Well I have read this entire post. I have watched almost every dip my car youtube video. My wife thinks I am insane and is begging me not to do it. Ah I barley ever listen to her,(then find most time I should have) Thats another story.
I have decided I am going to try something I have not seen on here. But I would like some honest opinions from some of you guys that have used this stuff. I only saw two example of where guys used this on their tins. I thought they looked out standing. The next two pics are what I am about to try. Do you think in your experience with the product this is possible?

I have this




want to try to get something like this

 

It won't hold up and pulling the masking tape without severe lifting is extremely difficult.

I've done helmets, tins, and full length racing stripes on cars with dip. Its marginally OK if you don't intend on washing it with high pressure or brushes or cloths, but anything that rubs it will begin to lift the masked edges.

The trailing edges of the tank will rub off on your knees/thighs within a week.

I wouldnt.

 

I've done my tins a few times. I've had no problems with scuffing from idle contact or riding although you have to be careful, especially for the first few months, as it continues to cure for that time. That said, I don't know how you'd really pull off a stenciled shape or color boundaries. As mentioned, the dip will want to lift off with the masking material. Unlike paint, plasti dip thrives on over spray. Single solid colors are your best bet.

 

Maybe I should have qualified this a bit. I do know trying to get sharp edges is next to impossible. Also read and saw on video that if you remove the masking tape while the dip is still wet you can get a pretty good edge. I did see where a guy had to pin strip his edge to keep it from pealing. My thought was to do this, see how I liked it, even if not perfect. If I really like it, bite the bullet, by 2009 cvo Orange sunglow ( I just fricking love that color!) and paint her that way permanently. But even if I screw this up a bit as a test look so to speak. I can just peal it off right? Or is this stuff gonna totally hose my current clear coat. That is my biggest fear. The tank and front fender do not scare me too bad, being metal. But the ABS bags farring and side covers worry me a bit. Do you guys think it will damage the clear on my bike?

I guess I could do a really inconspicuous spot and see what happens, like just the very bottom of a side cover and try to peal it, see what happens?

I have to admit though being able to change up the look a my bike from time to time, to me sounds way cool and way fun.

Thingfish your red and black looks fricking awesome by the way.

 

We have a member here that operates a powder coating company (powder pro) that takes in a lot of parts that require stripping of plasti-dip prior to powder coating and he report many instances of damaged finishes and aggressive adhesion of the dip that cause stripping issues. Not worth the risk on a new bike, IMO. Maybe on a 20 year old bike like mine where the clear is completely done off gassing...

Pin striping may be an OK work around to hide ragged edges, but I'd be suspect of proper adhesion to the rubber. Its has a texture that may make it difficult. I've never tried it.

You can peel a fairly nice edge if you move FAST on the last coat, but the bigger the panel, the harder it gets.

Dip works pretty good in my experience when its either seamless of the edges are allowed to feather naturally from loose mask or over spray. My helmet is holding up real good and takes the drops to the concrete like a champ.

 

Peeling it after a couple days or weeks shouldn't be an issue regardless. It's the long-term effects that will bite you.

 

Thanks man, I asked for honest opinions.

Truth is I am not getting the one I wanted to hear. But I can tell it is an honest -and educated opinion.

You have pretty much talked me out of it. Dang LOL

 

Oh I didn't realize you kept rubbing it and that's how it peeled. That is a bit different story. Many people have used it, including myself, and it doesn't just peel on it's own. Rain, sun, and washing my mirrors are still fine.

Some people have used it on their entire bikes with no peeling at the gas tank. But then again I doubt they spray gas all over their tanks. So that may be the difference.

I'm not saying it's permanent by any means, and powder coating is IMO the best. It's inexpensive and very forgiving when you spray it. Hardly any prep is needed also.

Once again it has lasted more than a year on mine, and many others bikes and cars. I'm not even sure how many years some of my stuff has been dipped.

 

Yeah like others have said it is difficult to get anything but solid color on stuff. If you do try it on something peel the tape off while wet, let it dry a bit, then retape. You would need to do this on every coat though. Timely process then.


I do think the big problem is sometimes moisture gets trapped in between the dip and the metal. Things like rims and such seem to be the worst. Then there ends up being pitting in the metal. I would think "raw" metals would be worse for this but I do not know for sure.

 

I dipped my truck bumpers over three years ago and they still look great. And that includes our wicked Minnesota winters and automatic car washes.
Until it is fully cured it is very soft. Once cured it does last. Been on my Road King that long also.

However, gas eats this stuff.