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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Restoring the shine
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Message started by PhilM on 07/30/07 at 07:39:36

Title: Restoring the shine
Post by PhilM on 07/30/07 at 07:39:36

Can adding some more clearcoat on top of the old stuff restore the shine?

No matter how much I wax my '97 bike I still don't get a really gleaming "new" shine to the paintwork.

Also, I've got a few chips which I plan to fill in by brush and get flat and I'm wondering whether to then put the tank and fenders etc into a paintshop for clearcoating all over - if that is a way of achieving a better glossy finish. Would that also get rid of any surface scratches?

I like the decals on mine (black bike/red & gold decals) and the paintwork is mostly good and so I'd really like to avoid a full respray.)

If I use specialised products to restore the shine, then it'll still leave me with the problem of having to clearcoat and blend my touched up paint, so I'm not really sure which is the best way forward...

Title: Re: Restoring the shine
Post by T-Mack1 on 07/30/07 at 09:31:38

Are they clear coated from the Factory? My '01 doesn't look like it has clearcoat.

I would say your best bet is to go to a paint shop and have them give you an estimate of what can be done. Sometimes they can "detail" the bike by buffing out he paint. Sometimes it's too far gone.

Title: Re: Restoring the shine
Post by PhilM on 07/30/07 at 10:28:44

T-Mack1 wrote:

Are they clear coated from the Factory? My '01 doesn't look like it has clearcoat.

The stock decals on mine certainly seem to be covered by a clearcoat that blends them in with the rest of the paint job, ie you can't feel the edges. Also on the edge of a couple of the chips I can see the two layers, ie paint & clearcoat. It actually looks as if the black is a matt or satin paint and that the gloss is all coming from the clearcoat.

Title: Re: Restoring the shine
Post by oldman on 07/31/07 at 19:56:14

Is the whole bike dull or mostly the tank? If your working with clearcoat you can wet sand (1500 grit my choice) the finish and buff it back out. After the paint dulls waxing just covers the dull finish. Wet sanding will take off all the old wax and dull surface. It will take a good buffer, you can't buff it by hand and one of those orbital ,two handed waxer ,polisher won't do it either. You ask about adding clearcoat , not without wet sanding.

Title: Re: Restoring the shine
Post by BigWes on 08/05/07 at 21:37:05

paint shop for shure. I would first do a through wash with soap and water, then do a clay bar, then re wash, and then do a wax. (i detail alota bikes and cars) that usualy gets a great shine. Keep in mind a good thourough clay baring takes around 1-2 hours. if its not the given effect then paint shop for sure