Aproximate tank painting cost.....

I'm wondering about how much it costs the have a gas tank painted. I want a high quality single color job similar to new factory paint. The tank has normal dents and dings that would have to be dealt with.
No I don't want to do it myself or rattle can it or whatever...sorry, no thanks.
Just wondering about how much it usually costs from those who've had it done.
Thanks,
Mike

 

I had an estimate of $600.00 for the tank and both fenders, and that was with me removing them from the bike and stripping the paint myself. I'm sure you're going to get a wide variety of estimates. You can check Craigslist for deals, but I would recommend asking for a portfolio of work completed, and possibly references.

 

G'day, it cost old mate $350.00 aud for this

 

I was also looking to have my tank and side covers painted. I stopped into a small body shop near my house and asked for a price using a color they had left over from something they may have painted recently.
I had already repaired the dings and primed it (not with a rattle can). The guy said he would do a pearl Maroon for 200.00. I priced all the paint, clear coat, hardener and all the rest of the stuff I would need to do it myself in just a simple one color paint. Price 178.00.
It might be worth walking into a few small bodyshops or dealer bodyshops and talk to one of the actual painters.
Things are slow all over and they may want to make a few buck on the side. After all I don't think they would be paying for the paint if it's left over from something else.You would be paying just for their labor.

 

Most of the expense in having Bike parts refinished is in the PREP.

Getting the parts repaired, sanded-out and primed for painting adds-up fast.
That's why ... if you can do your own Prep ... you SAVE Big Bucks.

The actual "Blowing-on the Color" only takes a short time.

The "Times are right" for BARTERING. What can YOU OFFER the Body Shop Guy in Trade for refinishing your parts?

 

I had a couple of estimates on my paint job. One local repair shop said he could paint my bike (fenders, side covers, and tank) for $300 - $400, but he wasn't really a paint guy, and shied away from doing pearlescent or metallic finishes.

I ended up going with a pearlescent metallic orange which cost me a total of $850. Of that, the paint itself (just the base coat) was about $100. I pulled and reinstalled the parts. The painter did all stripping, ding repair, and prep work, as well as, of course, the painting itself.

For mine, the side panels were probably a lot of the expense, though. Being plastic, options for stripping them are rather limited; they can't be sand blasted and many chemicals are bad for either the plastic or the primer that's going on later. He mostly sanded them by hand.

Just a tank should be a lot easier. I would guess that a good single color job could be had in the $150 - $300 range, depending on the color and the amount of ding repair to do.

 

Hum... some nice paint jobs guys. Thanks for the info!

 

Had mine painted by a friend in Topeka, KS for $204.92. Total including paint, clear coat and dent removal.

this is his standard charge for single color motorcycle tank. Maybe he is just a good deal.

 

If you want to invest in the equipment for long term use, if you already have a compressor, you can get an add-on sand/soda blaster for $20-$30. A sprayer for the powder-coat and powdercoat the tank yourself. Your tank should fit in a normal oven.

I don't think you would be able to use powder coat on the non-metallic parts. Plastics tend to melt under heat.

If you want to go more professional, I suggest a smaller, local run paint/body shop where it is a small number of people, and asking about the same thing like said above - how much to paint using a color they are already spraying. If you prep the tank and any other parts first (sand/soda blast, etch, etc.) then all they have to do is spray it along with the car they are doing ... you get everything that way: prime, basecoat/color, clear coat ... and you should be able to negotiate a nice deal since they would be spraying it at the same time as the car ...

 

"WyldMax" was painted in my shop several months before I bought it from our book keeper. Painted the tank side covers and both chrome fenders for $300.
RUB's with Harley's get charged $1,500 for the same job. Most of the time I'll paint a tank for $250 on a metric, in base coat clearcoat with a lifetime warranty.
IMO Metric riders in general are more appreciative of the work we do for them, and are working stiffs on a budget just like me.

 

Tank, 2 dents removed from each side, both side covers, prep, Camillion pearl blue/green, clear coated....

$120Can. + $11 for the trim aorund the tank.