Pin Stripes

[joe3407nomad]

Was thinking about getting some pin stripes on my Nomad, its all black, maybe accent to the tank, bags and fenders, my question is are they painted on or do I go to the auto parts store and buy the kind you apply. What $ amt. for simple pin stripes should I pay? Any advice!
Thanks

[Top Cat]

You can have them painted on by an artist or you can buy them at an auto parts store.
I have done both and let me say the ones from an auto parts store are wayyyy less money
It all depends on how fancy you want to get.

[radco]

Like TC said the ones from the Auto Parts store are way cheaper! Look pretty good..and you can do it yourself,If you make a mistake you peal them off and are only minus a few $$$ .. The best ones are painted on but should be clear coated as well. Adding more $$$. My fairing was painted this year and the pin strips were the stick on type..Look pretty good :)..

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Which national chain parts store have the best selection of of stick on stripes. Should they be clear coated also once they are properly placed?

[radco]

I would assume any auto part store would have good stripes.. 3 M brand seem to be the best on holding IMO..BUT I havent used alot of striping..As for adding clear coat that would make it real solid but you do not have to add it..If it peals you just re apply, you can buy striping 10/20 ft or longer..I would also check online.When I repaint the from fender Ill clear coat the pin stripes.... BUT I also will be cheating,,Ill have the painter apply the striping :)

FYI if you want a factory match that will be a tad harder to find,My fairing striping is off alittle,,but as things get reoainted I will be adding new oin striping so in my case a exact match isnt needed

[cactusjack]

If I were wanting to buy pin striping tape, I'd go to an auto body supply shop. National auto parts chains won't have a large selection and may not sell quality tape.

[sas]

"....The best ones are painted on but should be clear coated as well..."

Most hand rendered pinstriping is done on top of the clearcoat. Visit a motorcycle rally and you'll find pinstripers set up stripe bikes right there on the spot. Most of the stripers work in a tent in an open air venue and the fumes and overspray from clear coating are frowned on by many of the Vendor Coordinators because of complaints by other stripers and many of the rally participants. Unhappy folks at a rally isn't good for business.

A plus when you have the hand rendered pinstriping done over the factory clear coat is the fact that the striping can be removed at a later date. Why remove it at all? Someone who purchases your bike may not like the color combination or the design and style and may want it removed and have it done over to their taste. Most pinstripers use an enamel based oil paint and it requires several days to cure. A good striper will tell you not to wax over the paint for at least two weeks. A caustic substance such as an oven cleaner can be used, with caution and experience, to remove the enamel without hurting the factory clear coat. If the pinstriper uses a synthetic paint like House of Kolor (HOK), well that's another story all together if you want to remove the striping.

If you have some airbrushed murals done, you may want to consider clear coating those, but the general rule for painted stripes is to lay the paint down on top of the factory clear coat. I've laid a few lines over the years...and have removed several, also.

[Jared]

Look around for local guys who stripe. I found a guy here who does great work and offered to pinstripe my tank, fenders and bags for $150.

[madcow]

you can buy the pre shaped factory pinstripe from kawasaki, easy to line up and apply

[deadant]

I'm pretty sure Wal-mart even carries the 3-m pinstripe in some basic colors. If you know of a decent body man they can do some simple stripes on a car in a matter of minutes. When I was watching my buddy do my wife's car, he would basically pull the stripe down the whole side of the car, with it being attached only at the front. Then when he had it in the right location in the back he just tapped the strip with his finger. The rest of the stripe just laid against the car without sticking so it could be adjusted if needed. When he got it to where he wanted it he lightly ran his finger on the stripe to stick it on. You just have to be careful not to rub it to hard or it can stretch.