| Author | Message | ||
     Gohot |
Ok after a bit of time lapse I'm back riding a Sportster. A lot has changed since my last HD product a 98 Cyclone. These newer Sportys have the rubber mount motors, wow, what a difference as to vibration.... What I was wondering is about most of the polished up aluminum... Is it all clearcoated? Seems that Mothers does nothing to the cam and primary and rockers really, nothing more than just a microfiber towel would do. Yea they wipe down ok and if I power wash (a low power 1800 psi) it gets clean enough, but the idea of polishing up everything seems to have been taken over in favor of a clearcoat...? Anybody know? Additionally this Sporty has cast wheels, will the 'C' model 21" wheel fit and the disc and axle and all work or interchange. Dang man, this time of year here in North Carolina, you gotta have a big fan, or ride a bike, anything to move the air past your body to cool off. | ||
| Xl1200r |
None of the aluminum is clear coated, but to get a good polish you're going to spend a lot of time doing it by hand. Your best bet is to just take it off and do it on a machine. You'll be able to polish rockers, engine covers, brake pedal, levers, wheels, etc. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Actually, I beg to differ. I believe ALL the "polished" aluminum is clearcoated. And all the rough-cast parts are either bare, or silver powdercoat. I don't believe HD lets ANY bare metal go out the door on a major part. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Beg all you want, it isn't true. It will oxidize if you don't keep after it. | ||
| Ratbuell |
They oxidize where the clear cracks. If they weren't clearcoated...why would you need a machine to get them to shine? I have wheels on my car that, once I removed the clearcoat with naval jelly, I can spend ten minutes on with a rag and some mothers polish, and get enough of a shine I can shave in the reflection. If you "have to use a machine"...its because there's a coating in the way. If the mothers polish doesn't turn black while you are rubbing it...there's a coating in the way. When Mothers is put on bare metal and rubbed, it turns black. When mothers is put on clearcoat or any other non-metal surface, it stays pasty white. My S2 sitting in the garage right now - and my S1W, and my M2 - all have clearcoated primaries and cam covers. I also have bare aluminum parts out there from car engines, if you'd like to see what a non-coated part really looks like. But...I only worked for an HD/Buell dealer for six years. What do I know? | ||
| Xl1200r |
The derby cover on my 2004 sportster would turn the polish I used black. If the part doesn't have a good surface to start with, it's going to take a long time to polish by hand. You may be right and some things have clear coat on them, but on the 2004 XL that I owned, the derby cover, primary inspection cover, levers, wheels, brake pedal, cylinder fins - all were not clear coated. | ||
| Greg_e |
Chrome and polished aluminum sucks, paint it black! | ||
| Crackhead |
why do you want to polish when you can ride? | ||
| Gohot |
This is North Carolina, and sometimes it summer downpours. Good time to do a little cleanup. | ||
| Phelan |
The wheel will bolt on as long as you get one of similar vintage. | ||
| Crackhead |
How fast are you going to get 1800psi from rain?  | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
This is North Carolina, and sometimes it summer downpours. Funny, reading this in High Point and it just finished pouringdown rain. And hail.  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
wait, you wash and clean a bike ? |
