1990 Honda-Motorcycle Touch Up Paint (8 OEM Colors)

The 1990 Honda-Motorcycle Vibe

Welcome to 1990-the year Honda decided motorcycles should look less like mechanical skeletons and more like sleek, aerodynamic spaceships. Whether you were carving canyons on a VFR or crossing state lines on a Gold Wing, the aesthetic was all about smooth plastic fairings and high-tech finishes. We've cataloged the 8 colors that actually mattered from this era, from the ubiquitous Italian Red that made every bike look like it was speeding at a standstill, to the sophisticated Pearl Pacific White Tricoat. While most of the world was moving toward boring grays, Honda was still playing with depth, offering shades like Pear Presto Blue and Carmel Blue that actually glowed under a streetlamp. Even Blitz Gray Metallic remains a bit of a ghost in the machinery-a "phantom" color that reminds us how experimental the factory was getting with their metallics back then.

Paint Health Check

We are deep in The Peeling Era. By 1990, the industry had fully committed to the basecoat/clearcoat system, but they hadn't quite mastered the chemistry of sticking them together forever. On a Honda bike from this period, you're likely dealing with "delamination"-that's a fancy word for your clear coat deciding it wants to be a separate entity from your paint. Because these bikes are covered in plastic fairings that expand and contract in the sun differently than the metal fuel tanks, the clear coat often loses its grip. If your Gloss Black or Italian Red is starting to look "foggy" or has white, flaky edges, that's the clear coat failing. Once it starts lifting, it won't stop until it's peeled back like a bad sunburn.

Restoration Tip

If you see a rock chip, do not wait. In this era of paint, a tiny chip is an invitation for moisture and air to get under the clear coat and start the peeling process. Seal chips immediately with a high-quality solvent-based touch-up to lock the edges of the clear coat down. For those of you rocking the Pearl Pacific White Tricoat, remember that tri-coats are a three-step dance: base, mid-coat (the pearl), and clear. Don't try to "blob" it all on at once. Take your time with thin layers to build that factory depth, or you'll end up with a patch that looks like white correction fluid instead of a premium Japanese finish.