Motorbike alloy wheels can be painted any colour and most damage can be repaired. All bearing/mating surfaces are masked before any work is carried out; brake discs like to be square to the wheel!!!!!!  The wheels have all loose paint and any nasty casting marks removed. The bare areas are then etched primed to provide maximum adhesion for the top coats of paint. If the oxidisation is widespread they are fully grit blasted before being etch primed. They are then filler primed to eliminate the majority of the casting imperfections in the alloy, smoothed and painted in any colour or effect required. The smoother the surface the easier they are to clean, the manufacturers finish is normally quite rough and this allows chain lube, brake dust and road dirt to accumulate.

 I insist that the tyres are removed to allow me to paint around the sealing lip, when the paint is fully cured I have the tyres replaced and the wheels balanced. I prefer to have the tyres refitted locally as I can trust the fitter not to damage the wheels as some tyre/wheel combinations can be very difficult to fit.  Powder Coating is a good cheaper option than having them painted but the colours are limited and the bearings have to be removed as the coating is heated to 200c. The same preparation and smoothing is undertaken before the wheels are powder coated.

The paint had started to flake and fall off due to the alloy oxidation underneath.

The primed and finished wheel.

GSXR wheels custom painted with gold pinstripe to the rim.