What paints better, galvanized or straight? Bumper Chrome paint?

HD calls them flats, but I don't know what they are really called.

Pieces of steel, 3 or 4 feet long, an eigth inch thick or so, and an
inch to a half inch wide.

I've used them but this is the first time I need to paint them, for
use outside. Which is better, the galvanized or the un-gal?

One pair of these things is going to be painted black for a cargo
carrier (attached to the trailer hitch draw bar) for which either I or
the shipping company lost two of the parts. If it rusts a little, I
can wire brush those parts and paint it again every few years. Or
should I use a primer?

The other is a bracket to hold rear turn signal lights that I just
bought for my still-working-on-it '69 Honda. I have a can of aerosol
Plasti-kote Bumper Chrome paint that I got at a yard sale. Never been
used.

I don't expect real chrome!, but will it at least look something like
chrome for a year or two? Or will it turn grey immediately? If large
parts of it are going to be grey, I'd rather just paint it black. The
can says "Chrome-Like Finish / Brilliant Luster", but I've seen other
chrome paint in the past that pretty much looked grey. Don't know how
old it was though.

I don't plan to ride in the rain, and I plan to keep the bike covered
whenever I'm not riding it. I've been good about that since I got it
3 or 4 months ago.

The instructions don't say anything about priming first. Do I need to
prime it? Should I prime it?

Thanks a lot.

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mm wrote:
What paint' best, galvanized or straight?
"straight" paints easier and hold the paint better....galvanized needs
no painting.

Bumper Chrome paint?

Doesn't look like chrome at all, just looks like silver. I'd go with
the black.

I don't expect real chrome!, but will it at least look something like
chrome for a year or two?

No.

Do I need to
prime it? Should I prime it?

You should at least wipe the item to be painted with some kind of
solvent, such as acetone or laquer thinner, prime, then paint as soon
as the primer is dry. Primer will not seal the surface and it will
begin rusting immediately.....unless it's galvanized, then don't paint
it.