Powder Coating for Motorcycles

Ever since, that first motorcycle roared to life, motorcyclists have been working hard to keep their pride and joy polished and find that magical finish, which would withstand the elements and keep its luster. As far as finishes for motorcycles, powder coating is a relative newcomer. However, it has gained significant popularity with both the manufacturers as well as with owners of motorcycles.

Powder coating is an environmentally friendly process that provides a durable finish. The process involves the use of a dry a powder, consisting of finely ground particles of pigment and resin. The powder is given an electrostatic charge and sprayed onto the part coating it. The electrostatic charge holds the powder to the part until it is fused to the part during the curing process.

Usually when motorcycle parts arrive at the powdercoaters, the process begins with surface preparation. The parts are sandblasted, usually with aluminum oxide to remove any of the old finish. Many shops use Aluminum oxide because it will etch the surface of the metal, allowing for the powder to bond better with the part at the same time providing a more durable powder coating. If the parts were previously powder coated, then they are chemically stripped prior to being sandblasted. However, several shops will not use chemical strippers and skip this step, as they feel that the chemicals may harm the metal.

Once the parts have been cleaned, they are then preheated at 400oF for approximately 20 minutes. This step is to bakes out any impurities, which may be contained metal's pores. This is also called outgassing. If impurities are not removed through this process, they can create bubbles under the finished powder coat, making the coating susceptible to chipping and cracking.

The next step is to polish the parts followed by carefully masking any portion of the parts that are not to be powder coated with high-temperature-resistant tape. The masked parts then enter the paint booth where they are hung on electrically grounded racks. If the operator is not completely satisfied with the powder coating, they can simply brush or blow off the powder with compressed air and reapply. Once the operator is satisfied with the coverage, the parts are then moved to an over where they are cured.

The most paint shops that powder coat motorcycles and automobiles have oven large enough to hold an entire car frame. However, different thicknesses of metal require different curing times. After the parts have been cured, and the powder completely bonded to the metal the parts are allowed to cool, before the masking tape can be removed. The following step is to polish the parts, using a polishing compound to help bring out the finishes? natural color and sheen.

Since the pores of these parts have only been closed and not sealed, it is recommended that a regular cleaning schedule be maintained in order to keep the metal shiny. However, do not use a metal polish to clean newly polished parts. Instead, weekly wipe-downs to remove any light dirt and occasional washes with soap and water followed by carnauba wax will help to protect the metal's newly polished shine. Do not to use wheel cleaners or gritty polishes as they may dull the finish

Once all the parts have been powder-coated and polished, its time to put them back on the bike. It cannot be stressed more that extreme care needs to be taken when reassembling the polished and powder-coated parts. All parts, which will hold fluid, must first be thoroughly flushed with either water or alcohol and dried before reassembling. In addition, all seals must be thoroughly checked to ensure that no parts of the seals were powder coated.

To keep the powder coating looking fresh, always avoid any contact with battery acids, acetone-based solvents, carburetor cleaners, contact cleaners, and brake fluid, as all of theses fluids will damage the powder coating surface and diminishing its shine as well as its durability.