Putting on motorcycle decals might seem like an easy job, but it’s a part of a build that requires a certain technique. To put not too fine a point on it, they can be tricky little blighters to make fit in the right place and stick down evenly. But transfers and stickers are very much the finishing touch on any rebuilt tank or panel repair, so it pays to get them right. Plus if you don’t, they’re only going to annoy you.
The main difficulties are those caused by the double curvatures on many of the surfaces that the decals have to be applied to, and the uncertainties of the positioning caused by being faced with blank, refinished surfaces. No matter how good the notes you made prior to stripping and painting are, it seems as if they’re never quite comprehensive enough.
In this how-to we’ll look at the application of vinyl decals with a few tips of the trade given by master paintsman, Jason Macdonald of Ace Finish. Time to steady those hands and break out the decals and tape.
Tools for the job : Plastic scraper. Masking tape. Pinstriping tape. Scalpel. Steel rule.
Cost : Decal sets vary in price and indeed quality. We’re using vinyl graphics from Image Works on our Ducati tank. The set for the whole bike was £65. Pinstriping tape is around £2.50 for 10 metres.
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| Having first measured out and made marks on the protective paper on the front of the decals so they can be cut to equal size, take the scalpel and steel rule and cut them out. For single decals cut square 10-15mm from the printed area. |
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Jason applies the first reference line using wide pinstriping tape. He’s following a line that’s 20mm or so above where the top of the Ducati decal on the left of the tank will go. We’ll set the final position in a couple of steps time. |
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| Run a piece of tape from front to back along the centreline of the tank. You might find that your eyes are the best judge of exactly where that lies, but feel free to deploy a plastic rule to enable you to make additional checks. |
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| This piece of tape has been put on the tank to provide an additional reference point and links the two bottom corners which, you would hope, should be symmetrical. The tape is quite flexible, so make sure you apply it straight. |
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| The centreline and the easy peel nature of the pinstriping tape make it easy to position a tape marker for the tank decal on the other side, keeping things perfectly symmetrical. The plastic scraper can be used to check for right angles. |
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| Jason has attached some thicker blue tape parallel to the rearward reference line going across the tank and a smaller piece at the front. Here he positions the decal before making a couple of biro dots on the tape and sticker for reference. |
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| This latest strip of orange tape follows the line where the top of the decal backing paper will butt up. You can even use the dividing trick like that illustrated in step five to put a strip at equal distance on the other side of the tank. |
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| Take the scalpel and remove the end of the tape that crosses the tank below where the decal will eventually sit. You don’t want to find yourself halfway through sticking the logo down when you realise the tape is still there. |
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| We’re pretty close to the point of no return now as the decal is positioned on the tank, along with a hinge of masking tape at the top of the protective top paper. Jason has remade the positioning tape line in blue for the purposes of clarity. |
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| Flip up the decal and then remove the backing paper. After that, working outwards from the centre, stick the decal to the paintwork. Work slowly and positively until the whole of the vinyl logo has adhered to the tank. |
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| Pull the protective paper from the decal. If you’ve got it right it will be even, minus folds or air bubbles. The tank is now ready for lacquer. Vinyl replicas like these from Image Works are probably better than anything that came out of the factory. |