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Gas Tank Vinyl Wrap

Eldritch

is insensitive
Joined
Aug 13, 2004
Location
Nifelheim
Moto(s)
Honda 919: Apocalypse Edition
Name
Asmodeus
Hey Guys,

So I decided to try something new in dressing up my old girl, I filled a couple of nasty dents in the left tank flare on my 919, and am going to try my hands at putting a wrap on the tank. I have some 3M 1080 on the way, but I am curious if anyone who has experience with this stuff thinks the patched surface will cause an adhesion problem?

I figure since the patch is on the corner, it should be fine to stretch over, even if it doesn't' stick well, since the stock paint is still on the flats both above and below the line.

Thoughts? Words of advice for a first time wrapper? I love that there are no straight lines at all on a 919, but I feel like that is going to make wrapping it a headache.
 
I assume you patched the tank with Bondo or similar?

You really shouldn't have any problems assuming you prepped the surface before applying the Bondo. The vinyl can be pretty sticky, so if the bondo doesn't have a good purchase on the metal, it may peel away when you eventually remove the wrap.

Other than that I'd recommend doing a quick spray over the bondo so that the surface is smoother. Bondo is somewhat spongey and tends to absorb the first layer or two of primer, so I'd play it safe and put a few coats on before applying the vinyl - that way the vinyl peels easier in the long run.


As far as wrapping goes, wrapping bikes is a MASSIVE pain in the ass. It took me about 2-3 weeks of nightly trial/error practicing on parts before I started to get wraps that I was happy with. I ended up using about three times the material I thought I needed since there was so much trial&error when I first started.


There are a few key items that you should be aware of:

1. It isn't always possible to wrap every part with a single seamless sheet. It will take you some time to sort out what the best method of wrapping is, and where/how to hide the seams so they aren't as visible.

2. Vinyl is designed to stretch (obviously), but usually stretching the vinyl past 20-30% of it's original size will begin to affect the finish and color of the vinyl. For example, I had originally selected a satin red color for certain parts of my bike, but as I applied them, I found that the vinyl had an inconsistent finish, becoming glossy where the vinyl was stretched too far. I ended up being forced to use a carbon-fiber-weave vinyl instead as the weave pattern hid the changes in finish a bit better, and the thicker material had a higher tolerance for stretching.

3. Depending on the vinyl you use, the color of the surface it is applied to may impact the appearance of the result. Thinner vinyl (especially when stretched) will have some element of transparency. Be careful when ordering and make sure you use high quality wrap.

4. Every single imperfection will be amplified. Make sure you clean every part thoroughly, and create a clean environment to work in. Even a tiny hair off of your forearm will ruin the finish.

5. Tight corners are your worst enemy; they usually cause wrinkles and folds in the vinyl, and it takes a lot of patience to work those out. In many cases it's not possible to get them all out. If you are a perfectionist like me, they will irritate you to no end. Just do the best you can.

6. Heat is your best friend and worst enemy with vinyl. It's a tricky balance, but I recommend playing it safe and using the heat gun as sparingly as possible.

7. Once the vinyl has been applied, I recommend using a heat gun and going over each part to help seat the vinyl properly. A quick pass over each part, followed by a firm press with a soft rag will help the vinyl form a better bond with the bodywork, which will give it more durability. I also recommend going along the edges on the vinyl with a hot glue gun and creating a seal - the heat of the gule will help the vinyl get a stronger bond, and the added strength of the glue will help prevent it peeling later on.

8. Vinyl never truely "sets". Once you pull your bike out into the sun on a warm day, that vinyl is going to want to shrink and move again. Try to avoid parking your bike in direct sunlight on warm days. Also because of this, I recommend overlapping any seam by at least 1/2", especially where the material is stretched heavily. Otherwise the seams may start to pull apart.



Here's some pics of my work

The Tank wrapped. If you look closely, you can see a seam on the side of the tank, leading from the front edge of the tank grip, and following the curve down to the bottom of the tank. The white part is covered by another body panel, so I didn't bother wrapping it.
index.php




A closeup of the Vinyl Material on the tank.
index.php




The completed bike
index.php
 
I assume you patched the tank with Bondo or similar?

You really shouldn't have any problems assuming you prepped the surface before applying the Bondo. The vinyl can be pretty sticky, so if the bondo doesn't have a good purchase on the metal, it may peel away when you eventually remove the wrap.

Other than that I'd recommend doing a quick spray over the bondo so that the surface is smoother. Bondo is somewhat spongey and tends to absorb the first layer or two of primer, so I'd play it safe and put a few coats on before applying the vinyl - that way the vinyl peels easier in the long run.

I have a small project, have the 3M already. PM'd you if you're interested.
 
I assume you patched the tank with Bondo or similar?

The completed bike
index.php

Good info, nice work, thanks, your wrap looks great. If this first job doesn't look too terrible, I will post some pics.

The product should be here in a couple of days, but the weather is so damn good right now, this morning I started to think on the way to the office that I might wait a few months to wrap. It is sounding like I will be a few weekends getting this done, and I would hate to miss a month of prime riding weather for some cosmetic crap.

My initial idea when I ordered it was just like 1 weekend to take the parts off, clean, wrap, and reassemble. Sounds like it takes a lot more patience than that!
 
