2018 Honda-Motorcycle Touch Up Paint (5 OEM Colors)

The 2018 Honda-Motorcycle Vibe

By 2018, Honda was busy trimming the fat. The legendary Gold Wing went on a massive diet to look more like a sport-tourer, and the Africa Twin was busy reminding everyone that "tricolor" was a lifestyle, not just a scheme. The color palette that year was all about depth and drama-we're talking sophisticated heavy hitters like Cabernet Red Tricoat and White Tricoat. This wasn't the flat, "utility-first" paint of the 90s; these were multi-stage finishes designed to glow under gas station LEDs and look fast while parked at the trailhead.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the peak of the Thin Paint Era. In 2018, the robots at the factory were so efficient they could practically stretch a gallon of paint from Tokyo to Torrance. While the finish on your Matte Ballistic Black Metallic looks killer, there isn't much "meat" on the bone. These modern clear coats are notoriously soft and thin, meaning a stray June bug or a bit of road grit can leave a mark that feels like a personal insult. If you're rocking one of the reds-like Candy Alizarin Red Tricoat-you've got a three-stage masterpiece that is beautiful but fragile. Once a chip goes deep, it doesn't just take the color; it takes the depth, leaving the bike looking battle-scarred long before its time.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up a 2018 finish, you have to fight the urge to "blob" the paint. Because these factory coats are so thin, a heavy-handed application will sit on the surface like a speed bump and never level out. If you're working with a complex shade like Medium Red Tricoat, you need to build your layers like a professional: apply a whisper-thin base, let it dry, then add your mid-coat pearl layer to match the depth. Patience is your best tool here-multiple thin layers will always beat one thick one, especially when you're trying to fool the eye into thinking a robot did the work.