PPG makes harley paint but it is not the same as the local PPG store paint. The Harley paint takes an additional hardner, and shoots nothing like PPG. Harley paint is more expensive also, and is alot harder to shoot and work with in general. The flash off time is horrible. The PPG formula is a very good match for the Chopper Blue, if you can't find a local paint store just shoot me an email and I'm sure the I can sell you some from our shop. Make sure you take your fairing to a good shop, they are not the easiest to shoot and you will be looking at it all the time.

 

Paint fading. That's a good point. I hadn't really thought about that. Even buying the original paint from HD doesn't guarantee an exact match. We don't get real strong sun in the northeast but still something to consider. Thanks

 

That's exactly why I'm hoping for a good match. I've seen two fairings that didn't quite match in color. The bikes were in parking lots so I have no idea what paint was used and a friend of mine just had his painted. His shop did a decent job matching the paint but the top of the fairing had orange peel. I don't want to have to look at that! I'll be looking for good shop.

 

HD does not make paint, just like Ford and Chevrolet do not make paint. Ford and Chevrolet use multiple paint suppliers to supply the paint that they use on their vehicles. I would imagine HD is the same. All paint suppliers have variances of colors. Different batches of paint produces different variances. So even using just the factory paint code, does not guarantee a dead on match. In production collsion repair, most adjacent panels are blended for a color match that cannot be seen. At the end of the day, a real painter can tint the color for optimum color match. Pearls and metallics are obviously the hardest.

 

Just done mine this past spring, an 04 EGC, and used House of Kolor from the Auto Spectrum in Belleville, Il. They used the scanner to match up the paint and used PPG primer and clear coat. We done the trailer as well at same time to match all together. My brother does custom car painting and he did all the work for me. Can't beat PPG or House of Kolor to match anything. We had a Qt. made up and it covered all twice and still have plenty for touch ups.

 

I was thinking next winters project would be to have my bike and inner fairing repainted with a custom two tone using HD colors.

Currently the bike is black cherry pearl...but I wanted to two tone it with black pearl.

Anyone have the paint codes for these two colors??? We have a good auto-body supply shop that sells PPG but I don't know that they have any color-matching system. And in any case, I wouldn't have any black pearl to have them match.

 

My bike is sinister blue pearl. Had a hell of a time getting paint to match. Even with HD paint. Even with a paint scanner. The last can of HD paint was right on, go figure. For my next bike I plan on getting HD parts that are already painted so I don't have to go thru that again. Had the same problem with Aqua Pearl also.
Jerry

 

The auto body shop that shot my bike had the PPG paint mixing system, including a computer with PPG software that had mixing forumlae for HD colors. I played with the computer a bit while the painter was in the booth spraying (after he'd showed me how to use it of course) and found Harley colors and formulae for custom shop colors (such as light and dark root beer, etc.) The PPG distributor had the same software and capability.

As for "perfect match," understand that color can be effected by the type of gun/nozzle, pressure, application, humidity, what you're covering, etc. The HD paint book provides a standard primer part no. presumably to provide a standard base to cover with the bike color.

Also, the painter can shoot test panels to compare to the bike's color and adjust before painting the inner fairing.

Buying the inner fairing from HD and selling your take-offs brings the net cost down to about $300 or so. That's probably more costly than what it would cost to have your parts painted locally, but worth considering if you are concerned with the local talent available, and if you have a pearl color which is harder to match.

Good luck with your project.

 

Take the VIN number to the dealer they should be able to tell which one it is. I've never asked the HD dealer for a code but any other manufacture is willing to give you that information.