I assume you patched the tank with Bondo or similar?

You really shouldn't have any problems assuming you prepped the surface before applying the Bondo. The vinyl can be pretty sticky, so if the bondo doesn't have a good purchase on the metal, it may peel away when you eventually remove the wrap.

Other than that I'd recommend doing a quick spray over the bondo so that the surface is smoother. Bondo is somewhat spongey and tends to absorb the first layer or two of primer, so I'd play it safe and put a few coats on before applying the vinyl - that way the vinyl peels easier in the long run.


As far as wrapping goes, wrapping bikes is a MASSIVE pain in the ass. It took me about 2-3 weeks of nightly trial/error practicing on parts before I started to get wraps that I was happy with. I ended up using about three times the material I thought I needed since there was so much trial&error when I first started.


There are a few key items that you should be aware of:

1. It isn't always possible to wrap every part with a single seamless sheet. It will take you some time to sort out what the best method of wrapping is, and where/how to hide the seams so they aren't as visible.

2. Vinyl is designed to stretch (obviously), but usually stretching the vinyl past 20-30% of it's original size will begin to affect the finish and color of the vinyl. For example, I had originally selected a satin red color for certain parts of my bike, but as I applied them, I found that the vinyl had an inconsistent finish, becoming glossy where the vinyl was stretched too far. I ended up being forced to use a carbon-fiber-weave vinyl instead as the weave pattern hid the changes in finish a bit better, and the thicker material had a higher tolerance for stretching.

3. Depending on the vinyl you use, the color of the surface it is applied to may impact the appearance of the result. Thinner vinyl (especially when stretched) will have some element of transparency. Be careful when ordering and make sure you use high quality wrap.

4. Every single imperfection will be amplified. Make sure you clean every part thoroughly, and create a clean environment to work in. Even a tiny hair off of your forearm will ruin the finish.

5. Tight corners are your worst enemy; they usually cause wrinkles and folds in the vinyl, and it takes a lot of patience to work those out. In many cases it's not possible to get them all out. If you are a perfectionist like me, they will irritate you to no end. Just do the best you can.

6. Heat is your best friend and worst enemy with vinyl. It's a tricky balance, but I recommend playing it safe and using the heat gun as sparingly as possible.

7. Once the vinyl has been applied, I recommend using a heat gun and going over each part to help seat the vinyl properly. A quick pass over each part, followed by a firm press with a soft rag will help the vinyl form a better bond with the bodywork, which will give it more durability. I also recommend going along the edges on the vinyl with a hot glue gun and creating a seal - the heat of the gule will help the vinyl get a stronger bond, and the added strength of the glue will help prevent it peeling later on.

8. Vinyl never truely "sets". Once you pull your bike out into the sun on a warm day, that vinyl is going to want to shrink and move again. Try to avoid parking your bike in direct sunlight on warm days. Also because of this, I recommend overlapping any seam by at least 1/2", especially where the material is stretched heavily. Otherwise the seams may start to pull apart.



Here's some pics of my work

The Tank wrapped. If you look closely, you can see a seam on the side of the tank, leading from the front edge of the tank grip, and following the curve down to the bottom of the tank. The white part is covered by another body panel, so I didn't bother wrapping it.
index.php




A closeup of the Vinyl Material on the tank.
index.php




The completed bike
index.php

That's a DAMN good job. :thumbup
 
If you have bondo on the tank you will need to at least put a bit of primer and paint over it to seal the Bondo from exposure. Bondo will absorb moisture. If that happens, welcome the rustfest.

Scotty
 
If you have bondo on the tank you will need to at least put a bit of primer and paint over it to seal the Bondo from exposure. Bondo will absorb moisture. If that happens, welcome the rustfest.

Scotty

Oh yeah, I put the first layer of paint on the Bondo like 15 minutes after it dried to seal the exposed metal around the edges. Put on a couple more layers after a couple hours to make sure coverage was good. I have done plenty of bondo and rattle can jobs in my day, it is the vinyl thing that is all new to me.
 
I have a small project, have the 3M already. PM'd you if you're interested.

Responded to ya.

Good info, nice work, thanks, your wrap looks great.

Cheers, thanks!



The product should be here in a couple of days, but the weather is so damn good right now, this morning I started to think on the way to the office that I might wait a few months to wrap. It is sounding like I will be a few weekends getting this done, and I would hate to miss a month of prime riding weather for some cosmetic crap.

The amount of time it takes will depend greatly on your skill and standards. In my case, I had a complete set of aftermarket fairings and tank, so I was able to do the work without downtime for my bike. (funny enough my spare tank was dented, so I spent time repairing it before wrapping it just like you).


My initial idea when I ordered it was just like 1 weekend to take the parts off, clean, wrap, and reassemble. Sounds like it takes a lot more patience than that!

You could probably do it in a single weekend, mine was just a couple hours each night.

That said, it's not something you want to rush. Patience is key to getting a nice clean look.





That's a DAMN good job. :thumbup

It looks amazing when you're 10' away from the bike, but up close you start to see the imperfections. Now that it's been a few months, there are a few spots that are starting to degrade and will need a re-wrap by the end of summer.
 
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