What is really strange on new Sportys is that there's still that black side covers, the battery cover and the oil tank cover.

Lot of people use to buy the chrome ones, but I think chrome is like a punch on the eyes. Too much chrome if you put also a chrome belt guard and a chrome belt pulley.

The only Sporty's color is right with that black covers is an all black Sporty.

So I'm considering to do something a lot different, painting it the same color of the bike.
But now it's the question, on a two tones Sporty red/silver (look at my profile to see the bike), what color is better for the side covers, red or silver?

I've choosen red, but I'm still thinking about it to match the tank's color, and maybe I'll ask also how much to paint them two tone like tank and fenders.

I know some places where they are able to mix and obtain the same paint of your bike...

The best way I decided to go with, is to buy two black covers for few bucks on eBay, scratch the black paint and let paint it the same color of the tank/fenders.
Lot of people in fact buy chrome ones and sell the stock ones.

Also if you want it chrome, I saw it's cheaper to buy two used black and go to a place where have a chrome job on them.

my opinion would be to paint it red, especially if you think chrome is too much (and i agree), silver would give the apperance of chrome from a distance.

my $0.02 worth for whats its worth.

cheers
crackers

Since I know nothing about painting i've decided to just buy the Harley ones that are pre-painted to match tank and fenders.

I've choosen red, but I'm still thinking about it to match the tank's color, and maybe'll ask also how much to paint them two tone like tank and fenders.

I'll say red, also, Mechano! I have the same two tone colors on my bike. Where would you get the paint match if you DIY?

My vote is for red, or red with silver in the middle to match the gas tank.

Since I know nothing about painting i've decided to just buy the Harley ones that are pre-painted to match tank and fenders.

I don't have all the necessary tools for painting. In fact I'll go to a car painting service. Lot of them do small bike jobs, some of them are able to work on plastics and fiberglass too.
Just to find a good one.

I'll say red, also, Mechano! I have the same two tone colors on my bike. Where would you get the paint match if you DIY?

I don't know if Harley gives a standard color definition for their paints, and don't know if they sell small 100grams cans of concentrated paint. But I saw some companies who work for car painters that have machines able to mix and obtain lot of tones with brilliant, metal and pearl components on them.

The problem is that I've to give them at almost a small piece with the color tone I want them to copy. Since I can't cut a piece of fender or tank, I'll dismount the smallest, the front fender and give them like a sample to copy the color tone from.

You can get the right paint and paint codes from your Harley Dealer. I think you can buy it by the quart from your dealer.

I am getting my covers and swing arm painted the same as my fenders and tank for considerably less than H-D offers just for painted covers. Granted, if you bought new painted ones from H-D you'd have an extra set but you'd probably never use the originals again unless you dented the painted ones all to to hell. Also I think H-D needs 5-6 week delivery on matched painted covers.

Red is the Base color of your two-tone paint so the battery / oil should be red to match.

btw- getting the paint codes for H-D paint is a PITA.. I found out I cant even BUY it in Cali cus of EPA rules ( its not water based )

but if the shop doing the job is worth anything they WILL be able to color match it. they can use a computerized color matcher to get it so close that it will be hard to tell unless you put the new paint right on the old paint & compair in noon time sun.

I am not only painting mine to match but haveing Flames done on them too ( I will post pics as the paint job comes along )