ok - frame question (old gold ones)

CRM250

CRM250

New member
after around 5 years of ownership (inc winter riding) its safe to say that my old 1994 916 is looking a bit tired around the frame area. Now i cant see me being in any rush to part with the old girl but it would be nice to bring it back to life as it should be and was back in the mid 90's
This bike i think was the first one woods had in, and was possibly used as thier demo bike before being sold on and kept locally with a couple of owners before i got it.
So lets assume that after this year i wanted it taking back down to a frame, where if anywhere can blast the frame and refinish in exactly the same standard and colour of gold. has anyone done this or am i wasting my time as i have yet to find a close match in colour. i accept the silver decal on the frame (long polished away) cannot be replaced as it contains the chassis number, but it would be nice to park this alongside my dads 250 and 350 one day in the same 100% oe condition.
and i promise not to ride it in winter again either, i cant afford chucking a few hundred quids worth of bolts at it every year.
 
I had the Laverda frame poweder coated at Triple S in Bingley. Gloss back so its a standard colour and it looks like new.

the gold won't be a problem to match for powder. we get powder swatch sample books when we need to choose new bike colours and I'd think you'll find a match either that or contact Ducati they should be able to give you the code.

it might be possible to get a decal made if you have photos of the original and are prepared to pay, we had a run of 200 foil badges made recently not sure if it was digitally produced but if it was you might be able to get one offs.
 
You may be able to get a colour match in powder coat but I've never seen a powder coating with the semi-matt finish of the Ducati frames. When I had the '95 900SS I repainted the frame, because like your's it was looking a bit tired. To get a match I went to a local automotive paint supplier where they matched it against a book of paint chips then mixed the paint to supply me with a couple of aerosols. This paint for normal use is meant to be overcoated with a clear lacquer but without the lacquer it matched the original Ducati finish absolutely perfectly. There was no rust so I simply rubbed it down with wet & dry and laid the new paint over the old. Initially I just painted the bits that were damaged or stained but the next winter I did the whole frame. The following year the frame cracked :eek: but Ducati supplied me with a new one :)

The paint was Berger, code 7011
 
Gents i know when i had my 916 and 900SS next to each other, they had slightly different golds on the frame. i would say the 900ss used a lighter glossier gold and was easier to match. the 916 seems that bit darker and also more matt too. i wouldnt be willing to strip it down unless i knew it could be done and made exact.
the engine still looks mint and there is no paint lift on the rear or certainly very little. i know its old and hardly fast let alone well built, but its one of the first 916's and i just love that old school decal scheme, it just appeals so much more for some reason.
common sense says, flog the 916 now, flog the 600rr too, and buy a 998s which would do it all, performance, reliability and a bike i really could use all year round and even tour on without issue. as much as i fancy a 998, i feel so attached to the 916 and its good to be the underdog.

Here is a pic of both the 916 and 900ss together, nothing unigue about that i know, but check out the plates. they are not private plates, i bought the 916 5 years ago, and the 900ss 3 years later from my boss, it was only when cleaning them i noticed the plates. now you couldnt do that if you tried could you ?
MVC-586F.JPG
 
As Derek says the frames are slightly matt, we use a number of laquers over powder, gloss, matt and satin, all give different effects to the same base powder. A good powder supplier should be able to match the colour and suggest the correct laquer finish. on some of our bike frames we even spray matt laquer over the decals so the decal doesn't shine, it needs a special heat resistant decal but it can be done. Are the wheels the same colour? if so i'd have thought it should be easily found.

One other option is to have the frame wet sprayed first in the correct colour then apply a powder satin laquer over the wet spray, this is handy if you want to do multi coloured finishes ( difficult with powder because of the masking) and also want the toughness a powder gives.
 
CRM250 said:
Here is a pic of both the 916 and 900ss together, nothing unigue about that i know, but check out the plates. they are not private plates, i bought the 916 5 years ago, and the 900ss 3 years later from my boss, it was only when cleaning them i noticed the plates. now you couldnt do that if you tried could you ?
[qimg]http://www.crm250.com/assorted_images/MVC-586F.JPG[/qimg]
Click to expand...

BAck in 1980 4 of us bought Suzuki GS1000's and got 4 consecutive reg's

EWJ 981V 982V 983V and 984V.

Looked good when all parked up in numerical order at the Isle of Man, still not as strange as you buying the bikes seperately at different times though.
 
For 95/96 the SS gold frame was darker than the previous 93/94 models and mine seemed indistinguishable from the 916 of the same period but it's best to get a colour match done anyway as Ducati's shades of any colour seems to vary.
 
So gismo, does this mean you could do this then ? or you know someone who could ?
the wheels are the same, well kind of, the wheels are a tad more glossy and lighter, but again it could just be my frame thats aged somewhat.
it looks fine but when you remove the tank and around the headstock brace that holds the water expansion tank it looks a bit yuk. cleaning it has made a difference but it would be nice to have it uniform and tough once again
 
Gizmo said:
As Derek says the frames are slightly matt, we use a number of laquers over powder, gloss, matt and satin, all give different effects to the same base powder...
Click to expand...

Yes, semi-matt lacquer over powder seems like the way to go. That hadn't occurred to me.
 
CRM250 said:
So gismo, does this mean you could do this then ? or you know someone who could ?
the wheels are the same, well kind of, the wheels are a tad more glossy and lighter, but again it could just be my frame thats aged somewhat.
it looks fine but when you remove the tank and around the headstock brace that holds the water expansion tank it looks a bit yuk. cleaning it has made a difference but it would be nice to have it uniform and tough once again
Click to expand...

I work for a mountain bike company , we only have limited powder selection based on our model range and the paint plant is already our bottleneck hence why my Laverda frame ended up at Triple S :D

Someone like Triple S could probably do it provided they can source the colour, I'd give them a call and ask, they are very helpful.

the only problem with powder is that if there are any dings or dents you'll need to fill with silver solder, you can't use filler, it'll melt in the oven.
 
If your going for a serious resto I'd get the frame painted, as per original, though Multi looks coated to me.

Nothing against powder coat ( indeed I'm going to Tripple S tomorrow to get some magnesium 900ss parts done). But the look and finish is not the same. I've had 3 frames done in the last 5 years but next time its going to be paint.

For the frame sticker you need someone with a thermal transfer ribbon printer. Providing they've got the software replicating the label is easy.
 
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