Painting your motorcycle with custom themes or designs can make the bike stand out from the crowd and is a great way to show off your personality at the same time. Custom motorcycle paint can be anything from a single color to a wild paint job with graphics and designs all over the machine. Still, there are some things you should consider when you are thinking about painting your motorcycle. 

Designs and Value

If you have a reasonably new motorcycle that has a lot of value, adding custom motorcycle paintwork or graphics could affect the bike's resale value later on. A classic, tasteful paint job may be an asset for the bike, but something extreme like skulls or nudes painted all over the motorcycle may turn off potential buyers if the time comes that you want to sell it. 

Consider the potential effects the paint could have later and choose a design that looks great, says something about yourself, or maybe tells a story that people can identify with when they see the paint job. Positive reactions to the custom motorcycle paint are usually better than people crossing the street to ensure their kids don't see the paint on your motorcycle when it is parked on the street.

Painting Your Motorcycle

It is critical that before custom motorcycle paint is applied, the body and parts that will be painted are properly prepared so the paint will adhere and look good. Motorcycles with dents or damage to the bodywork will not look good if you paint over the damage without repairing it.

The painter you are working with may be able to do the body repair for you before they paint the bike, but if the damage is extensive, you may have to take the parts to a body repair shop and have them repair and prep the parts before they go to the painter. While many motorcycle painters have experience with body repair, a custom motorcycle paint shop often will only include basic prep in the job, so you will need to have all the other work completed before you drop off the parts at the painter. 

Depending on how, when, and where you ride, you may want to use durable paint to stand up to dirt, dust, and gravel impacts that can occur on your motorcycle. A motorcycle used offroad will have more wear and tear to the paint than a street bike, so if you are riding on might terrain, it is a good idea to talk to the painter about it so they can recommend the best paint for that environment. 

A protective layer of the clear coat applied over the custom motorcycle paint is an excellent way to protect it from damage and help it last. Talk to the painter you are using to see if they recommend clear coating the bike after paint and what material they recommend for the job. 

For more information, you can reach out to a company such as PEA Motorcycle Art.