I'm busy at the mo painting up a 97 Rocky Mountain Soul in a nice baby blue (actually ford aztec blue or something - guess where i've got the paint from!)

anyway, this is going very well (see my gallery) and waning to keep a nice finish on it i was thinking of putting some lacquer on after the final layers to make it all shiny - good idea or not? and if I do I’m guessing the stickers should go on after the lacquer (as won't the hydrocarbons melt them?)

help & advice would be much appreciated!

you will need to rub it down before the lacquer

Lacquer's definately a good idea... just flat back the final layer of topcoat (the lacquer'll make it look shiny again - honest!) & chuck a few coats on just like you would with paint.

You see some cases where people have gone with stickers under & some with stickers over the lacquer - maybe you'd have to get a specific type of lacquer? I'm interested in that one too - I've painted plenty of car bits before, but my first bike frame'll be started soon...

new bikes have their stickers under the lacquer, but they're more of transfer thing (remember airfix kits and soaking them in water!)

the ones I’ve got are nice die-cut ones off ebay, definitely stickers not transfers

so, looks like I'll be lacquering (cheers for the advice), just not sure when I'll be applying the stickers....!

any definitive answer on the pre or post laquer question yet? i would be interested to know myself!

If your stickers are quite thickly cut vinl put them ontop of the laquer about two weeks after you have finished the job......they feel crud under the laquer and the thick ones may get caught at the edges and ruin the laquer.......

I'd only put very thin stickers/transfers below the lacquer.

A few painting tips:
(I'm assuming you are spray painting car refinish type products)
Take care flatting the solid colour or basecoat before lacquering a gentle scuff with about 2000 grit wet'n'dry paper is good.
Do NOT flat the basecoat if it is metallic.
There can be a recoat window with some systems, the lacquer will be ok if put on the basecoat within 1-2 hours. Any longer time and the clearcoat will attack the solid colour unless it is well cured (weeks)

Is it necessary to lacquer though. Spraying my bike tomorrow and didn't think of this