Why I Decided To Vinyl Wrap My Motorcycle Instead Of Repainting My Bike

Vinyl Wrap For Motorcycle: When I decided to upgrade the look of my motorcycle for the first time, painting the bike was my initial reaction.

The original paint still looked good, but after riding the same motorcycle for years, I wanted something that was more custom. I spent hours browsing forums and websites filled with custom motorcycles and realized something. The majority of builds that I liked weren’t painted at all, they were using vinyl wrap for motorcycle purposes.

Vinyl Wrap Motorcycle: My mind was changed, but not immediately. I didn’t believe what I was seeing. Surely vinyl wraps aren’t permanent? Easy to maintain? As durable as paint? 

Oh boy, was I wrong. After completing my first motorcycle vinyl wrap, I now understand why so many riders are going this route.

Vinyl Wrap Motorcycle Costs Changed My Mind 

My goal was to take my motorcycle to a paint shop down the street to get it painted with a custom color.

Researching how much it would cost quickly changed my mind. Quotes for a custom paint job weren’t cheap, especially if I wanted graphics and a specific finish. Plus, paint is permanent. If I didn’t like it in a few years I would be forced to pay more money to have it fixed or repainted.

That’s when I started looking into vinyl wrap for motorcycle customization.

Vinyl Wrap Motorcycle Benefits: Pros Outweighed The Cons

The more I read about vinyl wrapping a motorcycle, the more sense it made.

I Wanted To Make My Bike Unique 

I always enjoy riding to bike events and taking my motorcycle around the city, but there was one thing I started noticing. A lot of bikes look the same. 

Most riders never change the factory paint which is perfectly fine. Painting a motorcycle is expensive and takes a lot of time.

Vinyl wrap offered me an opportunity to test out new styles. From gloss black to metallic, carbon fiber looks to chrome finishes and even custom graphics, the options are nearly limitless with wrap. I wasn’t stuck with one style forever. 

I loved that I could change it up again in the future if I wanted.

Vinyl Wrap For Motorcycle Installation Was Therapeutic 

Motorcycle wrapping isn’t for everybody. I’ll be the first to admit that. 

The bike has curves, but it also has a fuel tank, fairings, vents and more. Tiny edges where the material needs to wrap perfectly around the bike. It sounds daunting I know, but it didn’t take long to get used to.

There were times where I had to cut a piece out and start over. Yet, the vinyl that I chose for this project was actually quite forgiving.

Vinyl Wrap For Motorcycle: Flexibility Is Your Friend

I was using a heat gun to slowly warm up areas as I worked my way around the bike. With the right squeegee and some patience, the vinyl wrapped around every edge I could think of.

You definitely learn to appreciate professional installers after wrapping your own motorcycle. Seeing the finished product was satisfying and made all of the headaches worthwhile.

Protection Was Better Than Expected 

Another reason I didn’t originally consider vinyl wrap was because I didn’t see the benefits past cosmetics.

After riding for a few months with my motorcycle wrapped, I was impressed by how resilient the material was. Things that would normally scratch and chip the paint on my bike were landing on the wrap.

I felt a sense of relief knowing that the paint on my motorcycle was protected by one more layer. Should something happen and my wrap gets damaged, it’s far easier to swap out sections of vinyl than to paint an entire motorcycle.

For people who plan on owning their bike long term, I think that wraps are the better option.

The Wrap Quality Made A Huge Difference 

I’ll be honest, I learned this the hard way. I didn’t realize how many low-quality vinyl wraps there were when I first started researching.

Photos can be misleading when it comes to color and appearance. Reading reviews helped me narrow down my decision to a specific wrap that other riders were happy with. I finally found a wrap that was made specifically for vehicle wrapping.

The material stretched more uniformly and the adhesive gave me some leeway if I needed to reposition it. Not to mention, the vinyl finish looked way more professional than my first wrap.

Saving money could have cost me hours of my life.

Why So Many Riders Choose To Vinyl Wrap Their Motorcycles

Vinyl Wrap Motorcycle: When I first started browsing motorcycles with wraps, I didn’t see them too often. Now that I’ve wrapped my bike, I see them everywhere.

Why do so many people choose vinyl wraps?

It allows motorcycle owners to personalize their ride without making permanent changes. Not only does it offer protection, but the design opportunities are endless.

Painting your motorcycle restricts you to whatever graphic your paint shop has available or what you can paint freehand. Custom wraps can recreate those looks and so much more.

If you like changing your style every few years, wrapping your motorcycle gives you the ability to transform your bike on a moment’s notice.

Traditional paint jobs can’t compete with that kind of flexibility.

What To Look For When Purchasing Vinyl Wrap

If you’ve decided that vinyl wrapping is right for you, don’t just look at color options.

Research which brands offer the highest quality materials. Watch videos on application techniques and learn how to properly prepare your motorcycle beforehand. Little things like properly cleaning your bike can save you a ton of time during installation.

Also, don’t be afraid to spend a little more on your wrap. A cheap vinyl wrap is going to cost you in the long run with lack of durability and frustration during application.

Vinyl wrapping my motorcycle was without a doubt, one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I was able to give my bike a whole new style without taking away from the original paint. While having the option to come back and change it in the future if I wanted.

Vinyl Wrap Motorcycle: I also love how well it’s protected my paint. Best of all, if I grow tired of the design, I can simply remove the wrap and start over with a new design.

If you want the ability to change styles, protect your paint and customize your motorcycle, vinyl wrapping is for you.