2016 Honda-Motorcycle Touch Up Paint (2 OEM Colors)

The 2016 Honda-Motorcycle Vibe

By 2016, Honda was busy proving that a motorcycle could look like a million bucks without weighing a ton. This was the year of the Africa Twin's big return and the Gold Wing's continued reign as the king of the open road. The aesthetic was all about depth and "liquid" finishes. We've focused our collection on the real show-stoppers of the era, specifically the deep, multi-layered beauties like Cabernet Red Tricoat and Candy Alizarin Red Tricoat. If you were riding a Honda in 2016, you weren't just riding a machine; you were riding a rolling mirror that happened to have an engine.

Paint Health Check

Here's the rub: 2016 falls squarely into what I call the "Thin Paint Era." Back in the day, a painter would lay down enough lacquer to survive a sandstorm, but by 2016, the factory robots had been programmed for maximum efficiency. They got really good at stretching a gallon of paint across a fleet of bikes. The result? A finish that looks stunning under the showroom LEDs but has the structural integrity of a soap bubble. On these 2016 models, especially those fancy Tricoats, the clear coat is hard but incredibly brittle. One errant pebble kicked up by a semi and you've got a chip that goes straight to the primer before you can even swear.

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing a chip on these modern Tricoats, don't try to be a "one-coat hero." Since the factory finish is so thin, a giant blob of touch-up paint will stick out like a sore thumb. For those deep Candy Alizarin tones, you've got to build your repair in layers. Think of it like building a house: lay your base thin, let it tack up, and then sneak up on the final depth. And whatever you do, go easy on the sandpaper when you're leveling it off-you've only got about half a dollar bill's thickness of clear coat to work with before you've sanded right through the "soul" of the bike.