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Painting Vinyl Seats

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Printed on: 11/20/2009

Topic:

Topic author: ZenMoto
Subject: Painting Vinyl Seats
Posted on: 08/17/2004 01:41:10 AM
Message:

Are you sick and tired of that faded old seat? Do you have a late 80's KLR with a color scheme designed by Kawasaki's watercraft department? You don't have to buy a new seat, or even a seat cover ...you can paint your old one!

Seriously, here's how it's done: Painting Vinyl Seats

Cheers,
Dale

Replies:

Reply author: ThumperTDC
Replied on: 08/17/2004 08:37:43 AM
Message:

Very nice, Thanks for posting it. By chance can you get the stuff in other colors?

Reply author: Admin
Replied on: 08/17/2004 12:16:49 PM
Message:

Great post ZenMoto! Please keep us posted on how long the painted cover lasts.

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 08/17/2004 7:04:12 PM
Message:

Well, I did this same thing to the seat on my VFR and it has been 15 months and 15,000 miles since. There is still no sign of wear on the finish! :) It really does bond to the vinyl. Once it cures, it basically lasts as long as the vinyl does.

Dale

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 08/17/2004 7:06:01 PM
Message:

Thumper, you can get the flexible coating in a nnumber of colors, though you don't quite get the range of color you would with paint. It is also very easy to mask off areas to create stripes or graphics, I just didn't really want to do that.

There is a long list of the colors available. You can match your color sample, so any color is really available, but it's spendy ($48 per can).

Reply author: DanDog
Replied on: 08/18/2004 02:40:29 AM
Message:

Wow! What a differance. Your bike looks great.

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 08/18/2004 5:10:31 PM
Message:

Thanks Dan,
I have a bunch of changes planned for my XR (parts already on order). I'll be sure to post pics in the gallery as it progresses.

Reply author: xr-for-ever
Replied on: 08/19/2004 08:55:50 AM
Message:

That looks Great dude, good info for future mods.

Reply author: hilift
Replied on: 08/25/2004 09:53:17 AM
Message:

I notice on the can of Sem Color Coat that it says it's good for rigid plastics.
Maybe an excellent way to paint tanks/sidecovers/fenders!
Great post Zen!!

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 08/25/2004 10:03:03 PM
Message:

Thanks. I was wondering about that too. I have black plastics going on my bike soon, perhaps I'll have to try painting one of my fenders to see how it comes out. If I do, I'll be sure to post the results here as well.

Reply author: doubleodevine
Replied on: 09/11/2004 6:36:43 PM
Message:

the seat looks great. please let us know what happens w/ the plastic. i have a 91 cr500 that has that fire orange gas tank and all white plastic. i am thinking about switching it all over to black.
thanks
steve

Reply author: campisi
Replied on: 11/28/2004 3:58:12 PM
Message:

Nice job Zen! I like the black seat with red/white plastics better than the all-black bike but still it's an awesome XR! Did you use the Landau Black color?

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 11/29/2004 01:22:00 AM
Message:

Yes, I think it was the Landau Black. But here's an update.

It has already started to show wear. The red is showing through in a line on both sides of the seat where my weight compresses the foam. This was never an issue with the street bikes as the seat doesn't compress enough to flex the paint past its limits. However, I think the foam is simply too thick for the paint to compensate when it is completely compressed.

The seat still looks good, and you only notice the red if you are paying attention. But it is fairly obvious. :(

I suppose if I were going to do it again, I'd simply buy a cover (or a new seat). I may be looking into a tall seat, preferably something with better padding than the stock seat. When I rolled into Vegas at the end of the LA-B-V ride I had serious "Monkey Butt".

I suppose you can always file this away for using on street bikes, or other vinyl things you want to change the color of. I simply think the paint isn't up to taks with the amount of flexibility needed for the dirt-bike seats. :(

Cheers,
Dale

Reply author: Pappy
Replied on: 01/09/2005 3:01:01 PM
Message:

how much did it cost??
couldnt u just put a new coat on? or will it reck the seat?

Reply author: ZenMoto
Replied on: 01/09/2005 8:39:05 PM
Message:

I think the total cost was around $40. I can spray more black on (if it ever stops raining) and it will probably be fine for awhile. I'm really not too concerned about it. It is, after all, a dirt-bike! :) It was cheaper and easier than putting on an aftermarket cover though.

Reply author: TrailRiderXRL
Replied on: 03/28/2006 11:33:23 AM
Message:

Has anyone else tried this lately with good results?

Reply author: bpoulter
Replied on: 04/04/2006 06:52:08 AM
Message:

I've painted my seat with spray cans from the local auto shop here in Sydney Australia and have had a similar result.

IE looks great except for two bits on each side where the foam compresses and rubs.

I may have put a little too thick a coat on here though and it may have cracked as the coats were too thick. The answer is in very thin coats and build it up slowly.

However it sounds like an endemic problem with dirtbike seats.

I guess I can always touch it up.

Would be a good thing to do to tart up a tired old seat to sell a bike.