who details their bike?

chinton · 01-15-09, 12:22

it appears that all forums discussing the detailing of motorcycles are pretty slow.

i got the jist that car products work for motorcycles, but im looking for tips on removing swirls/scratches in the confined spaces.

I've recently picked up a 2007 C50T (black) that has a few scratches on the tank and wheel areas that id like to minimize.

My brother got an 09 m90 (also black) a few days before that had swirls marks on all of the paneling (assumed from the assembly) that hed also like removed.

While I am tempted to try to zing over everything w/ my flex, there is no way i can get to all the places id like so im stuck going over everything by hand.

as a start ive got a few lake country hand pads (orage/white/red) and 1z paint polish (green can) as well as a few OTC products (meguiars) is this my only option?

Danase · 01-15-09, 12:27

If you use a machine try a 4" pad. It's what I use on my bikes.

Nice bike by the way. I was just sitting on a baby blue one at the International Motorcycle Show.

I just saw that you have a Flex. I'd look into getting a PC or similar style machine that will accept smaller pads.

Saleenfan · 01-15-09, 02:24

ive used griots 3 inch polisher before too and that worked reasonably well on my black ninja 650r

smprince1 · 01-15-09, 02:55

4" pads on a PC work very well on fairings, fenders, tanks, etc.

REVNU · 01-15-09, 04:05

I use 4" LC pads on my Black Gixxer. I used the orange and some Meguiar's 105 to get all the nasty scratches/swirls out, then went to M205 on a White Pad, then M205 on a Blue Finishing Pad. I topped it with some M21 Synthetic Sealant and it came out awesome! The bike looks like a pool of black oil and is for the most part swirl free.

I used M105 and a foam pad by hand on hard to reach spots that the 4" pads couldn't get. The M105 Finished down nice enough in those confined hard to see spaces that I didn't bother using a "polish" and just went straight to my LSP on those spots.

Make sure to tape off any nooks and cranny's, bolts, emblems, etc, as those area pain to get polish out of when it dries.

chinton · 01-16-09, 06:34

dang, so it sounds like the best option is to pick up a pc and 4in pads.

Thanks. if there are any other tips let me know as well

REVNU · 01-16-09, 01:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinton

dang, so it sounds like the best option is to pick up a pc and 4in pads.

Thanks. if there are any other tips let me know as well

TIP: Be careful of sharp/high edges/body lines, if you are using an aggressive enough pad/polish you will go right through the paint. Don't ask me how I know...

02zx9r · 02-09-09, 01:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by REVNU

I use 4" LC pads on my Black Gixxer. I used the orange and some Meguiar's 105 to get all the nasty scratches/swirls out, then went to M205 on a White Pad, then M205 on a Blue Finishing Pad. I topped it with some M21 Synthetic Sealant and it came out awesome! The bike looks like a pool of black oil and is for the most part swirl free.

I used M105 and a foam pad by hand on hard to reach spots that the 4" pads couldn't get. The M105 Finished down nice enough in those confined hard to see spaces that I didn't bother using a "polish" and just went straight to my LSP on those spots.

Make sure to tape off any nooks and cranny's, bolts, emblems, etc, as those area pain to get polish out of when it dries.

was this just on the tank? What do you use on the plastic fairings? I would like to hit up my fairings but not sure if it would make them worse

REVNU · 02-09-09, 04:09

On the fairings I mostly used M205 with 4" White LC Pads. On a few spots I used the M105 and 4" Orange LC Pads. I then finished down with M205 using 4" Blue (Finishing) LC Pads. Obviously all paint is different, so this may or may not work for you. Just use the rule: Start with the least aggressive pad/product combo and work your way to the more aggressive stuff. Good Luck!

02zx9r · 02-10-09, 03:49

Thanks for the reply. On my zx9r the fairings are in pretty good shape overall, the guy I bought it from several years ago said his daughter knocked it over in the garage but you can tell it was a low speed slide, the scratches on the fairing and stator cover.

I used megs Ultimate Compound on a few scratches on the tank near my tank pad and it cleaned them up nicely. I then used Pinnacle xmt ultra fine swirl remover where I could on the tank with a 6.5" LC white pad (which wasnt much room to work) and did the rest by hand. Used some Megs New car glaze followed by 3 coats of fuzion.

I would like to try doing the fairings. I have been contemplating getting the 4" pads for a while now, guess I should just go ahead and do it.

Thanks again

JohnKleven · 02-14-09, 01:01

I use handheld dynabrade polisher, with a cyclo polishing pad. It does a great job of getting into the nooks and crannies.

John

Spilchy · 02-14-09, 02:29

I had an old Mongoose BMX bike in the 80's that I used Noxon Metal polish on the chrome molly