I've been wanting to powdercoat my 02 GSXR but dread at the thought of disassembling the bike. Please post pics of your powdercoated bikes. I really wanna see how they turn out and maybe convince myself that it's a good winter project. Thanks!

This is Baldy's from the board
http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/Picture_0162.jpg
This is mines
http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/DCP_15441.JPG
DO IT!!!!

Damn!!!!! Those bikes are sweet!!!!! http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/banana.gif

How much work is involved in actually completely disassembling the bike???

Well, there are several things to consider. First off, I'd suggest looking at your assembled bike and decide all of the things that you want powdercoated and make a list. I did 28 different pieces and wish that I had a couple of others done. Consider things such as frame, subframe, fairing stay, engine side covers, muffler hanger, rearsets, levers, swingarm, dogbones, suspension link, rear axle adjusters, kickstand, kickstand mount, passenger pegs and brackets, triple clamps, steering damper mounts (scotts damper)and other items that I can't think of.

You're going to have to buy a manual and the special tools to take those funky locks off of the swingarm pivot and engine mount bolts. Komotto Draggin (http://www.komotodraggin.com/toolset.html) Disassemble as little as possible. I left the throttle bodies on and even left the cables and clipons attached (had to undo one cable to get it away from the frame) when I dropped the engine. There are the clips that hold the wiring harness to the frame. The design of those is basically an arrowhead that is pushed into a hole in the frame. Wait until the frame is completely bare. Take a sharp skinny object (like the pointy part of a compass) and colapse one side of the arrowhead down. Keep putting pressure on it by lightly pulling it out of the hole. Then work on the other side. Don't break these as that you cannot order them from Suzuki.

Buy some plastic sandwich or snack baggies and a sharpie permanent marker. As you take a part off, grab a baggie, write what the part is and where the part goes on the outside of the bag, put the part in it and seal the bag. For the next part or group of parts, use another bag. I had about 75 baggies when I was done. It makes re-assembly very easy.

Once the frame is apart, remove all of the stickers. My powdercoater did not and when he sandblasted the frame, it left a raised pad where the stickers were (the sticker protects the metal until it is blasted off--the unprotected part is ground down lower). My powdercoater caught this and re-did the frame.

You are going to have to remove all of your bearing races (steering head, swingarm and suspension link). This is only if your powdercoater cannot seal them and keep the blasting process from the races--mine could and so I did not remove them. I also had a new swingarm and didn't have to deal with that).

Shop around for a good powdercoater. Make sure that he knows what he is doing and has done this before. He needs to protect all bearing surfaces, threaded holes and tight fitting portions of the parts (triple clamps where the forks fit etc.). If these areas are sandblasted and/or powdercoated, it makes assembly difficult or impossible.

Have fun and take your time. If you do so, you'll have a very unique and clean looking bike.

Here's another pic:
http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/mygixxbst10.jpg

Baldy

PS--I forgot, do your wheels also.

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Baldy,

Thanks for the awesome writeup! Your bike is beautiful!! You live in Sacto, which shop did you use for the powdercoating? How much did you pay and are you happy with their service? Those tools are EXPENENSIVE, but I guess I should add it to my collection. If you're ever in San Jose, why don't you swing by and give me some pointers. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

myblue/whitegixxer1 ,

Thanks for the pics bro. They give me an idea of how big the scope of this project is. I dread a complete teardown, but looking at yours and Baldy's bikes really make me wanna try it.

2fasst

Baldy, myblue/whitegixxer1,

Were you guys able to re-use your bearings (steering, swingarm, dog bones, etc) ? I found out they cost about $260!!! wow!

$260, plus $150 in special tools are making this project less....affordable. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Those bike are tight I think that looks real good. If I could do that though I would for a new look, but tha'ts a lot of work. A lot more than polishing.

Beautiful bikes once again guys.

2Fasst said:

Baldy, myblue/whitegixxer1,

Were you guys able to re-use your bearings (steering, swingarm, dog bones, etc) ? I found out they cost about $260!!! wow!

$260, plus $150 in special tools are making this project less....affordable. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif





I reused all the bearings, the shop I had do it does a lot of bikes and knew to tape all threaded holes and tape off the headset races reall good. I left my swing arm bearings in and my shock lincake bearings in, he taped them off but e still got ome sand in them, so I had some cleaning to do, I used a toothbrash , dish soap, and engine degreaser it got them very clean and have not had any problems whith any bearings. Just make damn good and sure you clean everything out real good, Also I put my frame in the bath tub and hosed it out real good and got all the sand out from the inside of the frame, that took a little bit but it's all good now. I only paid 150 for my frame, swingarm, rearsets, fairing bracket, subframe and exhause hanger. My wheels were 75$ for both about a year ago.

it's so much easier when the come from the factory like that.... wish we had more options than just the color on our plastics. that wouldn't cost the manufacturer over 30-40 bucks to powder coat parts for special orders and those who've taken down a bike like that would probably pay 5-6 times that amount

I did my rearsets,passenger pegs and levers last weekend. To give it the complete lookhttp://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid85/pc863ee49a957269a48a41d9685795c13/fac7b7d7.jpg

Poster: 2Fasst
Subject: Re: Please post pic of your black powdercoated bikes.

