| Author | Message | ||
     Justin4612 |
I know i am picking the brain of everyone but i was curios how much up keep is there in having a polished frame. I have seen products like zoops to seal it after it is bright and shiny but i did not how well that works. I would hate to spend more time polishing than riding. Thanks for the help | ||
| Johnk3 |
i haven't used any polish on mine in a while. I just wash the bike with soapy water and blow it dry with my leaf blower. Sure you can see swirls if you get up on it, but from 10ft away it looks great. | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
john... what you doing tomorrow? Sunday | ||
| Justin4612 |
John, First let me say amazing bike. Do you have any clear over the polished aluminum. If it is not that hard to maintain i have picked my next project. Did you take off the triple tree or was it not that bad getting in all of the curves around the neck. Sorry about so many questions but i want my bike to shine also. Thanks for the help. | ||
| Johnk3 |
mike, i have no plans yet. I was thinking of going up to laconia/loudon if the weather is ok or painting the house. tough call. | ||
| Johnk3 |
justin thanks. it's really not that bad to keep up. i haven't put anything on it yet. | ||
| Koz5150 |
Do you have any problems with the frame leaving black residue on your pant legs? | ||
| Johnk3 |
not that i know of. I wear jeans when i ride and i haven't noticed. i'll look and see though. | ||
| Bigsherm9r |
Forget the clear coat, you don't need it. No black jean knees, and not hard at all to keep looking sharp. If you are the kind of guy to go through the trouble of polishing it, you're the kind of guy who won't mind keeping it shiny. Mine's been this way for two years, about 12,000 miles. Sherm  (Message edited by bigsherm9r on June 20, 2005) (Message edited by bigsherm9r on June 20, 2005) | ||
| Justin4612 |
Bigsherm, Thanks for the advice. Bike is amazing. I cant wait to shine mine up. The only thing is i do not have a garage since i live in D.C. and a garage cost a liver and the limb of your choosing so do you think it will still not dull and discolor. Also is that factory grey color a paint or just a clear and can you just sand it off. Since it is already smooth did you still need start with a low sand paper like 200 and work up to 1200 or can i just start using some black compound and start polishing. Thanks for the help (Message edited by justin4612 on June 20, 2005) | ||
| Johnk3 |
i used some stripper, worked so-so. They sell these small disks at the auto parts store made of some fiber, they are green (maybe scotchbrite?) and they attach to your drill. These will strip the paint off the frame and can be used to smooth the welds. smooth the welds don't remove them. just be careful not to go to hard on it, you just want to remove the paint. I had to wet sand with 400,800,1000,2000 and then use mothers. | ||
| Justin4612 |
johnk3, thanks that helps a lot. I can't decide whether to start know our wait till this winter. I don't want to waist any riding time but i dont have anywhere inside to do it this winter. About how long did it take you. | ||
| Onebuell |
Leave it stock. Buells don't seem to be holding value too well. The stockers will. | ||
| Justin4612 |
As i am sure that is correct although i take after my father. Stock sucks. If you don't do a little something different why have it. | ||
| Bomber |
I've read a number of negative reviews re: Zoops sealer, and none positive (outside of their ads) no personal experience, but I'm thinkin if the stuff really worked, you'd see it all over airfields and truckstops | ||
| Johnk3 |
I waited till winter. sucks wet sanding in freezing garage! | ||
| Justin4612 |
I think i will try and polish this summer. I will just have to really work on it so i don't have too much down time | ||
| Bigsherm9r |
Justin- Get a cover, they're pretty cheap, and your polish will be just fine. It would be fine outside all the time, you'd just be wiping the water spots off constantly. Also, a cover is about the best anti-theft because your bike will be much less noticeable. Sherm | ||
| Thepup |
Justin,I live in Fla and I missed no riding time polishing my frame.The swingarm took a day and the frame took about three days.I used aircraft stripper to get the paint off,worked in about 15 minutes,then I sanded with 100,220,800,1500 grit paper ,in that order.I then used a polishing pad and the green polish by Mabro.You put the pad on a drill and put the compound on and polish it up.I rode mine with one side polished to work one day and finished up when I got home the next.Don't be afraid of doing it and losing riding time.I still need to get around the steering head,but that will have to wait till I am stuck in the house for a few days because of a hurricane. | ||
| Justin4612 |
Thepup Thanks for the advice that makes me feel better about polishing this summer. Just wondering did you pull you swingarm off when you polished or just polished on the bike. Thanks | ||
| Thepup |
I pulled the swingarm off. | ||
| Justin4612 |
thepup when you do the steering head are you going to pull the triple tree and forks or just work around it. Just curios thanks justin | ||
| Thepup |
I'am going to pull the triple tree |
