Has anyone tried this stuff before? I have an older post about using 303 protectant to keep certain black plastics looking nice, but found that it required frequent applications and seems to be less and less effective. I have heard about Plasti-dip and did some research. It is essentially a rubber based paint and is used for all kinds of things because it usually isn't permanent. If you put 4-5 layers on it will peel off without bonding to the lower surface. The black version has a matte finish that looks perfect for the cubby hole lids and the other plastics that tend to fade on our beloved NTs. I have already ordered a couple of cans and will try it out soon.
Anyone else try it on their NT plastic pieces, or have experience with it?
9/20/2013 - Update! I finally found time to try this tonight. I started my first test on the fairing pocket covers. Not only were these the worst faded pieces on my bike, but they were the easiest to take off and cheapest to replace if it didn't go well. Well worry not, Everything went very well. The Pocket covers are drying over night now, but already look like brand new pieces. Plasti-dip is very easy to work with and the black is a nice matte finish that seems to be perfect fo the pocket covers.
How I did it.
1) Cleaning: I made sure the pocket covers were clean by washing them with dawn dish soap in the sink. I let them dry in my kitchen then used isopropyl alcohol lightly to make sure there was no oil or residue left.
2) Prep Painting area: After the alcohol evaporated and I went over them with a microfiber towl, I placed the pieces on little boxes. This is important. Plastidip is a rubber based "paint". So if the part is sitting on a surface and the paint connect the part and the surface it is sitting on it you risk an early peel the first time you move the part. the little boxes ensure there is a gap so the paint goes on the part but the edges of the part your painting don't touch anything.
3) Apply coats: Just like any spray can. I did the first layer pretty thin and waited 15 min. When it first goes on it looks a little lumpy and shiny. After 15 min it looked very good, but I could still see a faint whitish area that was faded more than the rest of the pocket cover. The second coat was a little thicker with more overlaps between strokes. The second thicker coat looked "wet" for about 20 min. When I checked it at 30 min it looked GREAT!. I applied another light coat and it is drying now. I plan on letting it dry overnight and check it in the morning. I think 3 coats will be enough since it is covering a black part. The best part is that it is still thin enough to keep the stock texture of the pocket covers. They really looked like brand new parts before I applied the 3rd light coat. I think this is the solution I have been waiting for.
before painting:
First coat (still wet):
I will get photos on the bike tomorrow.
9/30/2013 - UPDATE:
Here are a couple of photos of the pocket covers on the bike in full sun. It really matches the dash and wind deflector plastics well. The photos uploaded are low res, but the original texture is still there and looks great. I don't have before photos of the pockets, but I know we have members in hotter sunnier places that probably have faded plastics as well.
I left these alone for awhile to make sure I liked it. Well I loved it and decided to take care of the other black faded bits. I updated my album with comments in the photos, but here is some before and after shots.
I was able to put them all back on the bike, since it dries so fast. I probably should have waited until morning though. I plan on riding it to work tomorrow and taking some "after" photos with all the parts back on.
10/1/2013: Daylight photos.
Here are some more before and after:
So far I am overall very happy with how they all turned out. However, I have had one problem. On the left side, where my knee touches the vent piece it has started to peel. The right side has not peeled yet. I did put thicker coats on the right side. Since the left side looked very good before I put lighter coats on it just to make it match. I think the lighter layers didn't grip as well around the edges and that is why it peeled. My plan now is to peel the rest of it off the left side vent, but keep riding it with the rest of them plastidipped. So far only the left vent is peeling. I think I just need to redo the one part. The rest of them still look great.
Update 10/9/2013:
I peeled off the plastidip from the left vent side the day after I noticed it starting to peel. It mostly came off very easy and as advertised. So it certainly proved to me that this is a good solution that is not permanent if you are worried about ruining a part with a bad paint job.
Most importantly though, I am happy to report that none of the other parts have developed any problem and continue to look great. I have been riding the NT exclusively since I plastidiped the parts. It has also been cooler so I have been knee hugging the tank in early mornings. There has been plenty of contact with my knee and the right vent piece. So I just didn't get enough coverage around the edge of the one that peeled or I put it on too soon. In hindsight I will let all plastidip parts dry overnight. For this project I put them on after the final coat dried an hour.
I can hardly tell the difference between the new looking left vent w/out plastidip and the weathered right plastidipped one. I may just leave the left vent alone until it needs it.
Update 12/3/2013:
Still looking great all the pieces look the same and the plastidip appears to be sun resistant and not fading. Bike just looks so much better with black plastics rather than grey. I am very happy with the results and the one piece that I had to peel it off was just sprayed too thin. All the others look great. Since I have put it on I have ridden at least 4 or 5 days where i got caught in rain and temperature variations from 90s to 20's (Fahrenheit). I am sold on this stuff.
Update 7/22/2014:
Well, when I first put the plastidip on, I was thrilled with the results and the bike looked so much better I couldn't help but be happy. I hadn't had much of a chance to do more than commute n the NT so far this year. Last weekend I decided that at least a day trip was in order. I rode about 400 miles around Kansas and Kansas City, MO. I used my right fairing pocket more than normal and ended up "denting" the plastidip where the pocket hits the handlebars. This has just started to peel. So when they are not quilty of false advertising when they talk about plastidips impermenance. Where the plastidip has not met with any abrasion it still looks great. However, after several rainy days, 2 washings and about 1,000 miles.....I have to conclude that for my wants it is too impermenant. The strange thing is that the very front black piece looks great. It has survived grasshopper strikes at speed and still looks better than before the treatment. I expected it to take more abuse than the other pieces so I put it on thicker. It is possible that I just need to try the two pieces that are not holdiing up a second time with thicker coats. I may give it one more shot since it looks so good on most pieces. It is easy to apply and I can always undo it if it fails to do what I want it to do. I am trying to save permenant paint as the last resort.
