Cheeky barsket! It wasn't a rat bike!
My fairings on the VFR looked like a disgruntled ex had attacked them with a flail. Or an angry cat.
When I fitted a bright red fairing panel onto the black and silver bike, I decided it couldn't look a lot worse, and so I decided to just spray it matt black.
I know I SHOULD have sanded it all down and stripped the stickers and spent many hours preparing it (when you're respraying the preparation work is essential for a great finish), but I just couldn't be arsed.
I went to a car boot sale and bought 8 cans (err... I think. It might have been 6) of a top quality matt black spraypaint - for £10. Bargain.
*goes to look at the cans*
'Hycote' is the brand.
I also bought some clip-over trigger spray thingy from Wilkinsons for about £1. This is well worth getting, as when I got halfway down the first can without using it I physically couldn't press the nozzle down anymore! This makes it easy and behaves like a pro spraying tool.
I took all the fairing off after washing and drying it, and after a quick test to see how it covered it, did the lot slowly and carefully (if you hold the can too close or on one spot for too long it will run). After each thin coat, I let it dry, then repeated it. Just take your time and get as many coats on as you can - I was doing mine outside in early Winter so had around 6 hours, which was plenty.
Also buy yourself a roll of masking tape and loads of old newspapers. I left the top fairing and tank on the bike and just masked and papered the frame, dials and screen to protect it.
My battered old scrappy-looking VFR750 went from this:
to this:
I didn't laquer over any of it, mainly because it looked damn good as it was, but also figuring that if I did scratch any of it I could just spray over the scratch.
I used half my cans for it (not a bad paint job for £5!
), and the finish was excellent even through the Winter!
Professional spraypainters will tell you the paint will shrink and peel and flake, and it's really hard to do... well mine stayed perfect, touched up perfect, and I have absolutely no previous spraypainting skills and found it easy!
And without doubt I would do it to a bike again.
). Well all that is needed now is to get rid of the pile of crap that pretends to be paintwork. Has been badly sprayed, with green for the front half, ie tank, side fairings, front fairing and front mudguard, purple (yes i know...) seat panels and rear hugger. Was looking into getting a mates dad to spray the parts for me but the materials alone would apparently cost too much for me to do. So yes you may well have worked out where this is now going. Time to get some spray cans lol. Haven't done much spraying, apart from a panel or two on my old vespa after i slid down the road. The spraying doesnt seem to hard, just take it easy etc and apply lots of coats with not too much paint each time. Basically i just need advice/a walkthrough on prep work with the best materials for it (not ridiculously expensive please). Then advice on paint, was thinking of going for a black as it would appear to be the safest option when spraying with cans, so need advice on the best stuff to go for and from where, also how many cans of it i will need. And then finally advice on lacquer, ie which to buy and how many coats. I know im asking for a lot, but if some of you old'uns 
