I want honest opinions on leaving the saddlebag guards chrome instead of painting them black.
I think they look great as is and I don't like chrome. I come to that opinion because 1. They were new in the box at a used price so they are spotless. 2. The bike has enough shiny to support the chrome the toe rests are chrome as is the passenger floorboard mounts. 3. I just like the look.
This is just a mock up nothing is bolted in place.
Please be honest (no not a dick :laugh) and let me know what you think.
+1 on what Travis P said. I lean more towards blackening the guards because of your bikes matte grey paint. The chrome isn't a terrible look, but, to me, black would look better.
I think black would look better, given the color scheme of the rest of the bike and the black exhaust ... but especially because I think the saddlebag guards should match the front crashbars. That's the OCD in me talking, but, hey, it's your bike, and anyway I can't see it from my house.
I think black would look better, given the color scheme of the rest of the bike and the black exhaust ... but especially because I think the saddlebag guards should match the front crashbars.
It is a tough probably should just leave them on for a couple weeks and see if it grows on me or repulses me. @Jammingontwowheels can you post up some of yours in black? He has the same bike as mine.
My biggest worry is if I paint they need to be scuffed up and as good as plasti dip is it still chips especially on smooth chrome and paint upkeep isn't something I want especially since they were new in the box.
Passenger pegs
Engine cooling fins
toe rests
brake and clutch levers
luggage rack bolts
dip stick
cam and clutch cover
Just putting out some perspective.
I appreciate the honesty from all of you. I didn't like it at all at first but with repeated looks it's starting to grow on me. When the temps drop I can do like suggested and plasti dip them and see.
While I really like chrome when properly done I have to say that in your photo the chrome stands out too much. It's brightness and high contrast compared to the rest of the bike is drawing attention away from more important parts. It just doesn't blend in. Even when looking at other parts it pulls your eyes back to what is really not one of the important aspects of the bike. The other shiny bits are just to small to provide any balance.
I'd vote for flat black or powder coated the same colour as the bags.
IMHO shiny black; not satin black would be the best look for these on your bike Vin. Not too shiny like a clear coat; shiny like with how powder coating looks.
Yeah, the chrome doesn't look bad at all, and personal preference is the ultimate winner here but I like stainless look idea too. Nice thing about that is if you decide you would rather P/C it black later on; no big deal. The bad thing is you can't go back to chrome without spending more than would be reasonable.
It's all about you Vin and what you like. You can run them just as they are for, well, indefinitely then if you decide later on you would rather them be different; go for it.
How long do you plan on keeping the bike. I ask this because if it's just 2 or 3 more years then it doesn't really matter but if you plan on hanging on to it indefinitely like I do then you don't have to be in a rush to do anything. Let it talk to you. I know that sounds strange but you are the one who will park it in all kinds of different locations under different lights and scenery. Over time I find the bike kinda tells me what would look right to my eye. I can't just look at it parked in or just outside the garage and get a good idea or decide what would be the right thing to make it look like I want. It's kind of a rolling art piece that changes as time goes on. I'm not trying to impress anyone. Just want it to be and look the way I want it too. What works and looks right to me may not for my buddy or whomever.
All our bikes are like that. Even a stock one right off the showroom floor. It's just at the beginning stages of transformation at that point is all.
I had a 2010 CC in dark cherry. Chrome accents looked very good on it, I had the bag guards, chrome gas cap, front fender rail, chrome exhaust - it all boils down to personal preference.....
I know this is my next 100,000 mile bike I'm pretty much 1/4 of the way there in a year. I like to put down a lot of miles and really the thought of maintaining painted chrome isn't something I want to do. I do have a quote in process for powder coating as a possible option. Weird thing is the chrome is growing on me and I can't stand chrome. The satin/brushed from scotch brite has me thinking though but again after I do it there's no going back.
I would say no to chrome. Black would have been my first response but then someone said to paint them the color of the bike. That reminded me of a post I saw a while back for a DYI for your color.
It may not be worth all the work and cost for the DYI, especially considering the quote you got to power coat the rails, but they certainly would be unique if you did.
Ok, I'm late to the party. I used rattle can bed liner and it's really holding up well. I did scuff the chrome up really well in stages, first a rust removal wheel, wiped them off and finished with a flap wheel.
Mine were used and in OK shape but I wanted them invisible. I like Vin's idea of the plasti-dip...won't that just peel off if you want to go back to chrome? Anyway here's mine, same paint as Vin's;
I really just wanted to protect my 1000$ bags in the event of a drop. 200 bucks on a set of used protectors and 20 bucks in bedliner is just cheap insurance.
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