Tough Bikes From RS Performance Coatings

This story is about a Menlo Park, California, industrial coating shop that started three generations ago, in 1966, with Bob Simpson’s granddad. We’ll cover what they did throughout the history of the shop, info on the bikes and which bitchin’ coatings do what. Not bad for one stinkin’ bike feature hammered out on the Monday before the 4th of July weekend.

The shop, RS Performance Coatings, wasn’t kicked off to paint custom bikes or cars. It originated as an industrial coating service, painting computer cases, industrial components and electronics equipment. Bob’s grandfather painted military stuff, satellite dishes, industrial steel and plastic components. “Most of the stuff was gray or beige,” Bob said.

They didn’t start to dabble with powder until 1986 when the product hit the market with three colors. “It was as thick as pudding,” Bob said. “Powder is basically plastic melted over metal.”

Since their strategic plan was always to stay on top of industrial coatings, they made a point to research each new marketable finish. Today they still wet paint (traditional coatings from House of Kolors and others), powder coat and Chromex, or ceramic coat. “We don’t pinstripe,” Bob said. “We’ve been working with the same pinstriper for years.” But they are capable of any wet paint graphics, flames, scallops, tribal, whatever. Hell, if you’re in the neighborhood, they sell Rudy’s 415 Clothing line in their showroom.

Now I’ll do my damnest to impart some of Bob’s expertise regarding the various coatings. Let’s start with powder coating. It’s generally a heavy, durable and chemical resistant coating that runs 4-6 mils thick. Remember the puddy, but over the years it’s improved immensely, into a substantial, tough custom coating with a ton of color variations including metallics and candies. They even have a powder coating workable body filler, today. The drawback is the UV protection aspect, since some are epoxy based, but hybrids don’t have that affliction. Bob uses mostly hybrid powder coatings from NIC Industries. “Don’t forget to powder your frame first and send a sample to your sheet metal, wet painter, to match,” Bob said. “Not the other way around.”

Next there’s Chromex ceramic coatings, similar to Jet Hot or HPC. They are thinner and some are designed for engine internals. They used one of these interesting piston coats on Gard Hollinger’s recent Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse customs external parts. It was a terrific textured coating and a strange color, but the finish was thin 1.5 to 2 mils thick and fragile to marring. “These interior engine coatings work well as dry lubes, thermal barriors and for heat dispersion inside engines,” Bob said. They can be use externally, but with some care.

”Ceramics are terrific for more precision coatings and exhaust systems, but the color black is the worst,” Bob explained. “Although most ceramics are great corrosion resistant products and terrific against UV they are thinner and more fragile than powder. Black is the worst for heat dissipation and scratch resistance. Grays and silvers work much better, but they’re not as popular.” For textured surfaces some of the ceramics work well because it’s basically aluminum suspended in the ceramic coating.

I asked Bob about painting engines. Donnie Smith regularly paints heads and barrels to match sheet metal. “We used a military spec black powder on my heads and barrels,” Bob said. “We didn’t even mask off the fins. Wrinkle is the best because every edge of the paint reaches out to dissipate heat.” They powder coated the rocker boxes, push rod tubes, nose cone and tranny covers to match the frame.

”You need to evaluate your riding style and climate when deciding on engine coatings,” Bob said. “You can wet paint them, but there’s a longevity problem with standard epoxy coatings. More and more the way to go is with ceramics. They are so thin they will expand and contract with the engine components. They capture textures and thermal resistance is terrific. Stay clear of smooth finishes on engines.”

Both Bob Jr. and Sr. have always ridden, so they started delving into custom applications about 15 years ago. The blue and white pearl bike is Bob’s daily rider. Not long ago he lost a lifter and sent small needle bearings flying around on the inside of his engine. Time for a teardown.

They coated the frame first with a silver base then blue raspberry candy powder. The sheet metal was wet painted with House of Kolors snow-white pearl, then a silver base for the graphics and finally a HOK Burple candy.

He also powdered the wheel rims and hubs to match the frame, then coated the spokes gloss black and left the nipples polished stainless. It gave his bike a tough road-worthy look. “We always tape off and plug mating surfaces,” Bob said. They tape off the entire inside of the wheel rim and plug all the spoke holes in the hub. They also make a point to plug all frame threaded holes and motormounts.

