I've used a spray can and had a very good match.
I guess you were lucky there...
AFAIK is Honda using 3-layer candy coats:
- primer/ground/base: silver, light gray
- main coat: tinted, half transparent metallic
- lacquer/finish: again tinted, transparent finish
crucial are degree/shade of tinting, as well as size, colour, proper mix (silver & golden) and finally the density/percentage of the metallic flakes...
Nearly impossible to find a body shop willing/able to try mixing the ingredients for the ST1100 color coats... and if one tried the result looked weird at the end, especially in brought daylight (like hibiscus/marshmallow candy...
)
So I always ended up buying a new, factory colored fairing part...
Not to imagine finding the proper mixtures for a vintage motorcycle...