80% of a paint job is prep. Drop the bike off and pick it up a couple weeks later and you can easily be talking up to 6+ grand for a paint job, maybe more depending on the color scheme.
On the other hand, spend a couple weeks working in the evening to sand, repair and prime, then drop off the prepped parts at a collision shop for pickup when they're done and the job can be as low as $600(what I paid to have a complete K1100 paint job done a few years ago).
Prep is just time, not too much tied up in materials, and fairly uncomplicated tasks that require a bit of patience and focus. If you want show quality, add in a couple days of cut and buff to completely eliminate any orange peel in the clear coat. That can be a very rewarding part of the job as you see the glassy shine of the finish come out, especially on darker colors.