Baldy,

Thanks for the awesome writeup! Your bike is beautiful!! You live in Sacto, which shop did you use for the powdercoating? How much did you pay and are you happy with their service? Those tools are EXPENENSIVE, but I guess I should add it to my collection. If you're ever in San Jose, why don't you swing by and give me some pointers.




I payed $400 for Powdercoat Technology in Folsom to do the job. Some might think that this is high but I gave him a shitload of parts and when I've gone back for other little parts to be done he hasn't charged. It's hard for him to do the small stuff (I think that I'm up to close to 60 parts now which include the passenger pegs, stock levers, stock rearsets etc--which are not on the bike because I have aftermarket parts on it) so he charged more.

When I originally got the bike done, I had a Harris WSB swingarm so I had to buy a new set of bearings anyway. What you do is use solvent to clean the grease out of all of the bearings prior to taking it to the powdercoater. This gives less of a sticky place for the sand to go. Once you get the stuff back, clean it real well again and then repack the bearings with grease.

I disagree with the comment that it is more work than a polished bike. Once it is done, it is done. Cleaning is a breaze so ther is no maintenance to do.

Baldy

Here's mine...
I agree with everything that Baldy said...except the part about the clips for the frame harness. I still have spares because I ordered too many.
Probably better to be careful taking them out...cause it's not clear in the parts book which is which...(that's why I still have spares http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif)

Also..they don't recommend it...but all of the bearings can be re-used if taken out properly.
I did not remove the steering race/bearing. Swingarm/dogbone bearings were about $75 tops. You don't necessarily need the kowatools...but they sure make life easier.

I paid $400 for my frame and subframe.

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/bike0603.jpg

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/1030369_IMG.jpg

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/1030379_IMG.jpg

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/img_03880.jpg

Here is the some of my 97 SRAD

http://www.r-brad.com/bikepics/97srad/97sradframe5.jpg
http://www.r-brad.com/bikepics/97srad/97sradframe6.jpg
http://www.r-brad.com/bikepics/97srad/97sradframe7.jpg
http://www.r-brad.com/bikepics/97srad/97srad1001.jpg

myblue/whitegixxer1 said:


2Fasst said:

Baldy, myblue/whitegixxer1,

Were you guys able to re-use your bearings (steering, swingarm, dog bones, etc) ? I found out they cost about $260!!! wow!

$260, plus $150 in special tools are making this project less....affordable. http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif





I reused all the bearings, the shop I had do it does a lot of bikes and knew to tape all threaded holes and tape off the headset races reall good. I left my swing arm bearings in and my shock lincake bearings in, he taped them off but e still got ome sand in them, so I had some cleaning to do, I used a toothbrash , dish soap, and engine degreaser it got them very clean and have not had any problems whith any bearings. Just make damn good and sure you clean everything out real good, Also I put my frame in the bath tub and hosed it out real good and got all the sand out from the inside of the frame, that took a little bit but it's all good now. I only paid 150 for my frame, swingarm, rearsets, fairing bracket, subframe and exhause hanger. My wheels were 75$ for both about a year ago.



Do our bikes have any plastic part in the bearings or housing? If so, we need to remove those right?

So to recap, (you experts please help out)

I only need to remove the actual bearings, clean the grease out of the races. I can leave the races in place so long as they shop will tape up the holes right? Afterwards, clean real good and repack bearings. NO NEW BEARINGS NEEDED?

bro-man, i love your bike! Really sweet color scheme and front upper!

Baldy, is there any other place that sell those tools other than Komoto? I've emailed them and called the but they haven't returned my calls/emails. I wanted to know if the tool kit will fit my 600 as the website stated that the swingarm tool is for 750 and 1000s.

Geez, I also worry that if they don't return my calls/emails when I make inquiries about their products, what if the don't ship the products after I PayPaled them? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

heres mine..........

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/black_bus3.jpg




http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/1k6.jpg

Heres mine, NOT POWDER COATED, Painted. I am re doing it with Eastwood chassis coat paint, very durable shit and looks like a semigloss podercoat.
http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/DSCF00100.JPG

2Fasst said:

So to recap, (you experts please help out)

I only need to remove the actual bearings, clean the grease out of the races. I can leave the races in place so long as they shop will tape up the holes right? Afterwards, clean real good and repack bearings. NO NEW BEARINGS NEEDED?





