Painting the Cans InSitu

Moved ahead with my effort to paint the lightly rusty 850 cylinder block without removing from bike. Got a tin of 500 C high temp rust paint for BBQ'S, engines etc...Rustoleum Satin Black. Following advice garnered on another thread, I wrapped the cylinder head with plastic kitchen bag and tied some string around it such that it was between the lowest cooling fin of head and above the highest one on the block. Could then fold the plastic up over the head, leaving upper cylinder fin exposed.



Began painting with small foam wedge brush...as it could squish between fins...but after a few minutes, the foam shredded. So plan B became using a small diameter bristle bottle washer brush. Worked OK but was a bit tedious. Might be needing touch up here and there,and it by no means will be sprayed quality but will be a whole let nice than the rusty look...should do until she needs a rebuild.
Leaving it O/N before removing Masking.

Looks good. Did similar on my 750 barrel. A little harder masking and painting around the cylinder base nuts but not bad. For between the fins I started off the same with a foam brush and had it disintegrate. I ended up using an acid brush which I crushed flat in a vise and also shortened the bristles. (I used to get them from work but Harbor Freight has them.) I used VHT black brake caliper paint.

Now about that airbox front cover? I cheated and had mine powdercoated along with the front fender stays and bracket. At least these are easy to remove.

Your aluminum is nice and shiny!

I use an airbrush. I have one with a fan spray nozzle that has about a 2 inch pattern. Still needs masking, but much more controllable than a rattle can spray.

Got the masking off and paint now dry to touch. Looks like a really good result. A few bits of over flow along bottom edge, but should be easy to scrape/wipe off with a little solvent. Will fire her up to bake the paint on with heat.

I could not have done this via spray...i only have a parking garage in a condo complex for my workspace...don't think my neighbour would take to kindly to over spray on their cars!

Another applicator method was chronicled by LunMad's wonderful videos where he used a long strip length of cotton shirt soaked in his paint tin then passed between the fins...but that was done with the block off the bike.

batrider said:

Your aluminum is nice and shiny!

Click to expand...

Ummm, actually no, the alu is kinda dirty, oil stained. I think you are seeing the chromed rocker and other covers!
All the alu, including mudguard stays. Have some kind of alu coloured paint which tend to wipe of very easily. Must be the high heat type and perhaps not appropriate for non heated area like stays. It's even on the brake disk hub/periphery...washes down to friction area with brake parts cleaner spray!

Been running bike few days now since block painting...looking sweet! Very happy how it turned out.