The other bike was dolled up to show off their coatings and finish flexibility at a Rod and Customs Bay Area, California, show. They used a black vein hammer tone, powder coat, finish with candy red fades on the frame. The sheet metal was sponged with silver for the flames then over-coated with candy red. It started with a black base and black metalflake.

“Scott long made the handlebars,” Bob said, “and we painted inserts for the Ness/Battistini pegs to match the grips.” Bob and shop fabricator Josh, built the sissybar, the top motormount, the battery cover and the tubing to hide the wiring. They modified the BDL derby cover for their air cleaner and ran a wild Grandeur auto-clutch to make the bike wild to ride.

So there you have it. Powder coating 101 and the men who studied its applications for over 50 years.

–Bandit

General

Owner: Bob Simpson / RS Performance
City/State: Menlo Park , CA.
Builder: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr., Bob Simpson jr., Josh Preston
City/state (or company contact info): RS Performance 165 Constitution Drive Menlo Park, CA. 94025 (650) 678-9216
Fabrication: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr., Bob Simpson jr., Josh Preston
Manufacturing: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr., Bob Simpson jr., Josh Preston
Welding: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr., Bob Simpson jr., Josh Preston
Machining: RS Performance / Josh Preston

Engine

Year: 2005
Make: Rev Tech
Model: Evo
Displacement: 110 ci
Builder or Rebuilder: Rev Tech
Cases: Rev Tech
Case finish: Black wrinkle
Barrels: RevTech
Pistons:RevTech
Barrel finish: Black wrinkle
Lower end: RevTech stroker
Heads: Revtech
Head finish: Black Wrinkle
Valves and springs:
Carburetion: Mikuni HSR 45

Transmission

Year: 2005
Make: RevTech
Gear configuration: 6-speed
Primary: 3-in. BDL open
Clutch: Grandure auto clutch

Frame

Year: 2004
Make: Mid West
Style or Model: Rigid
Stretch: 2-in.
Rake: 35 degrees
Modifications: Lots of gussets

Front End

Make: H-D
Model: Duece
Year: 2000
Length: Stock
Mods: RS powdered trees

Sheet metal

Tanks: Jesse James Villan
Fenders: Rear- Fat katz/ RS Performance-Front- none
Oil tank: CCI horse shoe
Other: Battery cover- RS Performance

Paint

Sheet metal: RS Performance/ Bob Simpson sr
Molding: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr
Base coat: RS Performance / Bob Simpson sr
Graphics: RS Performance / Bob Simpson jr
Frame: RS Performance- Powder coated
Molding: None
Base coat: Black Frost Powder
Special effects: Candy red powder fade over Black frost hammertone powder base
Pinstriping: Apparitions / Rory

Wheels

Front
Make: CCI
Size: 21in
Brake calipers: HHI
Brake rotor(s): Russell
Tire: H-D

Rear
Make: CCI
Size: 18-in.
Brake calipers: GMA
Brake rotor: Russell
Pulley: CCI 70-tooth
Tire: Avon 200mm

Controls

Foot controls: Pegasus Performance
Finish: Chrome
Master cylinder: Pegasus Performance/ 5/8 bore
Brake lines: Goodrige
Handlebar controls: Ness classic
Finish: Chrome
Clutch Cable: Motion pro
Brake Lines Goodrich

Electrical

Ignition: Todds Cycle
Ignition switch: Todds Cycle
Coils: Rev Tech
Regulator: CCI
Charging: Spyke
Wiring: RS Performance / Josh Preston, Bob Simpson jr
Harness: RS Performance / Josh Preston

Headlight: CCI peanut
Taillight: Old Time Stop
Accessory lights: None
Electrical accessories: None
Switches: None
Battery: Big Boar

What’s Left

Seat: V Twin solo
Pipes: RS Performance / Bob Simpson jr
Mufflers: None
Exhaust finish: Ceramic Cromex by RS Performance
Gas caps: Jesse James
Handlebars: Z-Bars by Central Coast Cycles
Grips: Ness
Pegs: Ness
Oil filter: Rev Tech
Oil cooler: None
Oil lines: Russell
Fuel Lines: Goodyear
Throttle: Ness
Throttle cables: Motion pro
Fasteners: CCI

