Custom paint suggestions

[cdnielson]

Okay all,

I have a friend who is taking an airbrush painting 3 day workshop this week. He's already a pro painter for standard stuff -- but he's branching into airbrushing (realistic flames, skulls, cools stuff like that and whatnot).

He has offered to paint my bike free of charge when he's done as a practice. I figure, worse case scenario, he mucks it up bad and then paints it black again. Best case, he increases the value and cool factor of my bike. And I'll likely have him go matte black instead of shiney...which will make the bike semi one-of-a-kind for a Vulcan 900 at the very least.

So...

Suggestions?

Her'es what I'm thinking. Go matte black for the whole bike, then add ghost flames and skulls various shades of blue. But I'm open to thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks all.

[CycleDude]

That sounds cool. I like the realistic flames myself.

[Deeppurple52]

Custom paint may increase the "cool" factor but it will make the resale value plummet.

[cdnielson]

^ Can you give evidence of that? I would think I could easilly sell it for the same as I would without custom paint. The problem is that custom paint is expensive but won't actually increase the value of the bike.

Worst case, as I said, I can always have him paint the think back to black again.

[fretbuzz]

It sounds like you'be got a great idea already. I did see a bike painted in grayscale with flames and skulls at the ROT Rally and it was incredible.

[ellalenell]

If he needs more practice, I could be convinced to be a guinee pig. I've been called worse.

[furious70]

+1 on signing me up for practice

I love the ghost flame look, I want to do that to my Meanie (looks awesome on the Candy Spark Gold).

Resale.....beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you do some very tasteful and subtle ghosting my opinion is you may get a bit more for the paint if you were to sell. I personally would never buy a bike that had a bunch of skulls or bright paint work on it unless I could get it cheap enough to repaint it, but that might be someone else's cup of tea. If you don't plan on selling the bike, paint it the way you want it.

[seadood228]

I could see how an outragous paint job would hurt resale, but I think you'd be okay with a flame or the like.

[cdnielson]

That's what I think. If you went crazy, sure. But something not too out there but just really cool would be fine for resale I think.

[ratfink]

dude, its your bike so do what you will to it to make it your own....the flat black is awesome..mine is flat black also and i will put von dutch style stripes on mine...the hell with resale...do you have a bike only to worry about the next dude that will buy it...heck no...make it your own dude and you will be amazed how many people walk past the stock bikes to look at yours....

[fastball]

Ghost flames in gray smoke shades. I saw this once on a black bike and it was *****in. Oops. Can I say *****in? Guess not...