Anyone else try it on their NT plastic pieces, or have experience with it?
9/20/2013 - Update! I finally found time to try this tonight. I started my first test on the fairing pocket covers. Not only were these the worst faded pieces on my bike, but they were the easiest to take off and cheapest to replace if it didn't go well. Well worry not, Everything went very well. The Pocket covers are drying over night now, but already look like brand new pieces. Plasti-dip is very easy to work with and the black is a nice matte finish that seems to be perfect fo the pocket covers.
How I did it.
1) Cleaning: I made sure the pocket covers were clean by washing them with dawn dish soap in the sink. I let them dry in my kitchen then used isopropyl alcohol lightly to make sure there was no oil or residue left.
2) Prep Painting area: After the alcohol evaporated and I went over them with a microfiber towl, I placed the pieces on little boxes. This is important. Plastidip is a rubber based "paint". So if the part is sitting on a surface and the paint connect the part and the surface it is sitting on it you risk an early peel the first time you move the part. the little boxes ensure there is a gap so the paint goes on the part but the edges of the part your painting don't touch anything.
3) Apply coats: Just like any spray can. I did the first layer pretty thin and waited 15 min. When it first goes on it looks a little lumpy and shiny. After 15 min it looked very good, but I could still see a faint whitish area that was faded more than the rest of the pocket cover. The second coat was a little thicker with more overlaps between strokes. The second thicker coat looked "wet" for about 20 min. When I checked it at 30 min it looked GREAT!. I applied another light coat and it is drying now. I plan on letting it dry overnight and check it in the morning. I think 3 coats will be enough since it is covering a black part. The best part is that it is still thin enough to keep the stock texture of the pocket covers. They really looked like brand new parts before I applied the 3rd light coat. I think this is the solution I have been waiting for.
before painting:
First coat (still wet):
I will get photos on the bike tomorrow.
9/30/2013 - UPDATE:
Here are a couple of photos of the pocket covers on the bike in full sun. It really matches the dash and wind deflector plastics well. The photos uploaded are low res, but the original texture is still there and looks great. I don't have before photos of the pockets, but I know we have members in hotter sunnier places that probably have faded plastics as well.
I left these alone for awhile to make sure I liked it. Well I loved it and decided to take care of the other black faded bits. I updated my album with comments in the photos, but here is some before and after shots.
I was able to put them all back on the bike, since it dries so fast. I probably should have waited until morning though. I plan on riding it to work tomorrow and taking some "after" photos with all the parts back on.
10/1/2013: Daylight photos.
Here are some more before and after:
So far I am overall very happy with how they all turned out. However, I have had one problem. On the left side, where my knee touches the vent piece it has started to peel. The right side has not peeled yet. I did put thicker coats on the right side. Since the left side looked very good before I put lighter coats on it just to make it match. I think the lighter layers didn't grip as well around the edges and that is why it peeled. My plan now is to peel the rest of it off the left side vent, but keep riding it with the rest of them plastidipped. So far only the left vent is peeling. I think I just need to redo the one part. The rest of them still look great.
Update 10/9/2013:
I peeled off the plastidip from the left vent side the day after I noticed it starting to peel. It mostly came off very easy and as advertised. So it certainly proved to me that this is a good solution that is not permanent if you are worried about ruining a part with a bad paint job.
Most importantly though, I am happy to report that none of the other parts have developed any problem and continue to look great. I have been riding the NT exclusively since I plastidiped the parts. It has also been cooler so I have been knee hugging the tank in early mornings. There has been plenty of contact with my knee and the right vent piece. So I just didn't get enough coverage around the edge of the one that peeled or I put it on too soon. In hindsight I will let all plastidip parts dry overnight. For this project I put them on after the final coat dried an hour.
I can hardly tell the difference between the new looking left vent w/out plastidip and the weathered right plastidipped one. I may just leave the left vent alone until it needs it.
Update 12/3/2013:
Still looking great all the pieces look the same and the plastidip appears to be sun resistant and not fading. Bike just looks so much better with black plastics rather than grey. I am very happy with the results and the one piece that I had to peel it off was just sprayed too thin. All the others look great. Since I have put it on I have ridden at least 4 or 5 days where i got caught in rain and temperature variations from 90s to 20's (Fahrenheit). I am sold on this stuff.
Update 7/22/2014:
Well, when I first put the plastidip on, I was thrilled with the results and the bike looked so much better I couldn't help but be happy. I hadn't had much of a chance to do more than commute n the NT so far this year. Last weekend I decided that at least a day trip was in order. I rode about 400 miles around Kansas and Kansas City, MO. I used my right fairing pocket more than normal and ended up "denting" the plastidip where the pocket hits the handlebars. This has just started to peel. So when they are not quilty of false advertising when they talk about plastidips impermenance. Where the plastidip has not met with any abrasion it still looks great. However, after several rainy days, 2 washings and about 1,000 miles.....I have to conclude that for my wants it is too impermenant. The strange thing is that the very front black piece looks great. It has survived grasshopper strikes at speed and still looks better than before the treatment. I expected it to take more abuse than the other pieces so I put it on thicker. It is possible that I just need to try the two pieces that are not holdiing up a second time with thicker coats. I may give it one more shot since it looks so good on most pieces. It is easy to apply and I can always undo it if it fails to do what I want it to do. I am trying to save permenant paint as the last resort.
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