Pannier repaint?

[Bikerstu]

Hi All, I've managed to get some of the last new Honda panniers to come to the UK (due July).  Unfortunately they are Pearl Glare White and my CR is Graphite Black.  Although this is OK-ish - I won't be able to see them when riding  - I was wondering whether it would be fairly easy to repaint?  If so what about doing this myself with a spray can? How durable would this be on a plastic flexy pannier cover? Special paint? Would such a repaint be susceptible to scratching revealing the base (white) colour? 

I've seen advertising for a transparent film on a well known auction site, this would protect any repaint, anyone used this? Supposed to be easy to apply, is it? Good job or easy to spot?  What about a coloured film, anyone tried (interesting shape to cover but well established in the car world)?

Any views/comments most welcome 

[Lars]

Hello,

unless you really know what you are doing I would not use a spraycan because getting just some paint from a can to properly stick on a treated plastic surface is not exactly easy also in my opinion it looks extremely crap and is a bit of an "unworthy" approach for our beautiful VFR.

I would go for foil. I dont know about the prices in the UK but I happen to have a shop like that around the corner, yes Its going to cost 100 or 200 EUR around here but it would be worth it for me. The difference in quality between lets say me applying foil and a shop doing it properly is astronomical. If you look at how much care they take to get every last single air bubble out and to make sure that the foil has zero wrinkles its astounding. Also someone has to get the economy going again right ?

Lars

[Bikerstu]

Hi Lars, thanks for the reply, you make some good points.  I am pretty confident with a spray can, although I have also used a local paint shop for bigger items.  My main concern was exactly as you describe in getting the appropriate paint to adhere to the flexible plastic surface of a pannier.

I'm unsure whether a transparent plastic film/foil can be easily applied successfully at home, as suggested elsewhere, and a professionally applied colour matched foil might be the way to go, especially given the added protection this should give to the pannier.

As you correctly say, I don't want to spoil the way the beautiful bike looks in any way. More research required methinks!

Stu

[voodoo]

You could try sprayplast/plastidip.

[Gramps99]

A graphic in a suitable matching colour to go on the white pannier ?
I have white panniers on a red crossrunner, which someone said would look good with the English flag on.
I have got used to my bikes look though.

[Jonnyteabag]

Just a thought but if you leave them white the bike is much more visible from behind
JT

[Bikerstu]

Some excellent ideas and comments there.  I've never come across the sprayplast/plastidip before and the idea that you can just peel it off if it doesn't work is appealing, might just try it to see what they look like - when they arrive.