[Mdn0123]

After buying my 2008 C109 a few months ago, I quickly got tired of the nice, but bland, custom paint the prior owner had done - it was a grayish color all around. I saw a vid of a cool blue/black BOSS, and wanted to get that done, so I checked around locally and couldn't get any professional paint shops to respond to me, so I decided to do the paint myself.

I watched a ton! of videos about how to do a decent job painting at home, got the paint (rattle cans), clear coat, tape, sandpaper, etc, and went at it. I got the desired effect on the paint job, but with me being new at this, the quality could certainly be better and I learned a lot in this process. Pics attached.

While I had the tins off, I decided to do the valve cam clearance maintenance as well and was lucky that everything was (mostly) in spec and I didn't bother replacing any shims.

Also while the bike was apart, I ordered some spike air filters that someone on this forum recommended for the C109 and they work fine after fiddling with the fitment. If anyone is interested, this is what I got: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0795DGQV3?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details (XKH- Chrome Dual Spike Air Cleaner Red Filter Kit Intake Compatible with Suzuki Boulevard M109R [B0795DGQV3])
I like these better than the stock/Gman inserts as they are out in the air more and they simply fit the stock rubber boot better than the prior stock/Gman versions that were on previously. And they look cool

If anyone is interested in the do's and dont's of painting your own bike, hit me up on PM. Overall, I would recommend getting it done professionally - it's a lot of hassle if you don't have the right equipment and professional paint.

 

[Mdn0123]

Oh, I de-badged the tank and plastic parts too - I like the cleaner look without decals and whatnot.

 

[Mdn0123]

They aren't symmetrical, but it doesn't matter because you only ever see a side at a time. I really appreciate the better airflow tho and this product actually seems like decent quality... All metal, good fit and finish.

 

[Mdn0123]

I did do the wet sanding and learned that this technique is really key to the smooth, shiny finish. The thing I could have done better though (well, there are several, but...), is to put more clear coat on. I listened to the general advice I got which is 3 coats of clear, and now that I put it back together, I see how easily the paint is dinged and chipped, which means to me there should be a better layer of clear coat on top to protect it. It also makes the final wet sanding easier if you have more material on top to work with to smooth it out.