Need to paint/wrap gas tank on my bike

[Skrilla]

Hey guys, decided this off season to buy a bunch of goodies for my bike including complete new fairings. Issue is my bike has a metal tank, and the color of the fairings is now completely different. I have things I am considering to do, just looking for opinions on ease of application and how well it would stand up. Anyone have experience with changing the tank color, or some input on what to try?

Currently I am considering (color of fenders is matte black)

-Plasti-dip (had good luck with this before on wheels, but never on a gas tank)

-Vinyl StickerBomb wrap - have a sheet left over that I originally bought to do a different project. I have never applied this before.

-Professional auto painter - I would imagine this would look the best, but considerably more than the other options.

-3M Vinyl wrap color matched - again never installed, and not sure if any local shops would do this.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

What's the current colour vs the new colour? My CBR has a plastic tank cover, so I was just able to swap it, but other I've seen go to similar colours without painting the tank, and it looked alright.

Plastidip would be easy, but I could imagine it peeling fairly, and stickerbomb would be cool, but it would stick out as much as an off-colour tank.

Personally, if you wanted a matching tank, I'd aim for the 3m wrap. It's removeable if you go back, it doesn't need to be painted, and the downtime would be shorter (not that it matters in the off season.

[Skrilla]

Sorry I forgot to mention the tank is currently yellow, wanting to go either matte black or sticker vinyl (fairings coming are matte black)

[B69]

I've used plasti dip on my CBR gas tank for the past few years. Granted it is plastic and not metal but shouldn't make a difference.

Overall it has worked great. The only two issues I've had is it rubs off over time if your leg or whatever is rubbing against it. Also you have to be careful not to drip any gas on it when filling up, because it will cause the Plasti dip to melt! The good thing with Plasti is you can literally just spray over it and it will blend itself, it's a super forgiving product!

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

If you're aiming for matte black, I'd say plastidip it, and if you don't like it, peel it and stickerbomb it.

[Rocket1k78]

Depending on the shape of the tank you should try a wrap but make sure to get the wrap with air release or whatever its called. I tried wrapping parts for the first time last year and the first round i bought a matte white and even on the flattest area i couldn't get it to lay with no bubbles. I tried the carbon Dinoc after and i felt like a pro after 1 piece because it went on so perfect. When i went back to get more i asked them why and thats when they told me about the different types of vinyl.

Plastidip is super easy but on the tank i can see you having to touch up lots.

[Skrilla]

Decided to try the matte black wrap, will see how it turns out this weekend. Going to sticker bomb the front shielding instead

[ercchry]

I'd go and get proper primer/paint/clear from an autobody supply company and have them put it in rattle cans for you... Wrapping a round tank isn't going to be fun

[Skrilla]

Originally posted by ercchry
I'd go and get proper primer/paint/clear from an autobody supply company and have them put it in rattle cans for you... Wrapping a round tank isn't going to be fun

I decided against this at first because I can always remove the wrap if I want to switch back to the old color, or sell the bike and the buyer prefers the original color, as the tank is paint matched and decaled. I got the material for free so worst case I waste a few hours. Ill post pics when I get it done.

[ercchry]

If the rest of your plastics don't match.... Who cares? And are you saying you have the original decals on still and are wrapping over it all? Cause.... You will see the raised edges of those decals still

[Skrilla]

I have all the original plastics. So the tank is matched with those. Just bought these as a second set and wanted the sharkskin fairings. So if I put it back to the original fairings I can peel the tank wrap adlnd it matches. I figured it may show through, it's not a big deal just a honda logo. Honda clear coats over the decals to I learned.

[e31]

Hydrographics may fit the bill.