Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I’m about to spill the beans on my “diamond harley” project. It was a wild ride, lemme tell ya.
So, first things first, I stumbled upon this crazy idea after seeing some custom motorcycle art online. I was like, “Damn, I gotta try that!” The initial vision was a super blinged-out Harley Davidson – think diamonds, chrome, and enough sparkle to blind a small country.
Started by sketching out some rough designs. I’m no artist, mind you, but I needed a roadmap. I figured out where I wanted the “diamond” accents – mostly on the tank, fenders, and maybe a touch on the engine. Keepin’ it classy, y’know?
Next up, sourced the “diamonds.” I wasn’t about to use real diamonds, are you crazy? I hit up my local craft store and loaded up on a ton of those acrylic rhinestones – different sizes, different colors, the whole shebang. Gotta have options!
Then came the fun part (or so I thought). I cleaned the bike like it was going to meet the Queen. Every nook and cranny had to be spotless for the adhesive to stick properly. Prep work is key, people!
Started gluing those suckers on. One. By. One. Let me tell you, my fingers were cramping like crazy. I used a strong adhesive – the kind that’s supposed to bond anything to anything. Thought I was being clever. Turns out, some of those rhinestones were a little wonky, so I had to readjust and re-glue… a LOT.
Hours later, the tank was lookin’ pretty good. Sparkly, even. I moved on to the fenders, which were a bit trickier ’cause of the curves. Had to get creative with the rhinestone placement. Lotta trial and error involved.
Now, here’s where things went sideways. After a few days, I noticed some of the rhinestones were starting to peel off. Turns out, the adhesive wasn’t as strong as I thought, especially with the vibrations from the bike. Major bummer.
Decided to change strategy. Scrapped the individual rhinestones and switched to these adhesive rhinestone sheets. They’re basically big stickers covered in tiny rhinestones. Much faster to apply, and they seemed to hold up better.
Covered the remaining areas with the rhinestone sheets, trimmed the edges, and sealed everything with a clear coat. It actually looked pretty damn good! Not exactly the “diamond harley” I originally envisioned, but still super flashy.
But wait, there’s more! After a few rides, the rhinestone sheets started to crack and peel in places where the bike flexed. Apparently, even rhinestone sheets aren’t made for motorcycle abuse.
Said screw it! After all that time and effort, I had to admit defeat. The “diamond harley” was a bust. But you know what? I learned a ton. I learned about adhesives, about surface prep, and most importantly, about the limits of rhinestones on a vibrating machine.
So, the bike’s back to its original paint job now. A little less blingy, but a lot more reliable. Would I try something like this again? Maybe. But next time, I’m definitely doing some more research on durable materials. Live and learn, right?
Moral of the story: Sometimes, the craziest ideas don’t work out. But hey, at least you got a good story out of it!
