Anyone who has a motorcycle can easily make their vehicle stand out and be unique, by adding custom graphic stickers. It’s a ridiculously easy way to turn your stock bike into something that looks like it rolled right out of your favorite road movie or video game. And it doesn’t take long! So if you want to personalize your ride with some new stickered graphics, here are some tips on how to fit graphic stickers on my motorcycle.
First things first
Prepare your work area and tools. It is important to prepare both the work area and tools because it ensures that you have a clean and organized space to work in, and that you are using the correct tools for the job. This will help to avoid mistakes and make the process go more smoothly.
· Tape measure
· Box cutter or utility knife
· Newspaper, trash bags, or paper towels for clean up
· Self adhesive vinyl graphics kit
· scotch brite pad or any same product
· chemical adhesive removers like:
o 3M
o Goo Gone
o Citrus-based adhesive removers
o WD-40
o Murphy’s Oil Soap
Before even thinking about sticking anything onto the bodywork is to clean the area thoroughly. A product is available for this called Stuck Off, which will dissolve any old adhesive products that might still be stuck onto the paintwork. If there’s no Stuck Off available then you can use some brake fluid. Either way, you’ll need to spray or pour generously onto the area and allow it to soak in for a few minutes. Spray/pour the fluid again and wipe off with lint-free rags until there is no residue left.
If any adhesive remains after spraying and wiping, then use a green scotch brite pad (medium grade) and rub away the residue from the paintwork. If you have been buying cheap graphic stickers from China on eBay, then don’t expect high-quality results from your custom stickered motorcycle – they will be more likely to fall off! In this case, it might be worth investing in a more expensive set of sticker graphics that are higher quality. Generally, look at where the sticker has been printed. If the font is blurry and unclear it will be difficult to apply correctly onto your bike. The best way to tell if you have a quality sticker graphics set is to look at the colors of the product. Don’t expect them all to match perfectly, but look for seamless variations throughout otherwise your custom stickered motorcycle might look cheap instead of cool!
After the Preparation
Once you’re satisfied that there are no markers left on the paintwork where you plan on sticking your graphic stickers then you can start preparing them for application. Peel off the transfer tape layer by gently peeling away one side – don’t pull quickly otherwise it might tear. Once peeled, make sure there isn’t any residue left behind (see the previous paragraph). Next, apply some water onto the bottom of each sticker and allow them to soak in for a minute. This will make it easier to apply. Don’t put too much! If you do, then it might seep under the graphic sticker and ruin your paintwork or motorcycle plastics/seat with residue that is very hard (if not impossible) to remove once dried.
Next up is applying the stickers themselves. Simply line up one end at a time and rub firmly onto the bodywork with clean hands. The more you rub with your fingers, the better adhesion you’ll achieve (the warmth from your fingers will help). Also, try not to let any air bubbles form during this process as they will make removing/leaving behind residue on your painted surface. That’s about it! Job done.
If you want to add some stickers to your motorcycle, but don’t want them to have adhesive backing so they can be easily removed, then there are other ways of sticking them on without causing any damage. For example, using clear plastic tape. It isn’t as easy to apply as graphic stick-on graphics, but this method is perfect for adding stickers that are temporary or frequently changed.
Best of luck with applying your custom stickered motorcycle graphics! We hope that this article is helpful to you. For more information about us, please visit us at: https://au.skda.com.au/