Perhaps if I was doing some wild paint scheme then yes but I like it simple. All black. No tape involved, No fairing, No tour pak, No 150 hours to scuff and shoot. :-)

 

You would be surprised. I can guarantee you my finish is far more better than the MoCo produces. Paint is paint no matter how it is applied.

 

FYI: Harley does not make a paint. They are simply overpricing somebody else's paint (most likely ppg) and some will still buy it.

 

 

You are right I would be. I paint everyday, 31 years as an aircraft painter. So with that said and I have seen many paint jobs my standards far exceed what rattle cans will do.

 

I paint cars every day and the stuff that you buy in spray cans is not the same. The base coat that we use now are water base and the clears are 2 part. Spray can paint is enamel or acrylic paints. The long term durability is not there. I’m painting my bike this winter and it’s honestly more work than doing cars. I still have parts to paint, lowers and bags but I have the fenders tank and side covers done and back on the bike and I have a lot of time in disassembly, prep and paint and reassembly. 1200-1500 would be a deal I couldn’t do it for anywhere near that between materials time and the cost of running the booth.

 

Quality paint work is not cheap today! I just got a price for doing a set of CVO Stretched Saddlebag Lowers done
in Vivid Black. My painter told me it was going to be between $750-$800 to do them. There is such a misconception in both
paint work and powder coating work. Using cheap stuff like rattle cans and cheap Eastwood or Harbor Freight Powder Coating
Guns gives you no where near the end result as using proper spray equipment and good powder coating guns.

 

To each their own. I too have spayed thousands of gallons of imron, acrylic enamel & lacquer back in the day. Reds were the most expensive at around 180 a gallon. All other colors were 100 a gallon. I think the water based paint is far too new to know the true durability of it.
The rattle cans I used is urethane and yes the clear is a 2 part clear in a rattle can!. Never seen something like that but am satisfied with the results whole heartedly. Since I wet sanded between paint coats and clear coats then buffing the last coat. I didn't need some elaborate spray booth. At the end of the day I had no gun clean up either.

Lastly, To the original poster. I know this thread has lead elsewhere and I apologize. As for your needs, you have 2 options. Overpay to have it done "professionally" or do it yourself for far less money probably with same results.