We've tried to answer everything we can think you might want to know about the TrackWraps product, installation, ordering process and racer support. If there's anything we've missed, just contact us and we'll be happy to answer your questions.
To get started, click one of the questions to the right.
TrackWraps feature a distinctive, multi-layer composite construction that's builds upon processes and material selections we've tested for over half a decafe in the field through our parent company, DecalGirl. The process starts with a specially engineered (and expensive) cast vinyl material that has a number of unique properties:
We feel using only cast materials is the only choice for wrapping a bike - it conforms to compound curves, isn't prone to shrinking like the cheaper garbage out there and our formulated material offers what we feel is the perfect balance of initial adhesion, durability, print quality and clean removability.
Yes! TrackWraps are great on street bikes - they protect the OEM paint finish while adding customization that typically requires thousands of dollars in airbrushing or custom paintwork. The low cost allows you to change things up reguarly, and the clean removability of the wrap means that you don't take the resale value hit you do with custom paintwork.
It's also a great way to cover up road rash if you have a minor crash. Factory plastics are expensive - why pay $600 for a partial side fairing on your new R6 if you can just wrap it for less than a quarter of the price and get a more unique look at the same time.
Realize that the same basic concept is behind every NASCAR cars and alot of the wrapped vehicles out there. Not only do we go above and beyond most of the stuff you see by using higher-end raw materials, but we use a significantly higher print resolution. Consider that a vehicle wrap needs to look good for 30' away - we want ours to look good from less than a foot away, so our printing is typically at triple the resolutions used on standard wraps.
Again, it plays into the parent company's production processes - DecalGirl skins need to look good on devices you hold right in front of you; we're using the same printering equipment and settings to take that same vibrant, full-color digital printing that's known worldwide and wrap it around your bike. Take a peek at a wrapped bus the next time you're by it and notice the large dots up close - that'd look like crap on a bike and we wouldn't want the TrackWraps brand associated with that.
TrackWraps are made of a high quality, automotive grade removable cast vinyl. Like we explained in the previous question, the same principle (and even lesser quality materials) are used on race cars, rolling advertisings on vehicles and even race bikes. Alot of the graphics you see on never bikes (like the Honda CBR1000RR Repsol replica) have significant areas covered in vinyl. We go beyond that level of protection by adding a thin, conformable cast clear coating (in gloss or matte finishes) to each TrackWrap. This combination holds up well against most of the stuff you throw at, provided you keep the bike upright.
We've tried gas up to 110 octane, brake cleaner, wheel cleaner, carb cleaner and most other common paddock chemicals on them and they hold up remarkably well. I'd watch out for brake fluid - while we didn't see any marks after wiping it off, that stuff can mar up everything else on a bike pretty quick if not cleaned off.
One nice thing is that it serves as a sort of protectant against chips. Alot of times, your lower will get all chewed up from rocks and such - paint is brittle and hard. The inherent flexibility of vinyl does a good job of deflecting most stones and doesn't look as beat up - even at Daytona! Another thing we got to test first-hand this season was crashing... it actually helps to hold cracked bodywork together! The flame-covered GSXR in the gallery is actually bodywork that was crashed 3 times, replaced and then wrapped for a test.
Yes! We can work with Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator files. The maximum size we'll produce is one panel - roughly 50" x 50", but you're welcome to split that area into half and print one design on each half. There is a minimum $20 setup charge per panel for custom TrackWraps.
We can offer limited color-matching at the rate of $60 per hour - once we review your artwork, we can provide an estimate on that if it's a service you're interested in. Please remember that these are digital prints - we can't reproduce metallic or chrome finishes with a TrackWrap.
We can also do limited customizations to our stock designs - mostly color changes. For instance, if you wanted the Bones design, but wanted it on blue as opposed to white, that's entirely possible. Simply contact us with your request and we'll work with you to bring your vision of the perfect custom TrackWrap to life!
Factory and factory-style paint, no. The material is designed to adhere to the surface, but remove cleanly at any time. Again, it's been tested over the past five years through DecalGirl's line of skins for most consumer electronics devices. Most good gel-coat finishes on good bodywork should be fine as well; we've run it on the Sebimoto, Sharkskinz and Attack Racing stuff ourselves with no issues. Rattle-can finishes... we can't say; that stuff doesn't adhere that great to begin with.
That said, we've seen instances where it's pulled up poorly applied primer... like with anything, surface preparation is the key. If the primer or paint on your race plastics peels up when hit with masking tape or simple decals, odds are it'll pull up when wrapped. For this reason, we strongly suggest following our recommendations on primed parts.
The next time you're at the track, walk around the paddock and look at every 2006-2007 R6 there. Every manufacturer of race bodywork is different - if we engineered a kit using one brand, odds are it woudn't fit any other brand. We also wanted the TrackWraps to be more versatile - the universal panel approach allows you, the rider, to decide how you want the TrackWrap positioned and oriented on your bike. Maybe you want the camo pattern aligned with a line on your bike - you get to make that call, not us.
On a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being easy enough for a 4-year old and 10 requiring a degree in astrophysics, we'd rate it a solid 5, maybe even a 6. Our own experience doing track-side installs on test bikes this year with friends showed that within about 20-30 minutes, most people got the hang of the installation process and were able to run with it. Check out Jason's skull scooter in the gallery - after working with one of us for half an hour, he did the bulk of the rest himself. Just be patient and work with it and the end result is stunning!
We strongly recommend having a second set of hands available - you'll see in our install videos that one of the key installation techniques is that you stretch the hell out of a TrackWrap putting it on (it's made to do that). Having someone else to stabilize the parts or help apply it with pressure while you keep tension on the TrackWrap really helps. Check out or installation page for more tips and some video of us wrapping a few parts.
