Author Topic: Burns363R 2015 MX bike, need opinions. (Read 3126 times)

Burns363R · « **on:** February 06, 2015, 07:35:07 AM »

Need some help guys. Im still torn about what to do here. Im about to take some parts to powder and im un-decided on my Rath Nerf Bars. Whether to polish them up, or powder coat them black.

Below is a picture of the bike last year, and it will look mostly the same except for a chrome exhaust. I have been leaning towards black nerfs.

Im also considering doing the PRM grab bar in black as well.

The current chrome parts are the front bumper, upper A-arms, axle, pipe. Sub frame, and i will be polishing my aluminum air box.

So to much chrome/polish could be a bad thing. This is a race bike, but it I also like it to look good. The raw aluminum didnt ever jive with me will.

Thoughts?

dem3500 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:23:13 AM »

I'd pc them but I PC everything lol. Easiest thing would be to PC them bit there going to get banged up and the raw aluminum will show up quite a bit in contrast to the black. Hardest would be to polish them banged up spots will not be as noticeable bit you will have to keep up with polishing it a hand full of times throughout the season.
If it were my bike I'd of them
If I was you then I'd leave them the way they are. No polishing to keep up with and no battle scars to shoe through with the black pc

JesseA420 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:34:33 AM »

i would powder them to match the frame or maybe just black. ask them to lay it on a bit thicker it may help with chipping. also if the chips get too bad after the season u could just repowder them, powdering something like that is pretty cheap.

dem3500 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:48:44 AM »

Powder applied correctly should not chip.

JesseA420 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2015, 08:52:32 AM »

by chips i meant "battlescars", i didnt mean actual chip or powder flake off due to improper application

dem3500 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:00:30 AM »

Ahhh ha OK now were on the same page!

rablack21 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:02:25 AM »

I personally think they would look awesome polished up. However, It might me harder to hide battlescars when they are polished. It would be easier to hide them with it powdercoated black. Black would blend in well for sure. However, the powdercoat will definitely start coming off every time the bars are hit. Some of the guys I race with do powdercoat their though and have had decent luck with them lasting, assuming they haven't been rubbing too much. lol.

Pumashine · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:07:32 AM »

You are right, those aluminum nerfs are ugly. I did mine up to match my frame and it just seemed to have too much of that color. I then went with black. Now the bike looks 100% better.

Tbone07 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:13:09 AM »

I race in the mud more often than not so the raw aluminum for me is just so easy to clean up.

I had a bunch of parts pc'd black awhile back and it was an absolute nightmare to keep clean. You miss one little spot and it looks like crap. I ended up have to take a rag soaked in WD40 and wipe them down after every ride.

Michael88R · « **Reply #9 on:** February 06, 2015, 09:59:33 AM »

The older I get, the less I want to polish. Black! U will win more races practicing and working out than wasting time polishing.

etccb · « **Reply #10 on:** February 06, 2015, 10:12:58 AM »

I would like to see someone in this situation try to polish and clear anodize. I have seen it done on sprint - midget type dirt track car tie rods etc and it looks, holds up and cleans up good. I don't know how it will work out and hold up on nerfs as far as what will it look like after 10 races but someone that wants a polish look needs to give it a go. You might be very surprised.

You may also stay bare but improve the finish without going all the way to a high maintenance polish.

oldschoolr · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2015, 10:22:53 AM »

Ive run polished nerfs for years and have thought about doing a clear coat on them but they take so much abuse. Once the clear starts to chip I think it would look worse. If you polish them you can just go over them from time to time by hand and hide most of the scratches. Black powder would look like hell after a couple races.