Plasti Dip Wheels / Help with livery?

[bungee36]

As you see, this scooter is all black stock. I would like to brighten it up, and am looking for ideas to do so DIY. First, I'm planning to repaint the tail rack, perhaps gloss bright red, with a durable coating, or perhaps a chrome-look finish. I use it all the time to carry luggage and groceries, and the factory crap paint job shows wear already. I could take it to a body shop and have it powdercoated, but $$.

I saw an article on AutoWeek this morning about DIY Plasti Dip for car wheels, and might try this myself. Stock, the wheels are steel and matte black. Again, I would prefer brighter, silver wheels. Thinking back, I had a Motobecane as a teenager which was black with gold trim and gold painted wheels. Pretty cool for 1982!

Does the forum have any experience with Plasti Dip, particularly on wheels? I would have to remove the wheels to prevent overspray around the brakes, lugs, cables, etc. But I would prefer not to dismount the tires, and just carefully mask.

Open to all ideas, and remember this a project for spring once temps. are above 50 F. / 10 C. I'm working outside without a shed or garage for now.

P.S. This photo taken New Year's Day, with Nantucket Sound and the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

[pinkscoot]

I have heard of people doing this. Google it and I'm sure you'll find videos.

[eclark5483]

I prefer powdercoating. More durable for rocks and shit.

[jmkjr72]

It’s pretty popular I’ve got a quote for supplies to spray my mini this summer. If it comes out good I’m going to do my siverlado also. But read around there is lots of info out there and it’s a bit more then just spray it on. Just like paint it’s all in the prep work and using the right stuff to mask things

[jackrides]

Bright color up top (and wheels) keeps good guys alive!

[fuzzyruttin]

I was actually toying with the idea of Red Bull livery yesterday. Problem is, scooters don't lend themselves at providing workable surface areas in that regard. You kinda need to stick with solid colors, as you are suggesting. It can easily turn very tacky looking otherwise. That's probably why stickers are so popular on scooters, there's just not much to work with.

So I dunno, your black scooter is pretty good looking as-is. Maybe you could take it in the other direction - black on black, that is. Smoke anything that's not black. Vader style.

[harleyracer59]

its a scooter. the paint job can be tacky. and should be. 
  with yours though, im with fuzzyruttin. murder that bitch out!!   

  remember, Jonny Cash said good guys dress in black. Chucky Norris said good guys wear black..   I agree with both.

[scooterpimp]

Wear a reflective vest . Done & Done lol😂

[harleyracer59]

powder coating is a way more permanent solution. but if you go with plastidip, just like painting, its all in the prep. on car tires I coat the sidewalls with armorall or rub some grease on them close to rim. after coating has dried, just wipe the sidewall clean of overspray. on a motorcycle or scooter that might not be the best idea for obvious reasons.
I would at the very least, break the bead so you can get masking tape low on the tire and have a better shot at the top edges of rims. follow directions on can, wait 10-20 minutes between coats, 2 light coats then a heavy coat or 2 should do the job. also let cure in the sun for a day before heavy handling or mounting back on scooter. and remember, plastidip is a temporary couating so it will peel and scratch off over time. also ive heard cleaning and coating the surface to be painted with wax will make it easier to remove the plastidip down the road. good luck post picks when done!

[fuzzyruttin]

This would be badass on your scooter

[2stroked]

Mar 2, 2019 7:33:14 GMT -5 fuzzyruttin said:

This would be badass on your scooter

I couldn't watch the video so forgive me if this was mentioned.

I'd imagine one panel worth of that paint would cost as much as a complete paint job with normal paint.

[tiny]

I believe it was $1500 for the shorty helmet in the video. A mid-size car would cost $25-30k

[fuzzyruttin]

Yeah the comment was, if you're asking how much it costs, then you can't afford it.

[lurch]

I have been dipping car wheels for a few years. It works great to protect them in the winter. As others have said you need to prep like painting, I typically use a tire shine product on the tires prior to spraying so it cleans up easier, that might not be a great idea on a scoot.

If you dip, add more than you think is necessary, it peels way easier when its thicker.

and it's not a gloss finish, no matter what the can says...

[bungee36]

Thanks for the advice, ladies and gents. I've decided to abandon the plastidip idea, as I don't think it's a good long-term solution. I know, too that preparation is important. Powdercoating would be an awesome idea, but not DIY. OTOH, then I could change colors. So, I'll leave the wheels alone until some maintenance is required, as this is sometimes my only transpo.

I'll repaint the rack shown in the photos above, as I'm unhappy with the crappy factory paint job, looking like poop after less than 2 years. I saw a great video once about DIY Rustoleum rattle can painting for small parts like this. Sanding, cleaning, etc. is essential. Color will be either fire engine red to match my suspension, or flaming orange to match the reflective stripe on my helmet.

Frustrated that I can't do it yet. Spring arrives late here out in the North Atlantic ocean: today is 46 F./ 8 C. with heavy winds. Only a numbskull paints outside on a windy day near the sandy beach LOL!