Massively stupid question

[Daeouse]

I'm going to be buying a 95 GS500E that somebody "murdered out" by inexpertly spray-painting the entire bike semi-flat black. There are runs everywhere and it looks awful.  Now, having said that, I have a question:

I know the frame is aluminum, but is it painted from the factory in a "metallic" color? Or is it sealed aluminum? Bare aluminum?

I plan on stripping it down, but I wanted to be sure I knew what was the original finish.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

[1034am]

It's at the very least, clear coated. Some guys here will weigh in, but it can't be unfinished or it will rust/pit.  Prob painted w/clear coat over it. if you're sure that it was sprayed w/an over the counter can of paint (not professionally mixed) any kind of nail polish remover/gasoline should take it off. That's the whole reason painting w/spray paint from a can is a bad idea, if you spill gas it will take the paint right off.
I hope you got a good deal...

[Daeouse]

It's at the very least, clear coated. Some guys here will weigh in, but it can't be unfinished or it will rust/pit.  Prob painted w/clear coat over it. if you're sure that it was sprayed w/an over the counter can of paint (not professionally mixed) any kind of nail polish remover/gasoline should take it off. That's the whole reason painting w/spray paint from a can is a bad idea, if you spill gas it will take the paint right off.
I hope you got a good deal...

It looks like cheap rattle-can paint.
I'm getting a superb deal! I'm practically stealing it from the guy, as he doesn't want to deal with it anymore.  

[The Buddha]

The frame is steel and its painted with the crappiest prep work and the cheapest paint $$ can buy from the factory.
The tank rusts inside and out very very well.

You're essentially buying a murdered paint job on top of a crappy paint job on top of a crappy rusting steel bike.

Having said that, it will run 50k with nothing but oil changes. And 100 K with nothing but oil and valve adjustments if you dot put one of em Chinese breaking design shims in it.

Cool.
Buddha.

[Daeouse]

The frame is steel and its painted with the crappiest prep work and the cheapest paint $$ can buy from the factory.
The tank rusts inside and out very very well.

You're essentially buying a murdered paint job on top of a crappy paint job on top of a crappy rusting steel bike.

Well, that certainly inspires confidence. . . 

[lucas]

I second Buddha, the frame is ordinary steel and there is nothing special about the paint.  This bike and this manufacturer are not unique in making compromises on material and processing in order to save money.  That is pretty much everywhere.

That it is steel is a good thing for you, you can use abrasives without worrying too much about removing frame material.

What is your plan for painting it?  You going to prep and paint it in your garage?

edited to add disclaimer:  I have never repainted a motorcycle frame.  You should read what other people who have experience say.

[sledge]

Abrasives??

Cover it in citri-strip or nitromors and go for a few beers while it does all the work. The paint on the frame is that thin it will be off before you have necked the first one 

[lucas]

Yeah... but that would be the easy way to do things

[The Buddha]

Yeah... but that would be the easy way to do things

Stripping via chemical = bad idea. Too many spots in the frame where it will bleed to the inside and eat up the welds etc.
I'd do a dry sand blast, but you're gonna have to clean up the rough spots like the battery brace and parts near the neck etc etc with a wire brush or worse, by hand.

Cool.
Buddha.

[sledge]

Stripping via chemical = bad idea. Too many spots in the frame where it will bleed to the inside and eat up the welds etc.

DIY paint stripper doesn't harm metal............... its used on aircraft FGS!

http://www.amazon.com/GAR343-KLEAN-STRIP-Aircraft-Stripper-Gallon/dp/B004Y1KX9E

You sponge it all off when you are done and its neutralised, dry it off quick......never had an issue

DONT!!! use it on fibreglass though.....ask me how I know 

[The Buddha]

Yea that aircraft stripper, I took some onto an aircraft once, man did the stripper put on one helluva show. Awesome. 

Anyway you would still need to clean the eaten up parts and the parts where the factory forgot to put paint, and the weld splatter etc etc.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Daeouse]

Ok, so I will be doing this in my yard, as I don't own a garage, so sanding is kinda out of the question as I have no room for the equipment. I may just have to go the chemical route and strip it down and repaint/seal it. 


Or I can swallow my irritation, clean up the run-spots, prime it really well, and paint it another color without stripping it down. . . 


Now I'm on the horns of another dilemma. . . LOL! 

[Janx101]

Do it with love and care man!

Like you know. .take some graduated sheets of wet and dry and some of mother earths sweet tears from a mountain stream ...

Then apply to the body of your darlin and let the honest sweat of your brow and the grease of your elbow slough off the detritus of her previous hateful relationship. .

