I have just filled in some deep scratches and cracks in my K75S fairing. I used a product called Isopon bumper repair, and after sanding back, I am very satisfied with the pre-painting finish. The filler is a very dark grey colour. Bike is in black. Do I need to prime the filler before painting?

The easy answer is yes as it will ensure the paint has something to grip to....

A further question is are you painting the whole area or using a touch up pen? as you maybe able to get away with not using one... but you will need to have a slight dip where your crack is in order to build up the layers of paint so that it will finish off flat...

You will possibly need a lacquer finish as well so that it gets the same shine as the rest of the fairing

I'm gonna use a pray can from RS paints in Herts for an exact match in terms of colour. I'll probably end up doing the whole lot with the can. I'm also looking at doing the wire mesh grills at the front....maybe a metallic silver zinc colour....not sure yet.

http://www.rsbikepaint.com/en-gb/colours.php

Just had a look and you will probably want this as if you sand any of the fairing back to fibreglass you will need the etch ability...

If I may join in as I will be needing this info, what is the best way to remove all the old lacquer and paint before respraying. I have never had any experience with this so am keen to learn,
Thanks
RT

repainting is easy i use a good 220 to wet sand it a little dish soap in a bucket of water really helps sand it down you dont have to remove all the old paint but if you have ding and scrapes that are deep a goot spot putty wil fill those. watch the edges and raisd parts as you will tend to sand them a bit to much once to get it nice and smooth wash i and rince it with lots of clean water a good wax and grease remove will finish the cleaning then i use several light coats of i high bulid self etching primer then resand with 600 wash and clean again. recoat once more with primer let dry and one more time a light sand with 600 will have you ready to paint wipe with a tack cloth and spray several light coats till you have a good coverage i put two to three coats of paint and then wet sand once more with 1000 wipe with tack and spray a good clear coat lot of work but you will be glad you did and it will look great

i didnt paint mine this time tried something different. I covered the fiberglass with a camo cloth which i will add resin to cover it and make it hrad and protected

Thanks, I'll give it a go. That cloth effect will be interesting,
I'd like to see the final result
RT

RT wrote:Thanks, I'll give it a go. That cloth effect will be interesting,
I'd like to see the final result
RT

No chance RT, it'll disappear into the background.

Paul.

I have noticed that the black colour of my K75S is not the original. The 1988 black code is 622 for "Onyx Black Pearl", but how can I be sure? From reading related posts, the only way forward is a match at a paint shop first to identify the paint colour.

BooG wrote:I have noticed that the black colour of my K75S is not the original. The 1988 black code is 622 for "Onyx Black Pearl", but how can I be sure? From reading related posts, the only way forward is a match at a paint shop first to identify the paint colour.

622 is Onyx Black Metallic, a sort of olive-green-brown-black according to the light.

You can probably make out the paint code label in this photo and if your bike's colour looks similar, it's probably the original:



I was surprised to see how many in this colour are around in the UK.



Getting a match will be difficult and BMW won't sell the paint (unlike in the good old days). Any competent body repair specialist will be able to replicate it though painting whole panels is probably the best way to ensure a decent result. The particles in metallic paints react differently according to the temperature when applied so even exact matches on the same panel might end-up looking different.

[quote="MikePthough painting whole panels is probably the best way to ensure a decent result. The particles in metallic paints react differently according to the temperature when applied so even exact matches on the same panel might end-up looking different.[/quote]

and also the direction of the spray onto the surface ....just ask anybody that has applied a good finish of "pearl " type paint

Fantastic info! Thanks alot!
I'm thinking that this black is not the Onyx Pearl. There is no brownish/geenish tinge to it. It is most definitely a solid black colour. The other one listed for 1988 K75S models was "Avus black". There does not seem to be a paint or scheme code on the info under the seat.

This is a great site for BMW paint issues..
http://www.bmbikes.co.uk/paintcodes/blacks.htm
My paint looks like Classic metallic black from the pic, but there is ne way of really telling from the pic!

MikeP wrote:
You can probably make out the paint code label in this photo and if your bike's colour looks similar, it's probably the original:

The label code under the seat is the Finsh Scheme Code for the bike, not the paint code, it includes details like the pin stripe colours etc.. eg the Label on my bike shows 636 as the colour code but the main paint colour code is 226.

