When you paint bare metal you need to use some king of etching primer. The primer is designed to become part of the metal (alot longer explanation, really, but unnecessary here). It's also designed soak up anything that comes in contact with it...namely, paint, but will soak up anything which is why primer only doesn't look as good after a while. Then clear is added for a final gloss coat and paint protectant.

Now...if you skip all that and go straight to clear from bare metal it doesn't really have anything to stick to. Sure it has paint ON it...but the metal is never truly protected by the clear.

I ran in to this problem a few years ago when carbon fiber body panels became popular. They need a clear to look their best and the situation is essentially the same as yours. What we did was add a shitload of adhesion promoter and it finally stayed on.


Bla bla bla...you need more adhesion promoter in your clear and be VERY meticulous around the filler neck. The fumes will eat the clear & begin rusting pretty quick.

 

Here's something you can use of the metal before the clear.

http://www.por15.com/AP120/productinfo/AP20/

Por 15 also makes a clear that is very durable but it's not quite a slick show finish.

 

looking good man looking good! best clear in a can i have ever found is this
lays super smoooth
http://www.repaintsupply.com/pd_2_part_2k_aerosol.cfm

 

good stuff man, i got an addhesion promoter today and will be sanding, respraying, and using a different brand of clear and i'll be doing it with gloves this time

thanks man, bringin all the tins back down to bare metal this friday and will be sprayin then too, hopfully it'll work out and i can lay some color down sunday

 

alright well i was havin a rust problem with my tins (bars, sissybar, tank and fender) with the clear i was usin. (rustoleeum rim clear). i heard some people gettin good results with dupli color addhession promoter and clear but i also know from my own experience that dupli clear coat is **** when ya get gas on it. so i sandblasted everything back down and really liked the look of just sandblasted metal, so i cleaned it up and used the addhession promoter and dupli clear just to seal out the poss rust, so far so good....
i'm totaly stoked about my paint, its exactly the way i wanted it, i didn't want crisp clean perfect lines, i wanted something that looked cool, flowed with the rest of the look of the bike and was a little rough...I GOT IT!!! if i wanted a smooth super clean paint job i woulda done one, i know i have the ability to do it (not pro i'm not claiming that at all).
in dealing with my clear coat gas problem this was my solution, i got some rustoleeum clear engine enamle, can says it resists gas which is exactly what i needed, so after my paint hardend a little i scuffed it all up and put a nice thick coat on the fender and tank and it really brought out the POP in the paint
also finished up the seat, relocated the horn and lowered the headlight (not as low as some suggested but evodog had a great idea and i def went with it), the headlight sits really nice inside the top tripple tree now.
ok well hopfully i'll have everything put together my wed, not riddin till sat because the enamle says to wait 7 days to fully cure....so i won't put gas in it untill then.
pics don't really show this well but i cleaned up all the wireing since i won't be runnin side covers, it looks really good

new headlight location, just about an inch lower than it used to be

i really dig how clean my front end looks now

this is where i put my horn, looks cool and its outta the way and i can hide all my wires

seat is done! definetly happy for my first seat ever, evodog agin helpin me out with givin me tips on riviting and folding as well as the idea of puttin a little felt under it so it cleans the bottom up and doesn't scratch my frame, its not the cleanest under there but def won't be seen and won't scratch up my frame




TINS!!!!!!!!!!!! ....next

 

WOOOT WOOOOOO







when i get her all together i'll get some shots in the sun so you can see the candy purple and blue flake...its sick!
thanks to everyone who gave me good ideas and encouragement, it was really helpfull reading the replys ... can't wait to ride this ****er!!!

 

its all bad azz

looks good

 

Paint job looks sick! Can't wait to see the final product.

 

Wow man! Looks slick as hell!

 

Great looking paint on the tins.