Work on her till she gleams like a new penny in the sun, like the shine of desire in a young man's eye when gazing on a fair maiden....

Then swathe the parts in a glorious coat of primer, let dry, apply more of that ever lovin elbow grease till she's smooth as a strippers legs..  coat her in Technicolor and seal it all in with deep clear..

Show the love to your new bride brother!!

.. .. bahahaha..  nearly typed all that with a straight face too!!

[fakejimmymorgan]

I've done touch up work with an epoxy paint in an aluminium colour and it blends well.


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[Daeouse]

Do it with love and care man!

Like you know. .take some graduated sheets of wet and dry and some of mother earths sweet tears from a mountain stream ...

Then apply to the body of your darlin and let the honest sweat of your brow and the grease of your elbow slough off the detritus of her previous hateful relationship. .

Work on her till she gleams like a new penny in the sun, like the shine of desire in a young man's eye when gazing on a fair maiden....

Then swathe the parts in a glorious coat of primer, let dry, apply more of that ever lovin elbow grease till she's smooth as a strippers legs..  coat her in Technicolor and seal it all in with deep clear..

Show the love to your new bride brother!!

.. .. bahahaha..  nearly typed all that with a straight face too!!

That was a magnificently hilarious way to describe wet-sanding and paint prep! Awesome, sir, you win forever!

[ShowBizWolf]

I certainly enjoyed that post too Janx... very very nice 

[mwe]

I just went through over the last couple of weekends.  i got a free 1990 gs500e from a guy on the list of craig about a month ago.  it was in terrible shape and somebody started pulling things off but never really got anywhere.  but hey titled and only 10k on the clock how bad could it be...

I was actually pretty convinced that it was a hurricane sandy bike from all the rust but upon seeing the title and further research it looks like the suzuki factory was not very committed (or maybe they should have just been committed)...shitty welds and terrible paint/metal prep.  Anyways after i got it started I proceeded to just finish the PO disassembly and repaint.  It is actually an incredibly basic machine and I fit all the parts into one bankers box.  Then popped the engine out and proceeded to refinish everything.

As for the frame I uses a bunch of wire brushes and a wirebrush attachment for the drill and went to town on it.  After I was tired and satisfied I coated it with Naval Jelly (rust preventing agent), washed and then hung from rafters of garage for a primer and semigloss black coat of spray paint.  Wire brushes and scour pads on the engine, degreaser and cast iron engine enamel (stock is black or aluminum cast I think).  Everything else got the same basic treatment. 

I also pulled the wiring harness and cleaned it with contact cleaner and dielectric grease.  Now onto reassembly but I forgot to take pictures on this bike so my plan to finish and ride this weekend is probably going to be a little delayed.

[The Buddha]

Oooo nice. I used to take the lazy method, send to powdercoating guy. But the $$$ went from 200, to 250 to 300 to 400 for a frame as his wife started keeping books, then his mother inlaw was doing something else ... and I decided it was too much.
Now I just wanna finish what I started 10 years ago and call it a day.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Daeouse]

I just went through over the last couple of weekends.  i got a free 1990 gs500e from a guy on the list of craig about a month ago.  it was in terrible shape and somebody started pulling things off but never really got anywhere.  but hey titled and only 10k on the clock how bad could it be...

I was actually pretty convinced that it was a hurricane sandy bike from all the rust but upon seeing the title and further research it looks like the suzuki factory was not very committed (or maybe they should have just been committed)...shitty welds and terrible paint/metal prep.  Anyways after i got it started I proceeded to just finish the PO disassembly and repaint.  It is actually an incredibly basic machine and I fit all the parts into one bankers box.  Then popped the engine out and proceeded to refinish everything.

As for the frame I uses a bunch of wire brushes and a wirebrush attachment for the drill and went to town on it.  After I was tired and satisfied I coated it with Naval Jelly (rust preventing agent), washed and then hung from rafters of garage for a primer and semigloss black coat of spray paint.  Wire brushes and scour pads on the engine, degreaser and cast iron engine enamel (stock is black or aluminum cast I think).  Everything else got the same basic treatment. 

I also pulled the wiring harness and cleaned it with contact cleaner and dielectric grease.  Now onto reassembly but I forgot to take pictures on this bike so my plan to finish and ride this weekend is probably going to be a little delayed.

Wow! That's really stripped down! Good job! I guess I should man up and strip it completely down when I get it home. No point doing things half-@$$ed, right?

[ShowBizWolf]

I've found that any time I was too lazy with my cars and cut corners, I regretted it in the end and had to redo things. My car is currently ripped apart and I just want to drive the darn thing... feels like it has been taking forever but I am forcing myself to do everything right. I know it will be worth it in the end