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scuffed bags

bigsur52

bigsur52

04 1150RS
My 9 year old BMW side bags are showing their cumulative scuffs more than I really like. A question for those of you on this forum who have had their bag lids painted glossy black (or any other color, for that matter); are they more resistant to scuffing after painting than before painting? And do scuffs on painted bags rub out more easily than on unpainted bags?

Look forward to your recommendations.
 
BMW bags have had several finishes over the years. Are yours smooth or pebble-grain finish? I take it they are unpainted black plastic right now?

Either way, aerosol truck bed liner spray can give an inexpensive, durable finish.
 
Th

32232 said:
BMW bags have had several finishes over the years. Are yours smooth or pebble-grain finish? I take it they are unpainted black plastic right now?

Either way, aerosol truck bed liner spray can give an inexpensive, durable finish.
Click to expand...

Interesting thread. One of the previous owners of my oilhead had some issues with the bags. I've got one shiny black and one matte black. I've been thinking about painting them or coating them so they match.

If you go with the truck bed liner spray, I would guess that you'd still sand them? What grit sandpaper? Since the finish won't be smooth with the liner applied, just wondered how meticulous your prep would have to be.
 
I really am not interested in a budget matt black finish. Looking for a professional finish that also holds up well. Don't mind paying for this, if it's done right the first time.
 
Repainting

Depending what you want to accomplish there are a few directions you can go, if you are trying to color match a BMW factory paint your dealer can not help you with paint. Matching BMW paint can be purchased here; http://www.colorrite.com/?utm_source=digitalthrottle&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=DT however you must use their thinners and some of it depends what ambient temperature it will be applied in. This method is not cheap. Next should you decide otherwise be sure the final application is a clear coat. It is my understanding some paints include this clear mixed with the product. Next to get the final effect of looking like wet paint that you can stick your finger into 4 inches it needs to be applied by a professional.
 
GeneT; [B said:
This method is not cheap

As an example, I took a couple of not quite matched bags to my local bike paint shop( http://www.pimpmybagger.com/aboutus.html )
and had him paint them to match my tank on my 1986 R80RT. The color match was perfect, and the cost was $400 dollars. Many local painters have the technology to match paint colors. Now, it's not necessarily the same brand of paint as OEM, but then I'm not sure you want the same kind of paint on a metal tank as a somewhat flexable abs. Is it worth the money? That's up to you. I can't seem to add the picture as an attachment...so
http://s1196.photobucket.com/user/m...pg.html?&_suid=136789876629404386405962694348
Click to expand...
 

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Many local painters have the technology to match paint colors.
Click to expand...

Just had the hood on my wife's M-B CLK repainted; the clear coat broke down. The local "custom color" paint shop came out with a nifty digital "camera" and took three or four shots on the top, sides, and rear of the car. Once they got back to their shop they analyzed and averaged the colors and it came out freakin' perfect match, even allowing for the original paint having faded somewhat over the last fourteen years.

Best part: we only had to buy a PINT to do the job. Used to be the best the could do was let the shop expert do his magic. And you had to buy a quart.

$400 is a great price if you think about the prep work. The pint of paint for the Benz cost me $149 including catalyst. Your bags probably took less than a pint.
 
Color matches are available from "local shops" as stated- that's how they make a living doing this work is with paint that matches & the camera work is amazing too! Some brands of paint will match certain colors better.Euro car & bike painters will often use Glasurit or Sikkens paints for the better match. Some brands of paint are loved by one pro & hated by the next.Some do one for years then switch.And we thought only females did this? Ha!
The Colorrite e.g. above is off the mark by a bit...
As for painting plastics that flex-there are paint additives for that & in use on vehicles everyday-perhaps you've noticed that almost everything with wheels built today has a plastic front/rear cover & more. I was reading just yesterday that plastics were invented in 1907. Back when bumpers were black several products came out that are used to refinish them & these would be excellent candidates to paint MC luggage black.
I just wash mine & wipe with a detailer spray once in awhile...
 
I have an 88 K100 with color matched paint on the bags...



I think it's beautiful. Then again, I got the bike in a non-standard blue... and paid to have the entire bike painted a BMW color of my choosing- Dark Graphite in this instance. SO, I couldn't tell you how much it would have cost if I were to have had them custom painted to match an existing color...

Having said all that- I travel on my BMWs... sometimes I camp- when I do, I carry all kinds of stuff, and traditionally when MC camping, I often strap stuff to the tops of my panniers. This K100 even has "bungee buddy" attachment points drilled into the cases... HOWever, things do tend to get the expected wear & tear... SO if you want to paint them, then expect everything to be dead perfect for ever after... I suggest giving it some REAL DEEP thought before paying for a custom matched paint job. My personal experience is that side cases tend to get a little beat up just from normal use.
 
I'm not sure if the older threads were retained when we transitioned to the new forum so please excuse any redundancy.

I've had my vario bags shot with Linex (truck bed liner). My first set on my 650GS were done in black. My 1200GS was done with a color matched blue and I really like them. I also had my hand guards and crash bars done.

If you choose to go that route, keep in mind that all Linex shops are not alike. You need a skilled person to do this in order to get a thin and consistent coating. Look for someone that has done more unique pieces than just truck beds. (my guy has linexed a donut and you can still see the distinct path of the icing drips!)

Secondly, there are two types - plain and Kevlar. While the Kevlar will cost a little more, it will not fade.

I've dropped my bike and slid down a hill with it. You really have to look hard to see the tiny scratch. It is very durable.



 
Now I'm curious- what does Kevlar have to do with UV resistance in a coating?
Click to expand...

It strips an extra $150 from your wallet mostly ... the "standard" linex I had put on my Silverado ten years ago look just like it did ten years ago.

Maybe it acts as a "filler" (which it is) like "carbon black" used to be used to protect plastics (by mechanically blocking UV exposure (more than if there were no filler in it at all)).
 
Kevlar Linex

kantuckid said:
Now I'm curious- what does Kevlar have to do with UV resistance in a coating? :scratch
Click to expand...

I'm not sure exactly so I called our friends who own the shop. She says that there are UV Inhibitors in the Linex Plus (which I assume is their trade name for the Kevlar mix.) This prevents fading.

I'm still a little lost but then again, I'm blonde and it doesn't really concern me as long as it works. ;)
 
Last edited:
I love it!!! I know what I'm going to do with my bags now!



Newstar said:
I'm not sure if the older threads were retained when we transitioned to the new forum so please excuse any redundancy.

I've had my vario bags shot with Linex (truck bed liner). My first set on my 650GS were done in black. My 1200GS was done with a color matched blue and I really like them. I also had my hand guards and crash bars done.

If you choose to go that route, keep in mind that all Linex shops are not alike. You need a skilled person to do this in order to get a thin and consistent coating. Look for someone that has done more unique pieces than just truck beds. (my guy has linexed a donut and you can still see the distinct path of the icing drips!)

Secondly, there are two types - plain and Kevlar. While the Kevlar will cost a little more, it will not fade.

I've dropped my bike and slid down a hill with it. You really have to look hard to see the tiny scratch. It is very durable.



Click to expand...
 
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