'95 GS with weird black paint on Frame - original?

[krypto35]

my '95's frame is painted flat black on the down tube (read: large, wide, horizontal) part of the frame that follows the bottom of the tank - all the way from the head tube back to the frame weld near the end of the tank.  -- is this something they did at the factory?  I only ask because there doesn't seem to be any tape-marks around the VIN badge, and it seems to have been masked off very well, except once the tank is removed, you can see a bit of overspray inside the frame.

I just was always curious about this - when I originally purchased the bike, I noticed it and was affraid that the frame had been repaired from a bend, or maybe really scratched up; however, I started to scrape the chipped black paint off the frame with a plastic ice-scraper (so I don't damage the finish below) and it seems to be coming off the frame's powdercoat easily, and without any visible damage beneath the paint.  I am starting to think someone just spraypainted it black for some reason - just curious if that is the case, or if anyone has seen this on other GS 500s.  This particular bike has the optional front cowl as well as the chin cowl - which I know are somewhat rare and I believe to be original to the bike, maybe this was something they did on those models? 

Any clues for this mystery?

[yamahonkawazuki]

when you scraped paint off, did you notice any rust?

[krypto35]

no rust, no scratches, no "I Love Fat Chicks" stickers... nothing.... just seems like someone chose to spraypaint that part of the frame black -- so I guess it's not original since it scrapes off so easily, eh?  It would make sense if it were a different color powdercoat, but that is not the case.

[pingpong]

Could be the PO liked the black frame better. Personally, I think the black frame does look cleaner and nicer, but that's just me.

[dgyver]

The nose cowl and the chin fairing are optional accessories, no GS came with them stock from the factory. The frames are all silver except charcoal in 96 and then black in 04 to current.

[Onlypastrana199]

my frame will have a new color soon, I wouldn't worry about it. I've got stains on my frame and just needs to be touched up. Most likely it was a cosmetic preference that the PO did.

[dgyver]

I painted the frames black on my last 2 bikes. But on my next bike it is going to have a charcoal gray frame.