DIY Color change using 3M Car wrapping Viny;

Vinyl is very thin so wrapping damaged fairings will look bad - all scratches wil be visible.
How damage resistans is vinyl? I don't know. After 4 000 km with tank bag (about 1 500) in rain I didn't notice any scratches. Before having vinyl paint was more and more damaged after each trip with tank bag in rain, so I think it's more scratch resistant than paint.

I applaud you, it looks great. Its just that it looks like the bikes that the local sheriff's department ride. White with gold and black striping.

I did the AL panels on my GS in Tiger Stripes.

man that is fantastic!

Now I know what to do when I plan my big bank heist!

Tiger stripes vinyl wrap as a disguise........full body or just the head

I'm curious....? Would this stuff form itself with heat around a helmet and still look good? If so, can you get that neon yellow Hi-viz colour, as the helmet I use is so comfortable I can't find one in Hi-Viz.....so I an either painting it or looking at this option.....thanks.

It's good stuff, I used flat black to reduce the sun reflecting back into my face off of the stock silver on my 08 KLR when I had it. It was more in the dash area so there was no worry about crappy scratches.

So question for the US folks who did something like this.
Do you have to report change of color to DMV? Do you need to update Title or Insurance if you go from say Red to Blue? How much effort and money is it?

I wouldn't want to try to explain a cop that it really is a red bike, it just looks very blue
Not sure if that would go over well, especially if he pulled me over for something else...

NOT really a problem or concern, "KGB is more relaxed here".............Plate # and VIN number are the only real identifiers used.............color is way down on the list and is very subjective as the title might say white for red, white and blue bike.

Had a HONDA sticker on a Mitsubshi truck some years back .....got in an accident cops put HONDA down on the report for the make...................

I do not think my insurance ever asked the color......:huh

Depending on the size (fairing) your looking a couple of hundered for DIY motorcycle depending how frugle you are with the waste.

There is a technique and learning curve too make it look good:eek1:eek1

60" wide by running foot is $32.00 ($32 per running foot) brushed finish metal look, is easily found on the internet, carbon fiber look price at $23 per running foot 60" width and $13 for 30" running foot prices may vary slightly.
http://www.topvinylfilms.com/products/3D_Flexible_Black_Carbon_Fiber_II_Wrap_Vinyl-1850-4.html

http://www.surfcitysigns.com/vehicle-graphics/helmet-wraps/

Full face but does not how

http://www.ndgraphics.com/helmet-wrap-3m-ij-380-vinyl-video/

These guys did a helmet (not a full face).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1bX9uh5Zfs

The color issue will vary from State to State. Many States don't list vehicle color in the registration information. For the ones taht do, keep in mind that the change in color is only temporary and the bike can be changed back to the original, registered color in a very short period of time. If the State you live in is very picky when it comes to vehicle color information, you may want to pose the question to the State DMV.

And to the OP, what a great idea! I wonder how well it would work over a plastic tank, ie would it bubble up like grapics do, or could it be used to affix graphics without bubbling. Hmmm...

-Joe

Kinda reminds me of the scene in gumball ralley II where the Lambo with the hotties get their white car hosed off and it is a red car. Good Job !!

I would guess plastic tank would be a problem....same as the graphic.....unless this 3M material can vent or breath....they do talk about it's ability to release air bubbles?????

That was the comment that got me to wondering. Even if the shrink wrap wouldn't keep an added decal from bubbling, if the wrap itself doesn't bubble, custom dyed graphics could be incorporated into the wrap.



-Joe

I remember that! Except I think it was Cannon Ball Run 2 (Susan Anton and Catherine Bach were the babes )
Classic.

Scotchcal, the product being talked about will bubble if it's used on a plastic tank that's gas permeable.

The way the stuff releases air is through air channels in the adhesive, that way bubbles are easy to push out to an edge.
IIRC the 3M stuff is marketed under the name "comply" Avery also makes a similar product, but in my experience it doesn't last as long or is as easy to apply as the 3M stuff.

Someone else asked about a helmet. It would be a challenge to get the wrap all the way around the helmet.
But you could easily do strips or sections.

For the OP, that's a good looking job. I bet it took some time.

Well that's too bad that the wrap will still bubble when applied over top of a tank like Clarke, IMS, and the like. Still, props to the OP. The thought of wrapping a bike never crossed my mind. I would imagine the technique could be effectively used on other plastic parts such as fenders to protect them from sun fade however. Could be handy in the case of my 1985 Honda XL350R with the one year only plastics that nobody reproduces.

-Joe

most helmet graphics are vinyl not painted now. my hjc came from the factory like that

i contacted 3M and found a dealer here in Toronto

stuff works out to $35.44/CDN for a 60 wide x 1 yard long piece

That is a good price IMHO....not that I know much about it but it sure sounds good, if you were to experiment on a helmet. That size should be big enough for sure!
Now if I could only get it in neon yellow.....hi-viz.....I'd be in heaven! Well almost, I would have to make sure I could figure out how to get it on a full face helmet.

I also went onto 3M's site and started looking around.....they have some of that stupidly bright white fabric tape if you were so inclined to get it sewed into or onto your jacket. It has me thinking even with the Hi-viz yellow I will buy next....couldn't hurt to add some well placed stripes for night riding. I don't ride that much at night any more but did last night, Out in the country this time of year...it gets awfull dark and as I am at the moment in all black.....it gives them cages nothing to look at!

So, next season.....you'll need sun glasses to look my direction if I can get it done!:huh

A lot of the mid to higher end graphics are waterslide decals, not unlike what we used to put on model kits when we were kids.
The material is quite a bit thinner then the vehicle wrap vinyl and with the water it's much easier to apply. it's also designed to wrap around the helmet.