Suzuki RL250 Mania

[David Lahey]

If you powder coat it, it is very hard to touch up without it being obvious.
Self paint = easy touch up
If you are going to ride it off-road, whatever finish you use will be damaged.
If you are only going to ride it on the road, powder coating might last longer before requiring retreatment compared with paint.
If not powdercoated perfectly, powder coating can allow the frame to rust undetected under the coating.
You usually need to remove powder coating from quite a few places to put the bike back together due to thickness.

[Bigem]

Chemicaly strip the frame and paint it.
Powder coating is not the go, it hides cracks etc etc which leads us to grit blasting.
Do not grit blast the frame either, take the time and use a paint stripper and a bit of elbow grease. That will not remove the protective coating the steel has and you will be able to see any cracks etc in the frame. Grit blasting spam frames in my opinion and hides problems.
I have 2x CR250Ms, one has been grit blasted and powder coated, the other paint stripped and painted. The painted bike is so much nicer to look at and the frame has that factory look still.

[Westy]

Thanks for your opinions. I am going to paint. I enjoy painting anyhow.
Bigem, I am curious about the protective coating steel has. Steel doesn't form an oxide layer unlike Aluminium and Stainless Steel. Is there another type of layer?

[Westy]

Garrison,
I spoke it my Dad. We have it sorted. I'll sell Dad my bike on the provision that I get the keys to his Pontiac until he sells my bike back to me.


Got him by the balls eh?

[Westy]

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[David Lahey]

Yes the BB code works. I loved the bit when the camera falls over backwards.
Unless you were riding with the choke on, you need to fix the jetting. Theres a bloke on this forum from up this way (Mackay I think) who just did the jetting on his RL250 and it runs smooth-as so he may be able to help you. He's the one looking for a fuel tank for his RL.

[Tee-Why]

Have you considered using POR15 paint for the frame? Its like an epoxy based paint, very durable. Also look at SodaBlast for cleaning back to bar metal to prep (do some googling). Its so gentle you can go down paint layers, very good for alloy engine parts, non abrasive.

[Westy]

I know the guy you're talking about David. I'll send him a question. If you're wondering about the smoke, I'm using the last of my 20:1. I have 20 litres of 50:1 left over from my Superjet. Do you think marine engine oil would do any harm to the bike?

Subs. I'll look into epoxy paint. Thanks for the tip. I'd assume it has more of a plastic film type matrix would you say?

[garrison]

Interesting comments about the powder coating. I was going down that path with the KT. I've heard that POR 15 is rock hard so may do that instead, and it means I can do it.

Anyone know how much paint it would normally take per coat of a frame?

[David Lahey]

I know the guy you're talking about David. I'll send him a question. If you're wondering about the smoke, I'm using the last of my 20:1. I have 20 litres of 50:1 left over from my Superjet. Do you think marine engine oil would do any harm to the bike?

I thought there might have been a bit of a mossie problem in your street and you were helping the neighbours out.
I can't think of a reason that marine two stroke oil would harm the RL, but swapping from one oil type to another is not good practice.
The labelling on marine two-stroke oil usually says it is specifically intended for marine use. I'm only guessing but will take a stab that marine two stroke oil might be biodegradable in seawater.
If it was me it would go into the car fuel tank like all my old premix does.