Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/692967
POWDER COATING, June 2016 27 s custom motorcycles go, the "Black Bandana" cuts a striking appearance. It doesn't glisten with chrome or bedazzle the eye with vibrant colors. Rather, it makes its one-of-a- kind visual statement with a simple, ele- gant contrast of black on white. What you likely wouldn't notice on first inspection, though, is that the bike's sleek finish wasn't applied with paint, but with powder coating. The frame, rims, handlebars, forks, headlight, sprocket, and rotors—essentially the entire chassis' metal parts except the fuel and oil tanks—are powder coated. When the motorcycle's designers, W.T. Customs and Fabrication of Buford, Ga., finished building it, they brought it to Travis Otey of Powder Coat Cus- toms, Tucker, Ga., to do the finishing work. "They wanted a bike body that had more powder coating than paint," Otey said. Why? "For one thing, it looks great. But it's also a lot more durable. Powder coating resists chip- ping, peeling, and fading. Because it's baked on, it's very hard and much more durable than paint." The Black Bandana caught the eye of the editors of motorcycle lifestyle maga- zine, Easyriders, who then featured it in a cover story in 2015. It had become something of a minor sensation at regional motorcycle shows as aficiona- . Case History Case History A full-service custom powder coating company finishes a custom-built 1988 Harley-Davidson Sportster with black on white powder coating, resulting in high praise from the bike industry. Powder coating vs. paint for custom motorcycles and more A The Black Bandana: Its frame, rims, handlebars, forks, headlight, sprocket, and rotors are powder coated. Evan Hansen Contributing Editor