Remember, the smoother the surface, the smoother the TrackWrap will look when applied. If you've got a crappy patch job, road rash or some other equally nasty texture, you'll still be able to see that under the wrap. A little 400-grit sanding goes a long way towards smoothing out some of the roughness before cleaning the parts and applying your TrackWrap.
Honestly, the most critical part of the whole process is the surface preparation - and it's also the simplest! The parts should be washed and cleaned to get rid of any dirt, dust, bugs, mold-release compound, cooties and so on. For optimum results, you can even follow the cleaning up with a pre-paint cleaner like Surface Prep (available at most auto parts stores). Our last step is to clean it witha 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water on a lint-free cloth or rag. Take care to also clean the inside of the parts, at least around the edges - that way when you wrap around and over the edge of the piece, it's got a good surface to bond to and is less likely to pull up.
With every order, we actually ship the two most ciritical tools you'll need to install your TrackWrap! The first is a very high-quality, slim stainless retractable Olfa blade that features the perfect angle for detail work. The second is a sepcialized felt-lined squeegee meant for installing digital graphics - the squeegee allows even pressure and the felt minimizes surface scratches.
Your hands and fingers make a great squeegee as well - they allow you to work any bubbles out with ease in most compound curves and give you more flexibility than the rigid plastic material a squeegee is made out of. It's also a personal preference thing - you may find you work better with a squeegee or vice versa.
The wraps should be allied in temps of 70 degrees or higher; we prefer workin the sunglight as it makes them more pliable. For that extra bit of malleability, a good heat gun or even small propane torch (check the install videos - it's cool how they're used) do come in handy. In a pinch, a hair dryer will work, bit it takes a while longer to heatr the material.
Not at this time. We're looking to build a network of qualified installation centers via our dealer network. If you know of a shop that's interested in partnering with us to offer installation, please have them contact us. If you've done your own installation and would be interested in offering installation services to others in your region, we'd like to hear from you as well. If nothing else, we can refer people to you for assistance or installation and you can opt to charge for your services.
For maximum flexibility, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal and Cashier's Checks or Money Orders.
All orders are process by DecalGirl (our parent company), which adheres to the strict security practices required of a Level 2 PCI-compliant merchant. All transactions are encrypted by strong SSL encryption, we do daily network scans to ensure no vulnerabilites and follow accepted best processing practices for the handling of your sensitive data. Everthing is manufactured on-site at our 8,000 square foot facility in Lewes, Delaware.
We are members of the Better Business Bureau, Delaware Chamber of Commerce, Lewes Chamber of Commerce and numerous other trade organizations, with a global distribution network for our core product line. We have been in business since 1997 and the past five years have focused almost exclusively on the same equipment and materials that are used to create TrackWraps. Rest assured, we're not going anywhere and neither is your confidential information.
Yes - phone orders are handled by DecalGirl customer services. Please call our toll-free number (866-841-0922) and speak with one of them to place your order over the phone. Be aware that they do not provide technical support for TrackWraps - that's handled via email by one of us who has the required experience in working directly with the product line.
Yes - there's actually two ways to do it. The easiest way is to check out normally on our site and select "Cashier's Check or Money Order" as your desired payment method. With your receipt, you'll be provided with instructions on where to send your payment. As an alternative, you can download our order form and mail it in along with your payment. Please note that we do not ship COD - once your payment is received and clears, your order goes out.
All orders within the continental United States ship by UPS Ground; orders to Alaska and Hawaii are sent by USPS Priority Mail. Upgrades are available to UPS 2nd Day Air and UPS Next Day Air for a nominal charge. For our international customers, we offer USPS Priority Mail International or USPS Express Mail International as well as UPS Worldwide Express.
If you're local and will be attending an event that we're scheduled to be at, we can bring your order with us, provided it's placed ahead of time. Be sure to check our contact page for an updated list of events, but note they're subject to change depending on the forecast.
We do offer discounts to valid, licensed businesses with an established physical or online presence. Benefits to approved dealers include a listing in our dealer network, installation referrals (physical locations only), sales leads and more. For a dealer application and the requirements, please contact us to find out how we can help your bottom line!
Simply provide us with your resume, previous year(s) results and plans for the coming race season. We support all levels of the sport - from novice to expert, provided it gives exposure to TrackWraps and presents our products in the proper manner. Sponsorships range from discounts on TrackWraps to free products, free or discounted replacement pieces during the season and a listing on our sponsored rider page.
We work closely with our riders, frequently creating limited-run special TrackWraps to help draw attention to the bikes when they're out on the track. Keep an eye out for a TrackWraps supported racer at your next event!
Our current plan is to offer product-certificate contingencies for the top four places (amateur and expert) in a variety of classes. The planned requirements include at least a portion fo the bike wrapped (ie, at least one of our "panels" used), supplied TrackWraps logos on each side of the bike, a filed annual form with us and a completed contingency form with a supported racing organizaion. Please note that we will only pay out on races that start with a minimum of 8 riders.
As of the end of 2008, the targeted amounts are: 1st Place - $50, 2nd Place - $30, 3rd Place - $20 and 4th place - $10. Certificates can be redeemed on orders placed online, over the phone or by mail and are valid on any regular kit or repair panel.
Have you ever tried pre-cut vinyl number plates? We did - and threw our hands up in frustration after an hour. It's the same as the idea of pre-cutting a wrap - no two bodywork manufacturers are the same. The solution was to use the same sort of cast vinyl, complete with channeled adhesive for no air bubbles to allow you to put your own plates on, trimmed the way you want them.
Plate kits start at $20 as an add-on for your order. Each kit is available in different sizes and a variety of colors.
Yes - we offer similar support to professional stunters or those who have a history of competition. Please see the requirements listed under "How do I get sponsored?" question for more information.
