Time has come to get my Bike tarted up and looking Sexy again
I thought it may be nice to keep a diary of the stages if anyone is interested, but mainly so I have somewhere to store the progress and can look at it in future
Bike.
2004 (K4) Lamborghini Pearl Orange Suzuki GSXR 750
Current Modifications.
Full Yoshimura Stubby Exhaust System (Not shown on this picture as it’s an Old Picture)
K & N Air Filter
Power Commander 3 (with Generic, but Modifications specific Map)
Professional Suspension Set Up
1/5th Turn throttle Mod
HID Lights
Powerbronze Undertray
Powerbronze Rear Hugger
Background Story.
A few months ago I had a little spill on the Bike going round a roundabout thinking I was Valentino Rossi and hit a little Diesel (I think, could’ve just opened the throttle too much whilst banked over) and the bike went from under me and went spinning off up the road and caught a kerb smashing the rear seat unit and scratching the right hand side fairings up, It turns out the spill also buckled my Front Wheel and 1 of the Discs.
I got the Wheel and Discs straightened and also got a new seat unit off ebay (although it was Dark Pearl Blue rather than Orange) but have never got round to repainting the bike as it wasn’t too badly scratched up and the seat unit didn’t look too terrible (Although Alba has since told me it looks like I’ve dropped it and bought the first seat unit I could find )
Well… I have finally booked her in for a Repaint but have decided against getting it put back to all Orange and i’m going for a bit of a (Semi) Race Rep as I have always loved Lairy Race Rep/Non Original looking Bikes, I know it’s not to everyones Taste, and some see it as a sure sign of Accident Damage but I like it so don’t Care!!!
I have be scouring the Internet and have found the design i’m Going for. This Bike has been obviously done in White and Black, but mine will remain with Orange as the Main Colour so that I do not have to go through the Rigmaroll of changing the Log Book and also my Insurance.
I will copy every last detail apart from the Monster Decals as not 100% sure on those yet.
Today I confirmed with the Body Shop exactly what it is I want doing and they are happy to do it for me Next week (I play football with the Body Shop Manager and my Step Dad plays Golf with the Owner) I have printed off 17 Pictures detailing the Bike I want to Copy and have dropped them into the Body Shop and they say it is easy to replicate and should still look good with the Orange rather than the White.
On the Bike there are some Pinstripes and Personalised Decals that I need to replicate.
The decals say IBO Racing as that is the name of the Company that designed the Bike. I thought I would do a little variation of that and have SKB Racing as they are my Initials (Sam Kenny Bird) I was a little worried about Personalising the bike due to resale but then decided SKB Racing isn’t exactly like putting Sam Bird Racing on it and when it comes to being sold SKB Racing could mean anything.
I went to Kenlee in Romford to see if they could reproduce something like this and also get me a Triple Black Pinstripe like in the picture. It turns out that Pinstriping is a dying fashion and it’s really hard to source the Stripe i’m after!! They also wanted to charge me £10 per SKB Racing decal as they need to design it first and that will take Time. I need 10 of them to replicate what is on the Bike so don’t want to spend £100 on 10 tiny little stickers so what I have done is designed it myself and then will take it down to them and they reckon it will then be £4 per sticker so £40 sounds much better
Great choice of new design :). The two-colour scheme brings the bike to life, as the one solid block of colour makes it look a bit ‘flat’. I think the black and white looks really good too, but I get what you’re saying about the hassle of having to change the bike’s registration details. And white’s just sooooooo common, dahling.
Re your decal design that you slaved over all night and I’m now about to diss a little: I initially read it as ‘‘S i K 3 RACING’’. Did anyone else?
You must be really excited about getting it done now that you’ve finally got the ball rolling with the makeover. Are you doing to do any of the panel prep’ yourself or just, rather sensibly, leave it all the the sprayer?
I also think it looks like it says SiK 3 Racing, which i’m not too fussed with cos I will know it means SKB Racing but to anyone else it could be Sik 3 Racing which could be a company and not a personal Touch Also the number 3 is kinda my lucky Number so it’s even more personal (3 Kids, Birthday is on the 3rd, place I grew up was No 3, my email address is sam.bird3, the no 3 pops up in my life quite a bit)
Yes, the prep work and everything is being left to the professionals I’m just getting ready to take the bike down there now. i’m very excited about getting it done, but i’m really P1ssed off with having to get the Train to work all this coming week!!!
I took the bike into the workshop and got to Work stripping it down for them so they can start on it Monday. I got the bike all stripped down in about 45 Mins and it is now sitting there with all the Panels in the Prep room ready to be Prepped on Monday and all going well it should be ready for painting Tuesday/Wednesday
It’s only been 1 day but I don’t like that it’s not locked away in my Garage, I don’t like that if I wanted to go out for a blast I cant, but worse of all I hate that on Monday I’ve got to get on a Bloody Train!!!
No worries. How did that conversation go… Boss I need to work from home! Boss:why? Because the train smells like sh1t and the people are annoying! Boss:OK fair enough! Haha
Just been to the workshop to check on the Bike, i’m not getting it back till next week now
There was a few cracks etc from the accident that needed welding so the prep work has taken longer than excpected. It is being primered as we speak, they are then spraying the full bike in Orange and Lacquering it Today/Tomorrow. Then i’m going back there on Saturday morning to put the bike back together so thay can tape off all the areas that are to be Black, then strip it all down again!!
Then they will be spraying the black areas so that there are no lines in the paintwork (i’m pleased with this as it means it will be a better finish).
Then presumably on Monday when its all baked off they are going to apply all the stickers and stripes then give it it’s final coat of Lacquer and bake it off. so fingers crossed, all going well i will get her back Tuesday/Wednesday.
