2018 Harley-Davidson Touch Up Paint (7 OEM Colors)

The 2018 Harley-Davidson Vibe

Welcome to 2018, the year Milwaukee decided chrome was "too much work" and went all-in on the "sinister" look. This was the era of the massive Softail overhaul and the Street Glide Special trading its shiny bits for a blacked-out attitude. We've managed to bottle the heavy hitters from this year-seven specific shades that defined the transition, including the deep, intoxicating Twisted Cherry and the electrifying Electric Blue. Back then, if you weren't rolling on a Vivid Black bagger, you were probably making a statement with something like Copper Pearl Tricoat. It was a good year for the eyes, even if the robots in the paint booth were getting a little stingy with the spray.

Paint Health Check

We are firmly in the Thin Paint Era, kid. By 2018, the factory robots had perfected the art of "efficiency," which is just a fancy way of saying they laid down the absolute bare minimum to make the bike look pretty on the showroom floor. The clear coat looks like it's still wet, but don't let that fool you-it's thinner than a politician's promise. If you've got a Vivid Black tank, you already know the struggle: you can practically scratch the finish just by looking at it too hard or wearing the wrong denim. Between the "Robot Efficiency" and the softer clear coats used to keep things flexible on those vibrating V-twin frames, these bikes are prone to "spider-web" swirls and stone chips that go straight to the primer.

Restoration Tip

When you're fixing a chip on these modern machines, especially those fancy multi-stage finishes like Red Hot Sunglow Tricoat or Twisted Cherry, patience is your only friend. Because the factory finish is so lean, you can't just "blob" the paint on and expect it to look right. Use a fine-tipped brush or even a toothpick to build your layers slowly. Apply a thin coat, let it flash off, and repeat until you've built up the depth. If you try to do it all in one shot, you'll end up with a dark spot that sticks out like a sore thumb. Remember: the robots were stingy, so you have to be precise.