I am just going to powdercoat the frame of my 750 roadster year 1973 and I was wondering if the original finish of the frame was gloss or more satin.. any idea from those who may have the memory of the history?
Thank you for helping!

Lorenzo wrote:I am just going to powdercoat the frame of my 750 roadster year 1973 and I was wondering if the original finish of the frame was gloss or more satin.. any idea from those who may have the memory of the history?
Thank you for helping!

I have had several frames powdercoated and the powdercoater has always recommended against the highest gloss finish as he says that it is not very practical for a bike that is to be ridden. It shows scuffs and fingerprints really easily so I have always gone with the next level of gloss which is a semi-gloss or satin type of finish. These look pretty close to the original paint on my Commando frame.

Original frame finish in stove enamel I think gave black patent leather polsih sheen that lasts pretty darn good baring direct crushes and scraps and decades of mostiure holding acid forming dust grit. Wax over a dull finish often make it sheen again. Power looks great if can get industrial hardness even better but tends to ding deeply so hard to fill in and re finish w/o making look worse. Care in matinance tools needed. I've given up and will rattle can and clear coat so touch ups blend in.

They weren't stove enamelled in '73 they were just painted & the factory used a very few coats of poor paint that came off very easily. It was a gloss paint. People here are mostly anti powder coating but I had mine done 35 years ago & it's still fine. The swinging arm was the only thing that needed doing again. I stripped & painted that myself with rattle cans. You pays your money & takes yer choice.

Ian

The first time I powdercoated a frame I went with a high gloss. The front facing areas went slightly dull after a while that was noticeable compared to sections where it wasn't as exposed. The last time I had a frame done the guy gave a me a choice of luster from one to ten, I chose eight and it looks about right. There are different kinds of powdercoat out there. Some is more suited to lawn furniture than motorcycle and car restorations. Pick someone who is familiar with restorations if you can.

From what I understand the factory painted the frames glossy. I got my frame powdercoated semi-gloss for most of the reasons talked about above. Gloss shows finger prints, dirt and oil much easier than semi-gloss.

Matt

What would have been considered glossy in the 1970's would look more semi-gloss if you put it next to a modern paint with clearcoat. That is part of the vintage look. So the advice on toning down the powdercoat a few degrees is sensible.

Gloss also cleans up from finger print, dirt and oil much easier than semi gloss.

I like gloss. If I were going to another color, say silver gray, I might concider semi.

Got to see an undisturbed very low mileage as under 1000 on a '73 750 brought into Baxter Cycle to get a road worthy check up, while up there for their rally a few yrs ago, frame finish wiped off to Black Patent Leather polish and all the Lucas wiring looked so orderly and neat and robust well thought out and executed. At some point Norton frames got stove enameled I'm told but don't know if that covered any Cdo frames. My factory Trixie gets gloss black rattle can touch ups, Peel something else sky blue or lavender clear coated.

hobot wrote:Got to see an undisturbed very low mileage as under 1000 on a '73 750 brought into Baxter Cycle to get a road worthy check up, while up there for their rally a few yrs ago, frame finish wiped off to Black Patent Leather polish and all the Lucas wiring looked so orderly and neat and robust well thought out and executed. At some point Norton frames got stove enameled I'm told but don't know if that covered any Cdo frames. My factory Trixie gets gloss black rattle can touch ups, Peel something else sky blue or lavender clear coated.

Hobot: as I can understand you are voting vote for the gloss finish, as the most original one..

After only 500 miles on mine this summer, the liquid gloss on mine has turned to motorcycle gloss. Scratches, dullness in areas, but I still like the look of it. I mean you just can't keep everything in a state of high gloss unless you don't use it. I don't think it really matters as long as the metal is covered and no rust pits anywhere. It certainly looks better that when I started. I suppose I could polish out the areas, but I'm not interested in that. It looks like a motorcycle that's been on the road. Even the high gloss black is hard to see imperfections in it, especially on the tubes, if it were a door or hood, that would be a different thing.

Dave
69S

DogT wrote:After only 500 miles on mine this summer, the liquid gloss on mine has turned to motorcycle gloss. Scratches, dullness in areas, but I still like the look of it. I mean you just can't keep everything in a state of high gloss unless you don't use it. I don't think it really matters as long as the metal is covered and no rust pits anywhere. It certainly looks better that when I started. I suppose I could polish out the areas, but I'm not interested in that. It looks like a motorcycle that's been on the road. Even the high gloss black is hard to see imperfections in it, especially on the tubes, if it were a door or hood, that would be a different thing.

Dave
69S

thank you Dave: I completely agree with you
the time will do his job, but at least the beginning is like the original bike, or even better..

Dave: I know you had a brand new Norton Commando. Do you recall how the frame was at that time?

Hobot: as I can understand you are voting vote for the gloss finish, as the most original one..

Absolutely if seeking factory beautiful striking polished Black Patent Leather - as only term that comes to mind on seeing a handful of original finishes uncovered or just wiped off. I"m not voting on it as much as just verifying a good many of them came in flashy shiny black. I actually like to see different color frames especially the lighter brighter or pastels. I'm stuck with black on my factory Trixie discipline to stick with the no brainer good book parts number wise but on Ms Peel will get something way way different, depending on when observed of course.

Lorenzo wrote:Dave: I know you had a brand new Norton Commando. Do you recall how the frame was at that time?

No, my bike had 4000 miles on it when I got it and was in fairly rough shape for only 2 years old. I get the feeling someone had raced it from the dings on it, the timing cover had been welded, there were bumps in the frame. But it ran good.

I've had people that put them together from the factory at the local shops tell me they were pretty shiny.

Dave
69S

Glossy from new on my '72. Still there too. Shitty thin paint with no primer - about falls off just looking at it. Yearly localized touch-up with spray can or foam swab required on rear loop and front downtubes.

The real stove enamel on the old Matchlesses was on there good. I took some pieces to a shop to be stripped and when I picked them up he asked if I had any more pieces like that at home. I said yes and he said "Keep them there - I never want to see anything like this again!"