What is the average cost of a paint job?

[cmyoch]

I can do many things myself except for paint and body work. I would like to have my tank and side covers repainted in a two tone color scheme. I'm not looking at ghost flames, scallops, or any kind of fancy graphics. On average, what would the cost of material, labor, etc. should I budget for?

I'm not connected with any painters in my area. If anyone knows someone in the metro St. Louis area that would do a good job and not take me to the cleaners, I'll welcome any suggestions.

Thanks,

 

[grepper]

Good Luck, wish I had a good paint connection.
I paid a local body shop $200 for my tanks and side covers, just doing gloss black, no metallic. Then $600 for a local hod rod paint to do metallic spruce green and had him lay the decals and clear coat over them.

Maybe someone here will chime in and give you a bid on the job at a decent price.

 

[westonboege]

I paint, but am on the east coast... It really depends on how intricate the job is...

For every color you have to set up the gun, prep, mask etc... can add up...

For a two tone job with clear, i would say it should be between 300-400 bucks...

For a tank it is worth getting a good paint job... one gas spill will ruin a shitty paintjob...

 

[gggGary]

Yup it varies as does quality.
I was quoted 250 300 for a gloss black tank and side covers I had stripped the tank plastic side covers. Work came out beautiful, painter tried for 600 with much whining. I think I ended up paying him 350. I had paid 400 for the bike.....

A running or quality project XS650 seems to be worth about 2 nice paint jobs, I've done that twice now.....but expect to wait. That's my usual experience with good painters and MC side jobs. Expect to wait and wait and...........

Had one semi custom two tone done last year I think it ran about $350 It was OK but not show quality.


I usually strip the old paint off metal myself. Because you just don't know what's going to be under there. Painters really like being able to see the metal when quoting a price.

 

[fredintoon]

I can do many things myself except for paint and body work. I would like to have my tank and side covers repainted in a two tone color scheme. I'm not looking at ghost flames, scallops, or any kind of fancy graphics. On average, what would the cost of material, labor, etc. should I budget for?
I'm not connected with any painters in my area. If anyone knows someone in the metro St. Louis area that would do a good job and not take me to the cleaners, I'll welcome any suggestions.
Thanks,

Hi cmyoch,
expect to pay ~$500 for a reasonable tank & sidecover paint job.
For a Grand you can buy a compressor & all the gear to DIY.
So after the 2nd paint job the hardware is paid for and subsequent work only costs you the paint.
And then there's all the air tools you can buy.

 

[retiredgentleman]

I think I paid around $400 CAD, which would be about $365 USD. That was my tank and 2 side covers. I got a really good paint job.

I knew I would screw it up if I sprayed the parts myself. Money well spent for me.

 

[Royboy]

Here is a $400 paint job I had done at a local bodyshop. Tank, side covers and seat valance, prepped, color coated, decaled and four coats of clear hand rubbed to show quality perfection. Far superior to anything I could have done myself.

roy

 

[Capt_Zoom]

I got mine via a trade in services but my painter (who owns a paint supply shop) told me it would have cost $400 just in materials at most shops plus their time so he figured a $1000 total. He had some left over BMW match paint (super durable stuff) from painting his sons car so we did the frame in that. Then I wanted him to match the raven paint on my Raider except with larger flake. He used PPG, larger flake, and 4 coats of clear to finish her up.

 

[cmyoch]

I estimated (I flat out guessed) a decent paint job would be not much less than $500. The indigo blue paint is crackled with a few small chips. My bike isn't in sad looking shape. With 1,500 miles on the overhaul, it is running really well now and I wanted to tackle cosmetic items as I get time. I understand also that this is probably something I want to give a painter over the winter months so I don't have to wait and wait during prime riding season.

Attached is a pic of my bike and what paint scheme I'd like to get. I also like a root beer color but I don't have any pictures of that color.

 

[FrkyMnky]

Drop Mike over as Visual Impact a message and see what he says. He just finished my tank and fender, welded up the bungs, patched the tank, and sealed it all for $1100. You can see pictures here; http://www.visualimpact2.com/Pictures.html Mine is the DT250 tank with brass gas cap.

 

[fredintoon]

I think I paid around $400 CAD, which would be about $365 USD. That was my tank and 2 side covers. I got a really good paint job.

I knew I would screw it up if I sprayed the parts myself. Money well spent for me.

Hi gent,
nah, you'd only screw up the first one.
And so long as you used good paint and mixed it like it said on the can it'd still stand up and look OK from across the street.
Betcha try #2 would look OK from as close as 6 feet away.
Or even 3 feet if you are careful.
Always remember that a bike is a mobile artform, it looks best when it's moving.

 

[tonyc]

I am now having my tanks and side covers powder coated in Fresno CA. They do great work. $90 for everything.

 

[Sci85]

Wow. So it sounds like there is a huge price variance out there. 300-1100 bucks! Sounds like you really need to shop around. I too will be needing paint work eventually so if you do end up finding a good and reasonable painter the area, tell him there's more work out there and let the rest of us know about it.

Good luck!

 

[jefft]

I was facing the paint question. I just wanted a single color however, white. Hell, you know your going to do something to bugger it up by accident. I'm not spending big bucks on a paint job. I figure I can spend the extra money on a big bore kit or something. After checking around on some local pricing I decided to have my old Shovelhead tins powdercoated. I was after the old style look anyway, pogo seat, eary model emblems and such. I am totally satisfied. For a couple hundred dollars I got what I think is more durable than paint. I wasn't looking for show quality anyway. I don't know that I would ever have it painted again. To each his own.
jefft

 

[tonyc]

I have 3 tanks and side covers powdered coated to my satisfaction. With the cost of dent removal, logo painting, and clear coating over everything, the most that I have paid is $180.

 

[Capt_Zoom]

Powdercoating is cheaper but the problem is what to do when you get that inevitable rock chip. With paint you can repair the chip. With Powdercoating you can't repair the damage other than try and find a paint match and pray it sticks.

 

[jefft]

Thats is right, but I could have the tank and 2 fenders powdercoated several times over for what some in this area want to charge for a paint job these days. I find that even for a cheap basic one color paint job I can have it powdercoated.
jefft

 

[tonyc]

How often do you repair paint chips? I never do unless they expose metal.

 

[Capt_Zoom]

I do at least once a year. Most of the time the metal is exposed if I bother to fix it.

I've also had some very bad powder coated products for my jeep. I once bought a hinge kit and during a single evening in Duluth Minnesota the whole kit rusted to crap. I installed it, went to bed, got up the next morning and all of the brand new hinge pieces were rusted. Had aftermarket bumpers do the same. An experience like that kinda sours one on powdercoating.

 

[cmyoch]

Wow. So it sounds like there is a huge price variance out there. 300-1100 bucks! Sounds like you really need to shop around. I too will be needing paint work eventually so if you do end up finding a good and reasonable painter the area, tell him there's more work out there and let the rest of us know about it.

Good luck!

I'll poke around and let you know what I find out. $1,100 definitely isn't in my budget but I can see what that kind of money would get me! They look like they do fantastic work.

My blue tank and side covers were purchased years back from someone on the forum. My original tins are black and were pretty beat up. Although my current setup isn't perfect, it's still pretty decent. My ideal situation would to buy a set already painted and ready to go.