Jesse Luggage - Turning Silver to Black

[jwnsc]

I bought a used red and black GS with Jesse Safari luggage,
powder coated silver with a hammered-like finish. I'd like to
have black luggage. I don't care about the finish, just as
long as it's not a glossy black or a flat black.

Here are my options:

1. Remove all the external hardware, including the rubber gaskets on the
lids (no doubt destroying them in the process), strip the silver
powdercoat off the boxes with some vile, messy, chemical,
and powder coat the luggage satin black. I won't do this unless I
have replacement gaskets in hand before attempting to remove the
original ones. Jesse sells a $40 gasket replacement kit, (plus $25
shipping) that would contain enough gasket material for the lids.
I haven't yet tried to source the gasket material locally. Cost for
the powder coating alone - $100 plus the cost of the gaskets, if
I do everything else. $200 plus the cost of the gaskets if they do
the stripping.

2. Remove all the external hardware, leave the gaskets on the lids and
the silver powder coat, and have the boxes done in black Line-X with
a polyurethane final coat to keep the finish from fading. Cost $115

3. Remove all the external hardware, leave the gaskets on the lids and
"rough up" the silver powder coat by sanding, and have the boxes
painted satin black. Cost $175 for the prep, primer, & paint.

4. Sell the silver boxes and buy something black. (Cost - unknown)

5. Buy silver plastic from BMW. (Cost - $$$$$!)

6. Get over it. Silver IS the new black. (Cost - $0)

I'm trying to look at this with durability and resale value in mind.

[Mr. Canoehead]

#2 is the best option, IMO. Looks badass and is durable.

If you do option 1, get a professional to do it. You don't need that hassle.

Option 4 might be good if you can find someone on FM to trade with you.

[perterra]

I'd go with 6 and ride the wheels off the son of a bitch myself. It will be covered in dirt soon enough, wash it when it rains.

Nice bike.

[Lost Rider]

It's pretty hot in SC with lots of sunshine, silver bags will help keep your contents much cooler than black.

I say go with #6.

[Hoologan]

I think the silver looks good. Black would look good too, however.

Glad I could help. :)

[wingnut11]

Go with line-x, I've got it in my truck bed. It's great, in over 10 years it has held up superbly. I'm planning on getting my skid plate and crash bars done sometime this year.

[s1marks]

Go with Option 6. They look in great shape. If (or when) you drop it, then decide if it is time to go with Black.

[moggi1964]

Option 2 - they just look out of place given your bike color scheme.

Nice boxes indeed!

[TorontoBrit]

Alot of the auto modifiers are using this:
http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip
easy as using spray paint, supposedly tough, as people use it on their wheels. Then can be removed by peeling off if you change your mind.

[Unstable Rider]

Leave em stock. Looks sharp!

You need some stickers though.

It will feel better with stickers. It will be the balance you seek...

[MADSTROM]

Check out Rust-Oleum's hammered metal finish in spray cans. http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgproduct.asp?pid=29

It sells for about $6 or $7 a can.

[nytrashman]

although i think black would look good what about having them painted red to match the bike? have you contacted Jesse to see about an exchange? not sure if they do that but can't hurt to call and ask. i have black Jesse's on my 2011 twin and like the way they look. another option might be to pick up a pair of black jesse (boxes only) from his "scratch & dent" selection and sell your silver boxes. i think if it were me and i was dead sure i wanted black that is the route i would go.

[jwnsc]

Originally Posted by nytrashman

although i think black would look good what about having them painted red to match the bike? have you contacted Jesse to see about an exchange? not sure if they do that but can't hurt to call and ask. i have black Jesse's on my 2011 twin and like the way they look. another option might be to pick up a pair of black jesse (boxes only) from his "scratch & dent" selection and sell your silver boxes. i think if it were me and i was dead sure i wanted black that is the route i would go.

Red Jesses? Naw, never seen that. I'll let someone else go first. All my other luggage (tank bag, tank panniers, Orleib Dry Bag and the BMW Vario top case that's on the bike now) are all black. Besides the question on coating method would still stand. What method is worth the trouble and expense, is durable, has good adhesion to "roughed up" silver powder coat, and adds, not subtracts, value?

I contacted Jesse last week when asking about lid gaskets, and was told scratch and dent/seconds in the Safari line (rounded edges, narrower width) are practically non-existent.

[Tbone]

Option 3. I personally hate the wax Line-x looks over a large area like a set of boxes. They will fade eventually, where the paint is easy to touch -up.

[jwnsc]

Originally Posted by Tbone

Option 3. I personally hate the wax Line-x looks over a large area like a set of boxes. They will fade eventually, where the paint is easy to touch -up.

I'm worried about the fading too and leaning toward #3 if I don't swap or sell the boxes or learn to live with silver. My local X-Line guy confessed the finish would fade over time, but said the polyurethane coating he sprays over the X-Line prevents that, for how long is anybody's guess. Another plus for #3 is the original hammer finish would still stand out under the paint.

Anybody crash with X-Line coated boxes mounted? Can that stuff be scratched or gouged or is it impervious to just about everything? What would road rash on an X-Line coating look like? As you say, it might be easier to touch up a painted box than repair an X-Line coating.