Swingarm paint peel off

6470 Views 39 Replies 14 Participants Last post by obijack, Aug 26, 2016

vroomshankar

Discussion Starter · May 5, 2016

Saw a review recently by an owner of Gen5 on you tube and the chap mentioned that the spot where your heel of the left foot sits against the swingarm is prone to paint peeling off. Scared me cause I have had the same problem on my Ninja 650 but never expected the flagship 10R to suffer from the same crap.

Tried putting the 3M Paint Protection film on it but the damn thing just wouldnt stick on the powder coated swingarm.

An expensive solution is getting the $60 product from R&G Racing called the Boot Guard Kit which is supposed to mitigate this problem
http://www.rg-racing.com/browsebike/Kawasaki/ZX10-R/2016/EZBG400BL/#prettyPhoto

Anyone else witnessed this on their bikes?

1 - 20 of 40 Posts

SkyDork

· #2 · May 5, 2016

Well, I wouldn't say the paint "peels off". That would imply that the paint and prep of the surface below it is faulty and improperly applied. It's more that it's being rubbed through by your boot. Especially since the swingarm moves up and down with as the bike moves. And it's not powder coated. It's paint. Powder coat would be much more resistant to this.

Easiest thing to do would be to get different heel guards that help keep your heel off that area of the swing arm. Or try adjusting your foot position so it's not in that area when you foot is in position (most people have a preference on this though). Additionally, the 3M paint protection is probably not sticking due to the course surface. Has nothing to do with the paint below. But you could try prepping the surface better with denatured alcohol and be sure there's no dirt or grease when applying it. Other options include hard swingarm protector covers as you've noted, or get some color-matched Colorrite touch up paint to re-do it.

And it's not specific to the G5. The G4 had the same issues for some people. Not me, but some other people.

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Reactions: 1

vroomshankar

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 5, 2016

SkyDork said:
Well, I wouldn't say the paint "peels off". That would imply that the paint and prep of the surface below it is faulty and improperly applied. It's more that it's being rubbed through by your boot. Especially since the swingarm moves up and down with as the bike moves. And it's not powder coated. It's paint. Powder coat would be much more resistant to this.

Easiest thing to do would be to get different heel guards that help keep your heel off that area of the swing arm. Or try adjusting your foot position so it's not in that area when you foot is in position (most people have a preference on this though). Additionally, the 3M paint protection is probably not sticking due to the course surface. Has nothing to do with the paint below. But you could try prepping the surface better with denatured alcohol and be sure there's no dirt or grease when applying it. Other options include hard swingarm protector covers as you've noted, or get some color-matched Colorrite touch up paint to re-do it.

And it's not specific to the G5. The G4 had the same issues for some people. Not me, but some other people.

Agree with you on the way I keep my heel being a cause but thats the way I am used to riding, anything different will cause a mental distraction and Im used to pushing my heel against the spot while hanging off which possibly is causing the wear.

The PPF was installed using the alcohol spray and cleaning since the 3M chap did it himself. Just dint hold because the surface as you mentioned is coarse. I have called up and told him today about it peeling off, he suggested we try a thicker material, so on Saturday I will find out if the new stuff works. If not then the R&G stuff is the way to go. Just not convinced on spending 60 bucks on something which shouldnt happen in the first place on such an expensive product.

blink.

· #4 · May 5, 2016

The PPF is to thin and malleable so a corner will lift and it wont stick without a large surface area. Try some colored vinyl film, it's thicker and less flimsy so the corner won't lift and cause the rest to fall off.

Reactions: 1

scout

· #5 · May 5, 2016

Don't worry about it. If you ride a bunch o'twists paint is gonna wear off all over pivot points. You want that.

Reactions: 1

dricked

· #6 · May 5, 2016

I have size 11.5 boots and you can see exactly where my heels rub on the swimgarm. Only thing I could do is add the carbon fiber protectors but then I'll just wear through them too.

Reactions: 1

Silverslk

· #7 · May 6, 2016

Just a sign you actually ride it. Big deal.

Reactions: 1

vroomshankar

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 6, 2016

Silverslk said:
Just a sign you actually ride it. Big deal.

proud Battle Scar eh? :wink2:

I dunno why but i find it an eyesore on my 650. Dont want the same irritation to crop up here. Will try putting some thicker vinyl to see if it holds. Otherwise to hell with it, will repaint it in a few years if it comes to that.

Silverslk

· #9 · May 7, 2016

vroomshankar said:
proud Battle Scar eh? :wink2:

I dunno why but i find it an eyesore on my 650. Dont want the same irritation to crop up here. Will try putting some thicker vinyl to see if it holds. Otherwise to hell with it, will repaint it in a few years if it comes to that.

Like dents on a jeep... :wink2:

Reactions: 1

vroomshankar

Discussion Starter · #10 · May 8, 2016

To top the swingarm paint, realised today that a slight paint is peeling off on the right side bar end most probably due to my gloves and the superfabric palm sliders on it.

Also the right boot's heel touches the exhaust guard at times and its throwing up scratches.

Have put a black vinyl on the left swingarm contact spot and the exhaust guard where its getting affected. Band-aid on a new bike !!!

Not happy.

Can i claim warranty on the bar end and get it changed?

SkyDork

· #11 · May 8, 2016

vroomshankar said:
Can i claim warranty on the bar end and get it changed?

No. It's not a defect. It's from your glove.

vroomshankar

Discussion Starter · #12 · May 8, 2016

SkyDork said:
No. It's not a defect. It's from your glove.

:surprise::frown2:

Ouch. Will live with it then

zx7rr_2_zx10r

· #13 · Jun 7, 2016

I saw in a Gen 2 thread that you can buy a frame protector pad and cut it to the shape you want and put over that area to keep your boot from doing that. I'm probably going to do that to mine since I wear a size 14 and I know it is probably gonna happen to mine if I don't.

zx7rr_2_zx10r

· #14 · Jun 7, 2016

http://www.zx-10r.net/forum/f48/boot-scratching-swingarm-my-how-fix-here-46842.html

dricked

· #15 · Jun 7, 2016

That's a great idea but the only problem I could see is that the finish on the gen4 and I'll assume 5, is rough. Trying to get a sticker to stay there will be really tough unless you sand the surface smooth.

zx7rr_2_zx10r

· #16 · Jun 7, 2016

The part number for the decal is 56052-0379. I'm ordering one to put on my swingarm.

zx7rr_2_zx10r

· #17 · Jun 7, 2016

dricked said:
That's a great idea but the only problem I could see is that the finish on the gen4 and I'll assume 5, is rough. Trying to get a sticker to stay there will be really tough unless you sand the surface smooth.

That is a good point... I will let you know how it works for me .

dricked

· #18 · Jun 7, 2016

zx7rr_2_zx10r said:
That is a good point... I will let you know how it works for me .

Please do. If it stays on I might do the same.

kronos

· #19 · Jun 23, 2016

I got worried when I noticed the same wear starting to happen on my swingarm. As a few others have stated, though, it's probably just going to become a battle scar for me. I considered protection kits but I don't think the stickers will last too long, and the only other option I found was carbon fiber - which looks great but is too expensive for me right now.

LDH

· #20 · Jun 23, 2016

Just trade the bike in, get a Lexus and one of these Original California Car Duster

Reactions: 1

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