General

Owner: Bob Simpson jr.
City/State: Menlo Park
Builder: RS Performance/ Bob jr.
City/state ( or company contact info): RS Performance Coatings, 165 Constitution Drive Menlo Park, CA. 94025
Fabrication: Bob jr./ Josh Preston
Manufacturing: RS Performance
Welding: Bob jr.
Machining: Josh Preston

Engine

Year: 1992
Make: H-D
Model: EVO
Displacement: 80-ci
Builder or Rebuilder: RS Performance / Bob Sharp
Cases: H-D
Case finish: Black wrinkle
Barrels: 80-ci HD
Bore: 3 1/2 .010-over
Pistons: Weisco 10-to-1 comp.
Barrel finish: Black wrinkle
Lower end: Stock
Stroke: 4 1/4-inch
Rods: H-D
Heads: H-D some smoothing & cleaning
Head finish: RS black wrinkle powder
Valves and springs: Manley valves, springs, and collars
Pushrods: H-D Screamin’ Eagle
Cams: Black widow 142 (550 lift)
Lifters: H-D
Carburetion: S&S E
Other: The piston tops are coated with our piston coat as is the combustion chamber of the heads and the exhaust ports. The piston skirts are coated with our ceramic dry film lubrication coating. The valve stems are also coated with the same dry film coating. The valve faces are coated with the piston coating. This makes the bike run super cool on hot days. Last week it was about 105 degrees and the oil temp never passed 200

Transmission

Year: 2006
Make: RevTech
Gear configuration: 6-speed
Final drive: Belt 70-tooth
Primary: 3-in open primo
Clutch: Rivera pro

Frame

Year: 2003
Make: Santee
Style or Model: Rigid
Stretch: 0
Rake: 35 degrees
Modifications: Minor

Front End

Make: H-D
Model: FL
Year: 1998
Length: Stock
Mods: Internally reworked- dampner tube brazed up and redrilled and progressive spings added

Sheet metal

Tanks: Sporty
Fenders: CCI front/ Flat trailer rear
Panels: none
Oil tank: CCI round with battery box

Paint

Sheet metal: RS Performance / Bob sr.
Molding: RS Performance / Bob sr.
Base coat: HOK silver-white pearl
Graphics: RS Performance/ Bob jr./ HOK silver base with HOK candy Burple
Frame: RS Performance/ Bob jr.
Molding: None
Base coat: Silver powder coat with Blue rassberry powder top coat
Graphics or art: RS Performance / Bob jr.
Special effects: Powder frame and wet paint match
Pinstriping: Rory/ Apparitions

Wheels

Front
Make: Akront
Size: 21-in
Brake calipers: GMA
Brake rotor(s): Russell
Tire: Metzler

Rear
Make: Akront
Size: 18-in x 200mm
Brake calipers: Performance Machine
Brake rotor Russell
Pulley: H-D
Tire: Metzler

Controls

Foot controls: Thunder heart
Finish: Chrome
Master cylinder: Thunder heart
Brake lines: Goodrich
Handlebar controls: Performance Machine
Finish: Chrome
Clutch Cable: Motion Pro
Brake Lines Good ridge

Electrical

Ignition: Power Arc
Ignition switch: Push button starter
Coils: Power arc
Regulator: CCI
Charging: CCI
Wiring RS Performance / Josh Preston
Harness: RS Performance / Josh Preston
Headlight: CCI
Taillight: CCI
Accessory lights: None
Electrical accessories: None
Switches: Electronic house barrel key
Battery: Standard Interstate

What’s Left

Seat: Custom solo
Pipes: Thunder header
Mufflers:
Exhaust finish: Ceramic Chromex
Gas caps: Flush mount CCI
Handlebars: Low rise flander style
Grips: Performance machine
Pegs: Thunder heart
Oil filter: CCI
Oil cooler: none
Oil lines: Goodyear
Fuel filter: CCI
Fuel Lines: Goodyear
Throttle: Performance machine
Throttle cables: Motion Pro
Fasteners: CCI

Specialty items: This bike was built to be a daily rider and haul ass!! This is a no nonsence ride

Comments:

Credits: I would like to give credit to my Pop(Bob Simpson sr.) for the kick ass paint, Josh Preston for the machining and the wiring, and to Bob Sharp for one strong pulling super fast 80ci motor

Contact info:
Bob Simpson
RS Performance Coatings
(650) 678-9216
I am located in Menlo Park CA. That’s dead smack in between San Francisco and San Jose on the peninsula.

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