Matte paint

Wondering what people think of matte paint on motorcycles? I've seen several bikes (HD, Yamaha, Ducati, BMW...) with factory matte paint and am curious whether there is some practical advantage I'm not aware of or if it's just a different look.

One disadvantage I see is the inability to rub out scratches. This was pointed out to me at a gas station in South Deerfield, MA by a rider with a matte finish Road King. He was pissed about scratches on his fender and he couldn't just rub them out because that would make the matte finish shine. Said he was looking at least $300 to have the fender resprayed. The scratches were not deep but they were obvious, especially on an otherwise pristine bike.

Thoughts?

To answer my own question... (from http://kanebikes.com/ a bicycle site):


Glossy Finish
Why better than matte

• Scratches can be buffed out
• Colors have more depth
• Easier to clean
• Cool paint effects ? pearl, metallic, flip flop, etc

Cons

• Dirt can be more apparent
• Scratches can be more visible
• Little scratch swirls may be seen in the finish over time

Matte Finish
Why better than gloss

• Surface scratches may be harder to see (if not down to the sealer/primer)
• Broad range of finishes ? stove top ? egg shell ? satin
• Harder to see micro marring ? swirls/spider webbing in the finish
• Hides imperfections in carbon layers and tube shapes because it absorbs more light

Cons

• Cannot buff out scratches. If you try, the finish will begin to change
• Can sometimes have chalky appearance
• Oils, sweat, and smudges may show more easily ? requires more maintenance to look clean
• Colors lack depth

IMO, even if the Pro's outweighed the Con's, I'd not consider it - I've never liked the matte look, be it a bike, car, or whatever else.

And the opposite would be true if a person really wants that type of paint - the Pro's and Con's go out the door.

I think my truck looks good in satin finish. If it gets a scratch, I still have a half-gallon left! Lowes Extreme weather latex applied mostly with a roller.

My thought is that it's just a fad or reserved for custom jobs that a are looking for a "bad-boy" look.
And most likely gonna affect resale value and desirability to prospective buyers.

Not sure I agree with gloss being easier to clean. Matte and gloss wash the same. I would think you could do things to gloss (buff, clay bar, wax, etc) paint over the years to make it look better than matte......maybe. Matte starts out dull so I would think it will age and still be dull.

My S10 is the first bike I've owned with a matte paint finish. Time will tell how it holds up. So far so good after two months. Right now it's covered in dirt and bugs..........just the way it should be.
Mike

Don't know about paint on the bikes, but I definitely prefer matte on my helmets. It easily hides scuffs and bugs much better then the shiny.

I don't know about bike finishes, but I bought a Shoei Qwest with a matte finish and it scratches very easily, removing the matte paint. Next time I'm going glossy white.

It is my understanding that gloss finishes are harder and more resistant to scratching than matte finishes. And, many gloss finishes today get a clear coat that adds another layer of protection over the paint (pigment). Again, if my (car) body shop guy is correct, modern gloss finishes far outlast the paint jobs of some years ago (before the clear coat). I would imagine that a matte finish, which does not have a clear coat depends solely on the strength of the paint. I know from several sources that gloss varnish for floor finishing is stronger and more resistant to scratching than semi gloss or matte.

Matte finish is the least durable. http://www.painter-pros.com/finishes.php

RONST1300 said:

Matte finish is the least durable. http://www.painter-pros.com/finishes.php

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There is some useful information there, but in terms of house paint, matte and flat are NOT the same thing. I also disagree with there recommendation as to where to use satin vs semi-gloss, but that could be a regional thing.

skyboybry said:

I think my truck looks good in satin finish. If it gets a scratch, I still have a half-gallon left! Lowes Extreme weather latex applied mostly with a roller.

Click to expand...

Bry, you never cease to amaze!

Got matte on an Arai RXQ (silver frost) and it indeed marred the finish if you tried to rub out a blemish. After maintaining it for a while, I prefer gloss.

It looks good on my Rolls Royce Phantom ... if it gets dirty, I just paint it again.

BakerBoy said:

It looks good on my Rolls Royce Phantom ... if it gets dirty, I just paint it again.

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If it gets dirty, John, why not just buy another Roller?

...takes too long.

Matte paint. - 2104 Yamaha Super Ten. It doesn't really look like that now. Much more of a brown lumpy finish ;-)

There's a Caution in the owners manual - "don't wax matte paint". Like that was going to happen

I wouldn't do it on an ST or other high appearance road bike but Plasti-Dip in rattle cans works quite well on a dual sport. It has a matte finish but is available in high-viz colors. No polishing out or such because it forms a rubber-like layer. Another caution is that masking needs to be razor blade cut to release the Plasti-Dip from the tape before peeling or one will peel the "Dip". On the other hand, it seems quite tough and rattle cans to repair blemishes. Friends have told me that they use the stuff on pickup grills and it withstands pressure washing. This surprises me and haven't tried.

It might be useful to do a side case or such but think it would be far too "KLR" for an ST.

I hate matte paint but then again I am just an old fart and don't understand a lot of stuff.

Ed

The Plasti-Dip seems a good experiment, as it is supposed to peel off. So completely reversible. I tried it on my car wheels in matte black and it came out rather well, IMO.
DupliColor has got in the game with their own version.