As adventure bikers, we love modifying our motorcycles. Give us a perfectly good bike and, before long, we’ll have changed the screen, fitted a different seat, bolted on some crash bars, added luggage, maybe swapped out the footpegs, installed a SatNav and probably convinced ourselves that the exhaust desperately needs replacing.
Yet there’s one enormous part of the bike most of us never think about changing: the colour.
And, let’s face it, adventure bike manufacturers aren’t always the most imaginative when it comes to paint schemes. If you want a KTM that isn’t predominantly orange, or a Kawasaki without at least a nod to green, your options can sometimes feel a little limited.
Now, the fact we couldn’t find any photos of adventure bikes sporting custom colour schemes to illustrate this story goes to show it’s a trend that hasn’t caught on in our world just yet. But perhaps it’s time we started thinking about paint in the same way we think about other modifications.
The idea was sparked after we caught up with the team at Stardust, a specialist in motorcycle paints and special-effect finishes ranging from Candy and chameleon colours to crystallised, holographic, opalescent, and chrome effects.
Now, I’m aware that custom paint is usually associated with sports bikes, cruisers, race replicas, and immaculate show builds rather than motorcycles that spend their lives splattered with mud and road grime. But I was intrigued to discover what was actually possible if you applied the same thinking to an adventure or touring bike.
And, as it turns out, quite a lot.
Adventure bikes don’t have to look sensible
There’s no particular reason adventure bikes should miss out on the custom-paint treatment if you fancy making a statement with your ride.
In fact, they make a pretty good canvas. Fuel tanks, fairing panels, mudguards and side panels all provide plenty of opportunity to make a bike look shine without changing anything mechanical.
And modern special-effect motorcycle paints go considerably further than simply choosing a different shade of red or blue.
So what could you actually do?
Chameleon paint changes appearance depending on the angle you view it from, while Candy paint uses translucent layers to create unusually deep, vibrant colours. And opalescent finishes add pearlescent reflections that shift with the light. Then things get considerably less subtle.
Seriously, at the wilder end of the scale, some of these finishes look like T. Rex’s wardrobe has exploded across your fairings
Crystallizer paint creates crystal-like patterns across the surface, holographic and prismatic finishes produce rainbow effects, and chrome-effect paints can create an intensely reflective metallic appearance.
If you’ve never come across this kind of work before, custom paint is already well established elsewhere in motorcycling, particularly on race bikes and show builds.
Would we cover an Africa Twin from head to toe in holographic paint? Perhaps not. But a Candy-finished tank, chameleon side panels or a more subtle opalescent treatment could completely change the look of an older bike without turning it into a show pony.
It could also make sense as part of a rebuild
There’s another reason this might appeal to adventure bikers. Our bikes tend to evolve. They pick up scratches, faded plastics and battle scars, parts get replaced, and after a few years you can end up with a motorcycle that has become very personal to you.
If you’re already stripping bodywork during a winter refresh or restoration, that could be the perfect opportunity to do something completely different rather than simply recreating the original factory finish.
The chaps at Stardust explained you can get complete motorcycle paint kits covering the various stages required, with options for finishes including Candy, chameleon, crystallizer and opalescent effects. Some finishes can also be applied using aerosols, although getting a genuinely professional result still comes down to careful preparation, patience and skill.
Perhaps the next time you’re staring at your bike in the garage wondering what to change next, the answer isn’t another bolt-on accessory. Maybe it’s time to change colour.
Sound good? Click here to find out more about custom motorcycle paint.
