2006 Harley-Davidson Touch Up Paint (19 OEM Colors)

The 2006 Harley-Davidson Vibe

2006 was a hell of a year for the Motor Company. The Dyna line finally got its 6-speed cruise drive, and EFI became the law of the land across the board. Down in the paint booth, the variety was staggering-we're talking 19 different ways to make chrome pop. From the deep, soulful Black Cherry Pearl to the electric Chopper Blue Pearl, Harley wasn't shy about using pearls and tricoats to separate their bikes from the sea of silver and beige sedans clogging up the interstates back then. If you were rolling on a 2006, you weren't just riding a machine; you were riding a statement of high-gloss intent.

Paint Health Check

But here's the rub: 2006 sits right in the heart of the Thin Paint Era. By this time, the "Robot Efficiency" era was in full swing. The factory clear coats were harder than the old days, sure, but they were sprayed with the kind of stingy precision that only a computer could love. You've probably noticed it by now-the paint doesn't dent when a rock hits it; it shatters. Because those layers are so thin, a single chip on your tank or fender can look like a crater under a magnifying glass. And don't even get me started on the "soft" clear coat issues on the Vivid Black models that seem to pick up swirl marks if you even look at them wrong.

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing a chip on a 2006, you have to respect the thinness. Do not-I repeat, do not-just blob a giant teardrop of paint into the chip and call it a day. It'll sit proud of the surface and eventually pop off like a scab. Instead, you want to build your layers slowly. Use a fine-point applicator to dab a tiny amount of color into the center, let it shrink down, and repeat until the color is just below the level of the surrounding clear. When you finally seal it, you're looking for a flush finish, not a mountain. Patience is the only way to beat the robots at their own game.