The owner of this Honda ADV350 loved the factory matte blue finish – and for good reason. It’s a striking colour that gives the bike a confident, purposeful look. But matte and satin finishes can be notoriously difficult to maintain. Unlike gloss paint, they can’t be polished to remove marks or scratches, which makes long-term protection an important consideration.

That’s where I came in.

The client wanted to protect the key areas of the bike from the scrapes and contact points that come with general use. After discussing the options, I recommended a custom Paint Protection Film (PPF) installation using 3M Matte Pro 200– a self-healing, hydrophobic film designed to provide invisible protection while preserving the original appearance of the paint.

For this installation, film was applied to the rear fairings and lower leg shield panels (the area below the step-through). The film’s matte texture was chosen specifically to match the factory finish as closely as possible, ensuring that it blended seamlessly once installed. Not all matte finishes are the same, and this level of matching is crucial for a professional, factory-correct look.

Each rear fairing received a hand-cut stencil, custom-shaped around the badging to achieve maximum coverage without compromising design details. The lower leg shield was protected with a single one-piece section of film, giving complete protection to a high-contact area that’s often exposed to boots and road debris.

Experience and product knowledge were essential here. Understanding how 3M Matte Pro 200 behaves during installation – how it stretches, how it reacts to slip solution, and how it dries – was key to achieving the clean, invisible finish this job demanded.

Before the installation day, I explained to the client how the hydrophobic nature of the film would cause water to bead differently on the protected areas compared to the untreated paint. This foresight allowed us to plan a matte-specific ceramic coating for the remaining panels, ensuring consistent protection across the entire bike. The coating provides UV resistance, makes cleaning easier, and removes the need for waxes or gloss products that could spoil the texture of the paint.

This was a project where every detail mattered. A different film, a different coating, or a less experienced approach could have easily compromised the look or even damaged the surface. The outcome here reflects not just protection, but precision – protection that respects the finish, the form, and the owner’s trust in the process.

To choose your tank or full bike Motorbike PPF, click here.