to change the fork oil you will likely put it off longer than it should be.

Any attempt to paint the triple will only add to the hassle down the road.  Don't get me wrong I like the black forks.  I just think that doing it with vinyl is a shortcut.  While I was unwilling to point this out due to your elation with the blacked out look I simply can't keep my mouth shut regarding painting the triple on the bike.

I would see the short cut with-in a second or two of looking at your bike.  And you will have even more hassles with removing the tubes should you need to.

[nizfiz]

Well I appreciate the advice for the triple, but that's a bit of an overreaction for the vinyl. There's no major hassle to remove the vinyl. It will simply rip off at the end of the season and I'll reapply next season once the triple has been PC'd. It's 8 bucks worth of vinyl. Also, i'm not due for seals any time soon.

[Skybarney]

No overreaction, I don't have to work on your bike!  I am simply too lazy to do vinyl once a year and as such I apply my value system to to others.  BTW I fully expect you to like everything I did to my bike 

[nizfiz]

Lol ok. To each his own

[suzyj]

While you've got the front end apart to paint the triple, you should paint your fork ends too.

Crankcase covers, as well.

[nizfiz]

While you've got the front end apart to paint the triple, you should paint your fork ends too.

Crankcase covers, as well.

Agreed. That's all on the books for next winter, as well as powdercoating the swing arm. I don't have the set up or the time to take it apart right now. Although, it did just break down a couple hours ago.... read here:

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=63556.0

[xcaptainxbloodx]

NO!  DON'T YOU make the beast with two backsING DARE!  It is enough that you have rendered your forks non maintainable; as the vinyl has to come off to change the fork oil you will likely put it off longer than it should be.

Any attempt to paint the triple will only add to the hassle down the road.  Don't get me wrong I like the black forks.  I just think that doing it with vinyl is a shortcut.  While I was unwilling to point this out due to your elation with the blacked out look I simply can't keep my mouth shut regarding painting the triple on the bike.

I would see the short cut with-in a second or two of looking at your bike.  And you will have even more hassles with removing the tubes should you need to.

I disagree about this being a shortcut. I think its actually the most sensible way to achieve this look.

the vinyl wont fade like anodizing (even if it did you could reapply), it wont chip or cause fitment issues like powdercoat, and it wont scratch and chip away like paint will (or rather, when it does you can reapply and not have your forks all knicked up)

Ive done this to my bike and I am constantly asked how much it cost to have my forks blacked out and whether I used powedercoat, paint or anodizing.

its not until I direct them to feel the inside rear of the fork that they notice the seam and even then I have to inform them that its actually a vinyl wrap.

It does require the removing of the upper portion of vinyl in order to service the forks but thats nowhere near a yearly service, your going to want to reapply by then. at  ~10$ per application you can do about 60 applications before you start spending more money than a dealer performed tear down/anodizing/rebuild would cost and I guarantee that my vinyl wrapped forks will look way better by the time im on my 60th than your anodized ones will.

[nizfiz]

I disagree about this being a shortcut. I think its actually the most sensible way to achieve this look.

the vinyl wont fade like anodizing (even if it did you could reapply), it wont chip or cause fitment issues like powdercoat, and it wont scratch and chip away like paint will (or rather, when it does you can reapply and not have your forks all knicked up)

Ive done this to my bike and I am constantly asked how much it cost to have my forks blacked out and whether I used powedercoat, paint or anodizing.

its not until I direct them to feel the inside rear of the fork that they notice the seam and even then I have to inform them that its actually a vinyl wrap.

It does require the removing of the upper portion of vinyl in order to service the forks but thats nowhere near a yearly service, your going to want to reapply by then. at  ~10$ per application you can do about 60 applications before you start spending more money than a dealer performed tear down/anodizing/rebuild would cost and I guarantee that my vinyl wrapped forks will look way better by the time im on my 60th than your anodized ones will.

I like you

[Skybarney]

I was just giving him a hard time,  Nothing more than fun, hence my "expect you to like everything on my bike" comment.  Sorry my sense of humor is so subtle I am the only one to get it sometimes.  Thanks goodness for emoticons  

One guy here (maybe Stormtrooper) has carbon fiber around his forks.  While it is just a cover it looks silly good.  I think the vinyl looks pretty good also.  Not sure how it fits around the different od's so well (heat gun?) but it really does look like paint or anodizing.  Whether paint, wrap or vinyl, the point is all the same, to like what you see when you walk out to the garage.

BTW I stand-by the don't paint it without removing it remark.  Be careful with that one as it often shows quite easily.