painting fenders

Ok how should i put this? when ridding last summer with a group of friends on harleys, they were poking fun at my shinny chrome fenders. They said the bike looks cool, but the chrome fenders date it and should be painted. How many of you have considered this an option? If so, do the seca fenders fit being how they are more rounded than square like the maxim. The square would look funny to me painted. Im just curious to see what my maxim would look like with a gloss black front and back fender. Does anyone have a photo shop program that they could take a pic from my photos and show me the difference? That would be cool. I have no idea how to do it.
PS. I would neve paint my fenders. I would find rusty used ones somewhere else and keep mine chrome to save or sale.

 

I painted mine. It was badly pitted and dented. I knocked the dents out and sanded it down. Rattle can primer and paint. Looks ok. Would look better with a better paint job. It's for sale if you want it. It's getting replaced with a custom fender.

 

I just picked up a set of fenders to paint for my 82 XJ750. The ones on the bike are dented from one of the many PO's laing he bike down. I'm going to paint them like my 83 XJ750 Midnight (pic's are in my gallery) sorry no close ups at this time. If you want close upd let me know and I will do what I can.

 

I wouldn't bother what a bunch of Harley guys said, tell them to take a look at themselves in a storefront window.

 

i've thought about that myself

 

Forget about those harley guys! I barely touched mine since I got this xj1100 2 summers ago. It amazes me evertime I ride it and just gets better.

 

tcoop, if you think about and have the time i would like to see a close up pic.
All the harley guys had there bikes pinstiped on the tanks and fenders. They just thought it was funny that they could see there selves in my front fender like a mirror.

 

Does any one know if the seca fender is a direct bolt on?

 

I would think so

 

Your 1000 buck bike will smoke any of those 20k buck Harleys. Give em a chuckle and tell em that. Or it's too fast for paint ...it keeps sliding back.

 

It is hard to belivieve a harley guy would diss chrome, I say they are jealous. I like the look of the fenders, just my 2 cents.

 

I think that it could look pretty cool with painted fenders if done right, but here is a diffrent view point for you. I love my bike because it looks different. If they make fun of you for the fenders tell them atleast you dont call them and ask them what color bikes there gettin so you can match. lol. Seriously though, Harleys are a dime a dozen and good xj's are hard to come by.

 

Well said dfknoll!

 

haha, only hardlys arent a dim a dozen, they're waaaay too much money

 

I was actually wondering about painting the front fender as well. I am not sure if the aftermarket ones I looked at would fit. I want the fender black as I am having the tank done black with red lettering. I wanted to have red control and instrument cables and don't think they would look rediculous enough with a chrome fender.

 

Here are the picture of My wife's 83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim fenders.

 

try again

 

I personal like the painted fenders but remember it's your bike dress it up or paint it the way you like.

 

I like 'em both depending on the bike.

The '81 Seca 550 came with a chrome front fender:




Then for '82 (red) and '83 (pictured) they started painting them:



(personally, I think they should have all come with fork boots.)


No chrome here, these are polished stainless:

 

Nice Commando Big!!!!!!! Love those pipes

 

I painted both of Maxi's fenders - it was a bit of a task getting the chrome rough enough to allow the primer to fully adhese. But in the end they came out ok. It's not hard to paint them - just take your time and be sure to follow all steps outlined in the various painting threads.

The experience I gained painting the fenders made the gas-tank a lot easier and much nicer looking.

 

good xj's are hard to come by.

I'd like that on an XJbike.com t-shirt

 

I like the chrome fenders, who cares what the people on Hardleys think abut your bike.
If you are seiously thinking about painting the fenders, just sand them down with 400 grit sand paper followed by some 1000 grit. Then prime and paint.

 

Fitz, don't you get confused, riding the Norton, with the controls on the opposite sides?

 

I'm partial to the chrome fenders too. Tell your Harley buddies that they look silly broken down on the side of the road. haha.

 

Wiz; Not at all. I rode the Norton for so long that when I'm on it everything is completely automatic.

The Yamahas FEEL so different that the "Norton instincts" never kick in, the controls are COMPLETELY reversed, etc.

The bike that used to suffer was my poor little 500 Triumph after I got the Norton. BOTH with right-hand shift, except the Triumph had a "normal" (up for go, down for slow) shift pattern while the Norton is reversed.
I don't know how many times the poor Triumph got jammed back into first on the 2-3 upshift.