KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX250 / KX125 => Topic started by: Kawasakinut on June 15, 2008, 04:00:53 PM

Title: new look for kx 250
Post by: Kawasakinut on June 15, 2008, 04:00:53 PM
 got my powdercoated parts back what ya'll think? last pic is one i took before i really started anything!
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: stuart1981 on June 15, 2008, 06:00:27 PM
that looks spot on, especially the swing arm, did you see it after it had been sand blasted?
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: jazg on June 15, 2008, 10:18:50 PM
the black swing arm idea looks sick  8-)
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Kawasakinut on June 16, 2008, 01:29:07 AM
that looks spot on, especially the swing arm, did you see it after it had been sand blasted?
actually thats the only part i didn't get to see when i went to the shop
half way through their process.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: don46 on June 16, 2008, 02:37:38 AM
post a picture of the completed project, as it sits a touch to much black for my taste, but it looks good none the less.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Hillclimb#42 on June 16, 2008, 10:24:19 AM
 Looks wicked, kxnut. I didn't even think about doing all that when i had my k5 coated. Looks good and i think it will make everything you put on it POP!!! I heard that coating a swing arm can weaken it. First they have to remove the anodize to get anything to stick i.e. powder coat, chrome. Do they have to do that to powder coat, or is that just to plate it with chrome? Like the stickers too. 
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: BDI on June 16, 2008, 11:27:57 AM
I think the black looks sinister and my evil side loves it.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Kawasakinut on June 16, 2008, 04:06:33 PM
hey guys thanks i'm glad you like it.
bdi: i'm probably going to go with black excel rims with silver spokes and stock hubs bead blasted and clear powdercoated. should add more sinister bling

hillclimb: i hope my swingarm holds up with the big jumps, that would be pretty bad if it doesn't. i think they just sandblasted the swingarm though.

jazg: i like  sick bikes :-D :-D :-D

Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: GDubb on June 17, 2008, 12:17:09 PM
Looks wicked, kxnut. I didn't even think about doing all that when i had my k5 coated. Looks good and i think it will make everything you put on it POP!!! I heard that coating a swing arm can weaken it. First they have to remove the anodize to get anything to stick i.e. powder coat, chrome. Do they have to do that to powder coat, or is that just to plate it with chrome? Like the stickers too. 

Interesting point.... I know before you hand form (hammer/english wheel) aluminum plate you aneal it with a torch and that softens the aluminum alot. I dont know if the baking process of the powder coat heats it to that extent but it would be nice to know just for piece of mind.... any experts in the field?


The bike is looking SICK K-nut... would you get it together already?  The suspense is killing me!  :wink:
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Danger4u2 on June 17, 2008, 12:38:47 PM
The powder coater that we do alot of work for can answer that question.  I'll call him tomorrow.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Kawasakinut on June 17, 2008, 12:45:42 PM
Looks wicked, kxnut. I didn't even think about doing all that when i had my k5 coated. Looks good and i think it will make everything you put on it POP!!! I heard that coating a swing arm can weaken it. First they have to remove the anodize to get anything to stick i.e. powder coat, chrome. Do they have to do that to powder coat, or is that just to plate it with chrome? Like the stickers too. 

Interesting point.... I know before you hand form (hammer/english wheel) aluminum plate you aneal it with a torch and that softens the aluminum alot. I dont know if the baking process of the powder coat heats it to that extent but it would be nice to know just for piece of mind.... any experts in the field?


The bike is looking SICK K-nut... would you get it together already?  The suspense is killing me!  :wink:
g dubb i know man, just imagine how much it's killing me. i haven't ridden in 8 or nine months!!! soon brother sooooooon!!! 
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: BDI on June 17, 2008, 05:43:29 PM
The stock swing arm is not anodized to begin with It is only painted. I have stripped several swingarms for the kx250 in the 1999 two 2002 range and they polish right up. If they were anodized there would be lots of work removeing the anodizing before you even had a chance of polishing it. I have been removing anodizing from things for years and have even done some anodizing at home and I have a strong grasp on what it is. Anodizing is only a surface  hardening and does not do much if anything to add strength to the part as a hole. What makes an aluminum part strong is the heat treating. From talking to the guys at bbr stock swingarms and aluminum frames are heat treated to 7005 and powder coating them does nothing to effect this. Even if you were worried about the sand blasting taking off the hard coating of anodizing you have to remember that sand blastin work hardens the surface of the metal just like shot peening. The factory would not anodize the part and then paint it, that would be a waist of money and you can bet the factory does not spend money they do not have to. You are loosing sleep over nothing, Quit worrying about it and enjoy your new bike.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Kawasakinut on June 18, 2008, 11:43:23 PM
         oh bdi i'm really not that much concerned everything is falling into its place.
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: GDubb on June 19, 2008, 02:42:04 AM
Just outta curiousity... could you powdercoat the dog bones or would that cause problems?
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: stuart1981 on June 19, 2008, 05:59:20 AM
(http://)
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: stuart1981 on June 19, 2008, 06:02:05 AM
thats my before and after project pics, does anybody think of which colour i should do the frame, was thinking of getting it sandblasted, then polishing it, and getting plenty of coats of clear laqour on it as protection,
any ideas?
Title: Re: new look for kx 250
Post by: Danger4u2 on June 19, 2008, 06:28:27 AM
DON'T sand blast if you want to polish or chrome anything.  Blasting will cause pitting and it's hard to polish out.  Use a chemical stripper.  O'Reilly's auto parts has Aircraft Stripper in one gal. cans.  Even glass bead blasting will give you problems if you want to polish or chrome.  We use glass bead, plastic bead and aluminum oxide for blasting cars, motorcycles, etc.  Alox (aluminum oxide) is the same material that's on sand paper.  If the plastic bead is new you can blast the paint and it won't cause any problems.  We reclaim the plastic and sometimes sand or dirt will get scooped up into the system.  We run magnets in the screen area to catch any screws, rust or left over metal stuff from dismantling the old cars.  If it's getting chromed we won't blast it without the customer signing a disclaimer.  Our claim to fame is "Paint removal without any damage".

http://www.aadrystrip.com/