How to paint your windscreen to match body color.

[ironhorse]

1) Decide to remove dragon decal (courtesy of previous owner's son) from windscreen.

2) Carefully heat decal with heat gun (low heat!!) and peel off - don't get it too hot or glue won't all come off with decal! It is also possible to deform plastics - remember they are heat-formed to get their shape!!

3) Apply Goof-Off to cloth or paper towel, rub on glue remaining from decal removal.....

4)OH SHIT - WAIT - NO NO NOOOOO - GOOF-OFF TEARS UP ACRYLIC!! MY WINDSCREEN IS MELTING - QUICK GRAB THE XYLENE!!!

5) AARRRGHH!! GOOF-OFF CONTAINS XYLENE!!!!!!!! MORE MELTING!!!! At least it is more consistent over the whole surface now.....

6) Smooth out melted surface of windscreen as much as possible with solvent-soaked rag to smooth out the orange-peel cracking.

7) Carefully explain to wife what all the screaming was in the garage and why you need a shot of vodka from the freezer.

8 ) After newly-melted windscreen dries a bit, color sand with very fine automotive sandpaper in the sink with water running on windscreen to remove sanding fines and prevent sandpaper from clogging. (Google color sanding if need be...)

9) Before you freak out and start drinking heavily, go to AutoZone and get a can of Krylon Fusion Plastic Paint in the desired color.

10) Wash windscreen carefully and dry. Apply several light coats of Krylon Fusion paint as per directions on can. 15-minute drying time between coats will allow for at least one beer per coat if you are quick.

11) If the alcohol you slammed as a result of the hijinks described above hasn't kicked your ass, you can alternately apply a coat of paint and color-sand again and repeat to get a smoooth, professional look. I might do that some day............

P.S.
I would suggest that you have a new windscreen on hand before you attempt any modifications to the original windscreen that could go to crap and cause personal turmoil and a roaring hangover.
Check out the clearance items at Denniskirk.com. I got an overstock windscreen for $20, not including shipping. They might still have some.....

I would also recommend that you use GOO-GONE citrus adhesive remover to remove said decal adhesive from bodywork OR windscreens. Hide the Goof-Off, keep the Goo-Gone in plain sight, don't get them confused unless you have the aforementioned extra windscreen and alcohol on hand.

[Black_peter]

[The CyberPoet]

This is generally how I learned all about motorcycles as well Thank god most of that stuff is behind me now (or more rightfully said, I know enough to at least order spare replacement parts in advance before I start to screw up)...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[max*1013]

kool thanks for the info.

[ironhorse]

Update on windscreen painting.........

I took the windscreen off and painted the backside of it black to match the dash area. Not sure why, but the red on the backside bugged me. Taped off the rounded edge of the windscreen for a "piping" effect.
Looks pretty good so far. Will try to remember to post a pic when I get it back on after thepaint dries.

[Fork]

But the most important thing is to reshape the bitch. It is the same as people placing leaf guard screens on their holes.

Changing color is simple, do something else with it.

[WildKat]

That was a great writeup... how many times we've all tried to do what seemed to be a simple mod that turned out to be a disaster before we finally got it right

[ironhorse]

Au Contraire, Mon Frere

But the most important thing is to reshape the biatch. It is the same as people placing leaf guard screens on their holes.

Changing color is simple, do something else with it.

If you think it's all simple then you didn't read the original post.

[ironhorse]

Done (for now).

[JaxKat]

That was unbelievably FUNNY...

[06pakat]

anyone else do that? paint a windscreen? I was thinking of doing a black fade on a stock one any suggestions>?

[chrisman826]

i think im going to paint my windscreen just not sure yet.

[ironhorse]

I would think you could do a fade pretty easily with a "common" spray can if you used airbrushing techniques, like a mask or two. I've got an airbrush and compressor, it's kind of a pain to get all set up and doesn't put out paint very fast, AND I don't have the patience for cleaning, masking, etc. that I used to.....
Might google "how to airbrush" or something like that. If the graffiti punks can do it on the side of a train car, why not on a Kat??? I thought I saw special paint can nozzles on eBay one night. One for thin lines, one for thick, fan spray, etc. for the taggers to swap out on their spray can. Might have to look that up again. A friend of a friend had a buddy that was a tagger and carried a ziplock bag of spray can nozzles he'd modified with hot needles, etc. for different paint effects.

Sorry, this turned into a stream-of-consciousness post.........Good luck
Laters