Hi, I just purchased a 2009 ultra glide. It has tons of extras I was looking for, but the paint is factory purple and silver. I want to paint the bike vivid black. I'm worried it is to much work to strip the bike (the hinges are all pop riveted) etc. has anyone done this? Am I over my head? Thanks for your input.

 

Your bike, your money.

As a rule, factory painted bikes have better resale value.

Get some referals (and solid prices) before you turn someone loose on your bike with a spray gun.

If you haven't stripped and prepped a bike for painting and re-assembled afterward, you may want to find a person who will do the entire project for you.

 

I don't think an aftermarket paint job is as good as factory paint. I don't care what they say, it seems that aftermarket paint jobs are soft and scratch and ding too easily. I would leave it stock, it will grow on you. FYI, I just bought a vivid black ultra and to be honest, it is just WAY too much black.

 

+1 on the way too much black. leave it stock.

 

On my old 89 when I had it , I blew it completly apart and painted it PPG Gloss Black with PPG clear. The paint wound up as good and as durable as factory paint. It was an old Jersey City cop Bike, with Dents, rust and was painted Green, white and had gold pinstripes, so there was no way it was ever going to grow on me. Hell, it was so bad that even If I did not know what i was doing , I would have just taped off stuff and spray painted in flat black !

It was my 12th bike at the time and I was very comfortable with the work as it also needed a lot of drivetrain and suspension work at the time as well. Tore the bike down at the beginning of the winter and spent 2 months making it happen in the garage.

The factory rivits are specific to HD, they are expensive and require some specific tools, as mine was an old bike, I did not bother with that crap, just drilled em out and used regular rivits to put it all back together. That was my call and I was good with it, that probably will not be your call.

An 09 ultra has a lot of trim and nice stuff on it, I'd reccomend either loooking to find someone that wants to trade all the tins and plastic with you and then just have a bolt together project. Or get ready to pay major bucks for someone to blow it all apart, paint it and put it all back together if your not comfortable with tackeling it. I wont bullshit you, it is a lot of work to blow it all apart and paint it.

If it all seems like to much of a PIA, mabey consider tradining it in on anther glide that has a paint scheme that you like. It'll cost a little more, but it will take a lot less time to get what you want.

 

Back when, we ad a guy who had a shop where he painted custom cars. He painted all of our bikes. Very professional. You might try and find someone like that. If he's good, he'll be busy, have a lot of pictures of what he's painted and it'll be worth it.

 

take a look on google. there are a couple places who are affordable that you ship to. disassembly is easy, just follow the manual and get a friend to help

 

I believe that is an HD custom color for 2009. If it were mine I wouldn't change it. I kind of like it. Is this it ?

 

eh, i dont really blame you for not wanting the purple. but you can always sell your tins and buy some other ones instead of repainting. that way, someone who wants the purple/silver combo can get a factory version

 

Changing the color of your scooter is a big deal ... and ... if you don't remove all the extra's ( hinges, latches etc ) sooner or later ( probably sooner ) you're going to see where it has been "taped back" and it will look like an Earl Scheib job ... take the time ( and money ) to do it right or, as others before me have posted, leave it in original condition.