How to Paint Motorcycle Helmets-8 Steps to Follow
Why people love arts? Crafts and arts make emotional, attractive, and expressive. Also, bikers are no different. They want to adore their precious beast. Painting is another creative thing for bikers.
So, how to paint motorcycle helmets? Do you know it?
Well, not worry if you don’t know. You can’t deny the importance of wearing motorcycle helmets.
But, you also don’t want to wear an ugly helmet, which doesn’t express your personality at all. Shouldn’t you craft your bike helmet to make it look awesome? Customizing your motorcycle helmets with unique paint will make you stand out from the crowd.
That’s why first, you need to know how to paint a motorcycle helmet in an easy-proven way without damaging helmet quality.
In this write-up, we will show you how to transform your ugly helmet into a beautifully crafted one. Just sit tight & read on!

Should You Paint Your Motorcycle Helmets?
There is no compromise for safety since it is the crucial reason for wearing a helmet.
A colorless, dull, and hideous helmet will not give a true one-of-a-kind look that you want after wearing it.
Many experts recommend avoiding doing paint on helmets, especially if you don’t know precise helmet decorating methods.
They even damage helmet quality, which makes them vulnerable to severe injuries.
Make sure the paint ingredients and chemicals you use for the helmet should be safe.
Whether you are using regular paint or spray paint, harmful components may affect the helmet’s overall durability and strength.
Some companies even mentioned in their warranty card that painting or customizing helmets might void the warranty —but not all companies do it.
Ultimately, it is your choice why you should paint your motorcycle helmets.
However, if you follow a safe and smart painting method and know exactly how to paint a bike helmet, you can ensure maximum durability and safety.
How to Paint Motorcycle Helmets?
Be Calm & Self-Restraint
The very first thing you need before painting your motorcycle helmets is your patience. Be focused, give yourself enough time, and decide whether you like to customize your favorite helmets.
Doing it in the wrong manner may make it look worse. If you can precisely follow our guidelines, we can promise you that you will make a beautiful helmet painting than you expected.
We don’t know about your painting skills, but you can exceed your expectation with patience and single-mindedness.
Things You Need For Painting Your Helmet
- Painter’s tape Airbrush gun or paint spray
- Your preferred color for painting
- A large newspaper
- A pencil
- A water-resistant coat to protect your cloth
- An adhesive tape
- Markers and paintbrushes
- A pair of gloves
Now we will tell you everything step-by-step to a paint motorcycle helmet.
Step 1 — Take off the removable parts and clean the helmet
A paint full of dust and dirt is not perfect for painting. That’s why you want to clean your headgear properly before painting it.
Remove the removable parts from the helmet, especially the visor.
Ensure the helmet is completely free from dust and grease —put as much effort as possible to make it look fresh.
Remember to wear gloves to prevent fingerprints on the helmet surface.
Step 2- Pick an approved paint
It is vital to choose safe paint to avoid damaging your helmet. Some solvents contain harsh chemicals, which may ruin your helmet quality or weaken the plastic.
Make sure to check the helmet labels to know the type of ingredients harmful to the helmet.
If you can’t find any reliable information from it, contact the manufacturing company.
Take recommendation from them the type of paint you can use and which one you should avoid.
It is best not to do any painting on the damaged helmets because it will deteriorate the helmet quality quickly.
Step 3 — Select an appropriate design for painting
It is time to pick the perfect design for your motorcycle helmet. It is best to choose art, which with your helmet design.
If you are in confusion, take help from experts. Cover the areas with the sticking-plaster where you don’t to paint.
Make sure to wear a water-resistant coat to protect your dress.
Also, keep a big old newspaper on your table or the ground.
And, then keep your helmet on the newspaper. It will prevent the paint from spreading around.
Step 4 — Sanding
Sanding your helmet is essential to get a better result. You need to work hard to obtain a plain primary color for graphics painting.
A variety of sandpapers are available in the market. They differentiate based on grits like 100, 80, 60, etc.
You will need to use less sand when you use heavy grit. Keep sanding the helmet until the shine from the helmet surface goes away.
The sanding session may vary from helmets to helmets based on coating condition.
Step 5 — Go for the first coating
Have you already decided on the type of design you want to paint? Then, start your painting session with the first coating.
Before that, you can sketch your design with a pencil. Aside from pencil, tape, stencils, or stickers are also helpful to craft a beautiful design.
Now, begin painting using a paint spray or painter’s tape airbrush by going one side to another. Don’t repeatedly paint one spot.
Some spots may look too deep, while others look normal. Keep a balance among all the areas. Let the paint dry at least for 20 minutes after completing the first layer.
Step 6 — Implementation of design
You have just finished the first part of the painting. Now, you need to show your painting skill to paint on the motorcycle helmet surface.
It is one of the essential parts of the painting session.
Make sure you do it correctly without messing up.
One mistake may ruin the whole paint. Use the water paint and paintbrushes carefully to give a fine texture and color combination.
Now you will need to wait a minimum of 2-3 hours after giving a crafting design.
Step 7 —Use a clear coat
Once the paint becomes fully dry, use transparent spray paint to make your paint shiny, rich in color, and smooth.
Make sure to shake the solution to paint all spots evenly. Don’t coat a particular area deeply.
Apply 2-3times of clear coat to make the real painting long-lasting and protect it from damage.
Like before, wait 20-25 minutes after completing each layer. It will aid you in achieving a precise painting.
Avoid spraying the clear coat to internal parts.
It may damage the interior lining. You can use protective plastic paper to guard it.
Once you are done with your painting session, keep it a safe place to dry overnight.
Step 8 — Remove the sticking plaster
Take off the sticking plaster once the paint becomes completely dry. Be gentle while removing them.
Else, you may spread the glue from the plaster or damage the design.
Give a smooth rub with a fresh, dry cloth on the paint surface.
Now, your helmet is fully ready as a crafted helmet. Show the world how beautifully you crafted it!
Also recommended for you:
- how to make a motorcycle helmet fit better
- how to clean motorcycle helmet straps
- how to remove motorcycle helmet visor
- how to clean white helmets
Some Pro Tips to Remember For Painting Helmet
No paint on the face shield
Avoid using any pain on the face shield. It will disrupt your vision to see everything clearly on roads.
Take expert Help
If you are doing helmet painting for the first time and dive in confusion, take someone’s help.
You may damage your helmet if you don’t understand how the whole process works.
Use the same brand for all
Avoid using various brands for varnishes, primers, and paints.
Using different brands may cause an abnormal chemical reaction and ruin the paint surface.
Hence, buy everything from a single brand to achieve better results and save a few bucks too.
Choose bright colors
Bright colors make your helmet visible from distant places. Also, they absorb fewer UV rays than deep colors.
Use fluorescent paint or reflective tapes if you want to use subdued color.
Remove the previous coat
If you already painted your helmet before, make sure to remove the previous coat first.
Unless you remove the old coat, you can’t paint your helmet precisely. It will not be long-lasting and peel-off easily.
Work in a properly ventilated area
Make sure the place you choose to paint your helmet has a proper ventilation system.
You can select a location outside of your home. However, the area should not be directly exposed to the sun.
Use all the protective accessories
Safety comes first for everything. Make sure to wear protective eyewear, hand gloves, a face mask, and a raincoat/ aprons to protect yourself fully.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, now you have fundamental knowledge on how to paint motorcycle helmets.
We have discussed everything step-by-step separately and clearly to make you understand easily.
Make sure to follow each step appropriately, and you can add some of your creativity too.
Feel free to share your experience of helmet painting; we love to hear it.
Resources:
https://brainbucket.rumbleon.com/how-to-paint-motorcycle-helmet