This is exactly what I did. I didn't touch any of the races...(I didn't even clean the grease out)
The powdercoater should know...to put the little foam cone things in any threaded holes...but make sure.

2Fasst said:

bro-man, i love your bike! Really sweet color scheme and front upper!

Baldy, is there any other place that sell those tools other than Komoto? I've emailed them and called the but they haven't returned my calls/emails. I wanted to know if the tool kit will fit my 600 as the website stated that the swingarm tool is for 750 and 1000s.

Geez, I also worry that if they don't return my calls/emails when I make inquiries about their products, what if the don't ship the products after I PayPaled them? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif



Thanks for the compliments..
Try kowa tools..
I ordered komoto..and received them with no problem. I think they are legit.
You will see when you get them ...that they are just craftsman sockets that have been modified. They are probably making a killing.

motojoe_23 said:

Heres mine, NOT POWDER COATED, Painted. I am re doing it with Eastwood chassis coat paint, very durable shit and looks like a semigloss podercoat.
http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/DSCF00100.JPG



Motoje_23, double thanks for the pics!!! I'm not sure if I find myselft looking at your bike or your lady more? http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/bounce.gif

Back to the bike, how come you chose to paint rather than powdercoat? Did you have to disassemble your bike to paint it? I guess in other words, did you chose to paint to save labor?

ive heard its better to paint then powdercoat. anybody got some opinions on this????

bro-man said:


2Fasst said:

So to recap, (you experts please help out)

I only need to remove the actual bearings, clean the grease out of the races. I can leave the races in place so long as they shop will tape up the holes right? Afterwards, clean real good and repack bearings. NO NEW BEARINGS NEEDED?





This is exactly what I did. I didn't touch any of the races...(I didn't even clean the grease out)
The powdercoater should know...to put the little foam cone things in any threaded holes...but make sure.





The problem was not getting the powdercoating in the bearings its the sand from the sandblasting, If you leave the bearings in like I did (even my wheels), you are going to have to clean them and make damn sure there is no sand in them, not hard but tedious.

If you want to leave your bearings in, you can do it, but if you have easy acces to the tools to remobe them, do it, but I did'nt and have had my bike back together for a year now, with no bearing problems.

bro-man said:


2Fasst said:

So to recap, (you experts please help out)

I only need to remove the actual bearings, clean the grease out of the races. I can leave the races in place so long as they shop will tape up the holes right? Afterwards, clean real good and repack bearings. NO NEW BEARINGS NEEDED?





This is exactly what I did. I didn't touch any of the races...(I didn't even clean the grease out)
The powdercoater should know...to put the little foam cone things in any threaded holes...but make sure.





The problem was not getting the powdercoating in the bearings its the sand from the sandblasting, If you leave the bearings in like I did (even my wheels), you are going to have to clean them and make damn sure there is no sand in them, not hard but tedious.

If you want to leave your bearings in, you can do it, but if you have easy acces to the tools to remobe them, do it, but I did'nt and have had my bike back together for a year now, with no bearing problems.

bro-man said:

I ordered komoto..and received them with no problem. I think they are legit.
You will see when you get them ...that they are just craftsman sockets that have been modified. They are probably making a killing.



Bro-man, will the komoto tool set fit the GSXR 600s as well? I noticed that their website to listed application for the 750 and 1000 but nothing for the 600. Thanks.

No way! Powder is much more durable that paint, the only reason to paint would be to not have to pull the engine, you could just tape, but there is no comparison to the durability of powder. To me it's the only way to go, I am getting ready to do my zx-9r that is currently polished, because I like how my gixxer turned out.

No way! Powder is much more durable that paint, the only reason to paint would be to not have to pull the engine, you could just tape, but there is no comparison to the durability of powder. To me it's the only way to go, I am getting ready to do my zx-9r that is currently polished, because I like how my gixxer turned out.

That double double posting is getting on my nerves!

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/gsxr100011.jpg
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TransAmGT said:
That double double posting is getting on my nerves!



ease up dog, the guy has posted tonnes of helpful info here!

I just did a search and these two guys answered all my questions in one post! Thanks!

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/2THUMBSUP21.gifhttp://www.gixxer.com/uploads/2THUMBSUP21.gif

http://www.gixxer.com/uploads/01_GSXR750_RIGHT_ANGLE0.JPG

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif http://www.gixxer.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

hot rims!!! what do you have covering your lights?

I was thinking about getting my frame coated black. After seeing these bikes, I'm convinced to follow through now.

Do anyone still have the pic of the 01 black 1k with the black powder coated frame? please help i need the pic.

Thanks in advance!

nobody?