Ball park figure for a professional paint job ?

[Grewth]

Would anyone care to throw up a ball park figure for a professional paint job for my XS1B.
That would be painting all the tinwork (8 items) the correct candy orange colour in a modern type paint, applying the correct stripes, then sealing the lot with 2K lacquer.
I've been looking around online all afternoon, and estimates seem to be all over the place, from $200 to $3,000!
I'll probably have to add on some extra because I'm in the UK, and everything always seems to cost more over here.

 

[JesseeS]

Few thousand sounds about right

 

[WideAWAKE]

How much prep work needs to be done?? You may think none or just a little, but usually non professionals who try to tell a professional what’s involved in a job lowball the time/labor and steps to get top quality results, the ol’ Dunning Kruger effect.

I don’t know a decent painter (who does it for a living) that would touch em for less them 2-3k.

More often than not, you get what you pay for.

Ohh and prepare to wait, quite possibly months.

 

[halfmile]

Would anyone care to throw up a ball park figure for a professional paint job for my XS1B.
That would be painting all the tinwork (8 items) the correct candy orange colour in a modern type paint, applying the correct stripes, then sealing the lot with 2K lacquer.
I've been looking around online all afternoon, and estimates seem to be all over the place, from $200 to $3,000!
I'll probably have to add on some extra because I'm in the UK, and everything always seems to cost more over here.

What is 2K Lacquer?

 

[joebgd]

I believe 2k is what they call 2 part? Just think of all the disassembly, and assembly must take time to paint right. If you are bringing just parts to be painted....how much is the 2k paint?

 

[Mailman]

Check out the paint job , this guy did with custom blended rattle cans and a 2K sealer. Granted he was probably no novice painter.

https://www.xs650.com/threads/side-cover-trim-xs1-xs1b-xs2.51250/

 

[WideAWAKE]

If you have a good spot of clean original paint, you can get it scanned and put in an aerosol. To do 8 pieces, it’s probably more cost effective to spay out of a gun though.

Each can of color is about 25/30 bucks, you need primers (30 bucks for 2k), maybe a base coat and your clear(spray max is 20-25). (Painted white stripes or decals add some $$)

Sand paper, tape, cleaners…

Then you gotta be skilled enough to do a clean job.

It’s more work to get a good finish out of cans too. Much more sanding of the clear to get out your orange peel.

Photos online can be deceptive. A 10ft stunner is no problem, up close side by side with a pro job, easy to tell the difference.

*** I’ve painted multiple bikes/tanks with cans and quite happy with em but I’m not delusional haha I know their aren’t show quality ***

 

[Grewth]

I've seen some very presentable looking jobs done with rattle cans.
But in my experience it they don't hold up well over a long period, often fading and going patchy.
I've always thought that this was because the paint film laid down by a proper spray gun was much thicker ?

 

[46th Georgia]

I believe 2k is what they call 2 part? Just think of all the disassembly, and assembly must take time to paint right. If you are bringing just parts to be painted....how much is the 2k paint?

I just paid $285 plus tax for a quart of Axalta (formerly DuPont) ChromaBase in an ice blue metallic. Top shelf clears can cost $600= per gallon sprayable. You can get some decent basecoats depending on the color for $100-150 per quart, and there are some good clears out there for $200-250 per gallon my cost. Retail? IDK.

 

[46th Georgia]

I've seen some very presentable looking jobs done with rattle cans.
But in my experience it they don't hold up well over a long period, often fading and going patchy.
I've always thought that this was because the paint film laid down by a proper spray gun was much thicker ?

The problem with rattle cans is durability. In order for auto/industrial paint to be durable, it needs a catalyst/hardener.

 

[46th Georgia]

Would anyone care to throw up a ball park figure for a professional paint job for my XS1B.
That would be painting all the tinwork (8 items) the correct candy orange colour in a modern type paint, applying the correct stripes, then sealing the lot with 2K lacquer.
I've been looking around online all afternoon, and estimates seem to be all over the place, from $200 to $3,000!
I'll probably have to add on some extra because I'm in the UK, and everything always seems to cost more over here.

The last bike I painted for a customer was a Laverda about 10 yrs. ago. Three pieces in green base/clear and 3-5 pieces in semi-gloss urethane. I think I charged him about $1200. Today with inflation it would probably be around $2000

 

[WideAWAKE]

The problem with rattle cans is durability. In order for auto/industrial paint to be durable, it needs a catalyst/hardener.

Pretty easy to find both 2k primers and 2k clears in a can. They are very durable, Ive gotten acetone on my tank, gas, brake fluid… no problems.

They are just more work on the back end to get nice.

You also don’t have much control. Can’t do a light coast and get it to flow. You aren’t gonna feather it or blend.

They work for what they are but a pro set up in a bottle they are not.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I got pretty good results from a rattle can and covered it with 2K clear. It’s held up really well for a 6yo paint job

 

[devildrums]

I have a guy in Tampa who has been doing great work for years. Company is MoeColors, and his name is Moe.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I have a guy in Tampa who has been doing great work for years. Company is MoeColors, and his name is Moe.

Moe’s work is awesome.

 

[cra-z1]

In the US I would expect to pay 1500-2000. However there are guys out there who paint on the side as hobby and to create a little extra income. Those guys are hard to come by. So start asking around your area and you mike find someone. People don't realize that the prep work is time consuming.

 

[Grewth]

Many thanks everyone.
I've not tried to get any quotes here in the UK yet, but as rip-off Britain seems to be alive and well, I'm not expecting things to be substantially cheaper.
Point taken about finding someone who moonlights at painting motorcycle tinware.
It might well pay off, but on the other hand, I always beleive that if you only pay peanuts, you get monkeys !
The only real alternative is to make an investment, and do the paintwork myself.
Not easy I know, but I've got a couple of years to go at it, no rush.
My XS1B could survive with a quick rattle can job in the short run

 

[46th Georgia]

In the US I would expect to pay 1500-2000. However there are guys out there who paint on the side as hobby and to create a little extra income. Those guys are hard to come by. So start asking around your area and you mike find someone. People don't realize that the prep work is time consuming.

When I grew up in the 70's, there were a ton of independent shops out there, now there are very few. Most of the guys at the big shops don't seem interested in doing side work and I don't blame them. In N.E. Fla, a good painter who's really efficient in these mega shops, and is willing to put in the time, can make around 75-100k a year. Plus, fewer young people are entering the trade. You young guys are going to be hurting in a few years unless you learn to do it yourselves.

 

[cra-z1]

That is the other option. If you have an area you can paint in and have the desire and a little bit of talent you could become one of those who do it as a hobby and become good at it. I have always wanted to paint as I think I could be good at it but no space to set up a booth. Also time is running out. If I were 20 years younger maybe.

 

[WideAWAKE]

My XS1B could survive with a quick rattle can job in the short run

My dad always told me as a kid… “nothing more permanent than a temporary fix…”