Question by a Future Purchaser

[Catbird_imp]

As I prepare for a CB1100 probable purchase and try to do some basic research, I have encountered the warning "Don't park it in the sun" a few times.

I don't understand - what's the problem? Is there a weakness in the OEM paint?

[Lord Popgun]

All paint. It will fade. So will the instrument faces.

My service manager told me that if I keep it in a garage and not out in the sun all the time that it will look like new years from now. I hope so.

[Catbird_imp]

All paint. It will fade. So will the instrument faces.

My service manager told me that if I keep it in a garage and not out in the sun all the time that it will look like new years from now. I hope so.

Both the red as well as the black?

[Pterodactyl_imp]

All paint. It will fade. So will the instrument faces.

My service manager told me that if I keep it in a garage and not out in the sun all the time that it will look like new years from now. I hope so.

Both the red as well as the black?

Both the red as well as the black?
Yes, as the 'Gun says, all paint will fade with long term exposure to the sun. Red paint will fade faster than other colours as it reflects red wavelengths at the lower energy end of the colour spectrum (remember Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain?) and absorbs the higher energy blue and other wavelengths that sit at the higher energy end of the spectrum*.

However, Catbird, all is not lost. Good quality waxes and such will delay fade. A cover will help but may have other, disagreeable, side effects. Also modern paints are better at resisting the fade that plagued older cars, particularly red. I park my bike indoors and use a good paint wax regularly. However it does get ridden a lot and, when touring, will spend days, and sometimes weeks, in the full sun. After a year of ownership I became tired of the tank stickers telling me to use my common sense and removed them. Sure enough, where those stickers had been the colour was deeper than the rest of the tank. No problem as it was hard to detect and with time the difference is not apparent.

Basically, unless you intend to leave the bike in the hot full sun with no care the paint will fade, albeit slowly. In full sun the process will be accelerated. This is not a Honda problem (oops, it's the 21st century, so I should say "issue"). On all bikes, from Aprilia to Yamaha and all stops in between, the paint will fade.

Cheers

*it is a long time since my science master told me that so please, any nerds on the forum, feel free to shoot me down.

[Randy B]

All paint fades if left in the sun for prolonged periods, no matter what the color is. It's just less noticeable on darker colors.

[Catbird_imp]

I understand. Thank you guys for this information.

Just for the record, I keep my motorcycles in the garage under light weight m/c covers, but I was simply wondering if the CB1100 paint was subject to special consideration. Now I know.

[flynrider]

I understand. Thank you guys for this information.

Just for the record, I keep my motorcycles in the garage under light weight m/c covers, but I was simply wondering if the CB1100 paint was subject to special consideration. Now I know.

Nothing special, but red seems to fade more noticeably. Out here in AZ, where we have more than our share of sun, a red bike that's left outside will be a nice shade of pink in about 5 years Seat fabric will also deteriorate pretty quickly. I rode for six years before I was able to get a garage and learned the hard way. On the other hand, I did learn a bit about repainting bikes

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Black paint will burn and get a "rainbow" hue - like a pot that's been overheated.

The seat vinyl will deteriorate and split.

The gauge needles will fade.

It concerns me, since I'm taking it to work; and work is a sunny place in high elevations (4000 ft) and windy with some dust blowing a bit.

So, a cover won't do. That would scratch the paint more than preserve it. But I've taken to strapping a trash bag over the seat; and putting another bag over the instrument cluster. The switches on the handlebar...they'll fade; cannot be helped.

[Catbird_imp]

For you guys who must park outside for extended periods, maybe something like this type of cover seems better than nothing...

[Lord Popgun]

Catbird,

That is what I would like to have to use when parked outside. I took a cheap lightweight full cover and used my non-existent sewing skills and turned it into a half cover. I use every day at my friends place where the bike sits in the blazing sun. Like in the pic above it does not rub on the tank, etc. Not very good looking, but it works pretty good.

I'd like to get one like that. Of course I have a top case so it has to fit over that...