One big reason why we love motorcycling is because it is so easy to customise our rides. That said, customisation doesn’t have to mean turning your rockin’ Panigale 1299 Superleggera into a beer trike from Wisconsin. Or tacking on so many accessories until there's basically a Christmas tree.
Well, you could always opt for a custom paint job. However, repainting is permanent and may result in lower resale value, and reverting to the original colour scheme can be a pain. Plus, how do you bring yourself to paint over special editions?
A much simpler, cost-effective customisation method is here, guys. And it comes in the form of Stickman Pro.
I know, the mere thought of sticking something onto our pride and joy isn’t exactly the first of options. Exposed to the environment, stickers will more often than not start to crack and fade. Then as we remove them, we find ourselves between love and hate, bike paint and sticky residue. Cleaning that residue with WD-40 eases the removal somewhat, but all the rubbing will scuff the paint! ARGH!
Not with Stickman Pro, though. The Chinese have a saying, “Good no cheap, cheap no good,” and it certainly applies to vinyls as well.
Stickman Pro is the second range produced by the Malaysian motorcycle vinyl decal producer, Stickman Vinyls. Stickman Pro is their most advanced and premium line. What makes Stickman Pro different from all, if not most, vinyls in the market is the use of premium grade cast vinyl, instead of calendared vinyl.
Cast vinyls means that the constituents - PVC resin, plasticiser, colourant, etc - are turned into a paint by using a solvent. The thin layer of vinyl is then cured at very high temperatures (casting) to form a strong bond among the components, producing a strong, yet flexible film that is highly resistant to the sun, heat, tearing and scratches. It goes without saying that cast vinyls are more expensive to produce.
Conversely, calendared vinyls are made by melting down the same ingredients by using heat (approximately half the temperature used in making cast vinyls), instead of a solvent. As the molten vinyl cools, it is rolled through “calendaring” rollers. This is why calendared vinyls are cheaper to produce as the process does not include solvent and casting (mold) costs, besides using less energy. Consequently, calendared vinyls do not stand up as well as cast vinyls against long-term exposure to the elements, let alone abrasion by stone chips, road grime, petrol, and aggressive solvents that are part of motorcycle riding and maintenance.
Stickman Pro took things up a notch (or two). Being printed, means Stickman could produce an infinite spectrum of colours and designs. Additionally, a three-layer lamination process eliminates bubbling, increases durability against abrasion and exposure. Lastly, Oracal Rapid Air technology eliminates bubbling further through a patterned underlay which allows air to flow better.
Stickman places much emphasis on using the right choice of sticker material and adhesive that will bond strongly to the surface its applied on, and leaves no residue during removal. Better yet, it doesn’t claw off the paint’s surface.
We can look forward to great stuff from Stickman Pro in the coming months.
They are expected to launch their outer liner rim rapid decals and vector design decals in this month, followed by the Stickman Pro Bike Kit for sports and supersports bikes; the Stickman Pro Bike Kit - Small CC (for small bikes) and finally the Stickman Pro Adventure and Tourer kit.
Stickman Pro offers options such as body vinyl kits, rim kits, motorcycle numbers to custom decals. Take your pick.