To get the paint code from the scheme you have to dig a little deeper. A google search will lead you to some sites that have the paint codes associated with the various finish codes like this one. Hope this helps.

88

I have the sticky label stuck at 90 degrees to the one in the above pics, but the code number must have been painted over, so it is a bit difficult to know what the current code is. Theoretically, it could be any old black colour, not necessarily a BMW one....?!

BooG wrote:Theoretically, it could be any old black colour, not necessarily a BMW one....?!

It sounds that way. When I did my old K75C, I didn't like the BMW white (too white, if that doesn't sound odd) so I did it in Ford Ermine White, slightly creamier in tone.

I did remove the paint code label to avoid this sort of problem for any future owner though. :|

Just be sure to remove all of the original paint. If you paint over lacquer with any kind of enamel, it will craze instantly (think wrinkel finish) and you will have to start from scratch. You can only paint over the original paint if you use lacquer, and at least in the US you no longer find automotive colors in lacquer, especially in rattle cans. It is all acrylic enamel now. Have fun sanding. I like to use aircraft grade paint remover to take the bulk of the old paint off before breaking out the 220 grit.

I'm digging the camo K bike. Paint the faring side panel vents black and you will have it nailed. I considered doing that to a helmet once, but never a whole bike. Can't wait to see it all together.

Themason wrote:Just be sure to remove all of the original paint. If you paint over lacquer with any kind of enamel, it will craze instantly (think wrinkel finish) and you will have to start from scratch.

T'other way around I think.

Enamel will cover most paints without reacting but few will cover enamel without, as you say, turning into something like crackle finish.

Rather wet and damp today, but I went for the spray job anyway! I managed to achieve an interesting gloss/matt black camo effect! This was not inspired by the fabric finish posted on this thread, more by the damp conditions outside, I'm thinking? Where it is gloss black, it looks great! Shame it dried like it did!

All is not necessarily lost. It may cut back.

Post some pics of how it has turned out.... If you have sprayed it today it will need a couple of days to set and then you can rub it down and then get the lacquer on it. That will make it shine

/Users/davidgallagher/Desktop/Panel 1.jpg
/Users/davidgallagher/Desktop/Fairing 2.jpg

Whoops....that didn't work!

HHmmmmnnnn!!!!

do a search on how to post pictures and you will be able to post them....

If it's any consulation to your matt paint I moved my top box that I have just primed and it decided to wobble! Now I have finger prints that i need to rub out! damn lol

Someone might have to tell divvy me how to get the photos up!!

Have a look HERE

Ahh....that'll be it then!

What was the process that you used? it looks like your going to need to rekey it and give it a couple more coats if you want it to have an even finish..

Well, I filled some scrapes with Isopon bumper filler. Sanded down with wet and dry, and then sprayed a coat of primer on. Filled some pinholes with some Holts knifing paste. More wet and dry. Another coat of primer. Light rub with 1200 grade wet and dry, an then the black gloss. The panels had no filler, only primer. The only variable factor was the weather.
I'm planning on sanding back this coat of black, and going again. Problem of course is the weather!! Its not great for the coming week, and I have no garage!! I know where I can "borrow one" however, so I may investigate this possibility.

In the first picture it looks as though the paint has 'bloomed' which is the result of spraying in damp conditions. The second looks more like 'orange peel' and generally the result of putting the paint on too thick There are a couple of tricks you can do to improve rattle can performance but its never going to be brilliant spraying outside at this time of year.
Firstly before you spray, stand the rattle cans in some slightly better than warm water (but not hot!!) until the whole can feels warm. This will allow the paint to flow more smoothly
Secondly if you have to spray outside, warm the panels first and hang them out just as you are about to start spraying. I use an old paint stripper heat gun which has just about a million uses in the garage and which Ive never used to actually strip paint off window frames.
Thirdly lots of thin coats are better than one heavy coat.
Apologies if you knew this already, its just stuff Ive learned over the years. Good luck with your painting.
Cheers
Fent

Fantastic tips! I feel more confident going into this now, having booked my garage space and it may even have some heating also!! Fingers crossed!

Result!! thanks for all the tips! Heating the panels slightly and warming the spray cans made all the difference! Very happy with the result.
Also, if your in London, these guys were very helpful and reasonably priced.
http://www.brookspaints.com/

top job guys, and look at what a difference it made, well done , the forum wins out again.