x2 yup

 

Bummer. a good reason my FLD hasn't seen soap or cleaners in it's entire life so far. I wipe it down and then use a spray on quick detail wax by mother's. For my polished aluminum, I use master formula metal gloss and sealer gloss: http://master-formula.com/index.html

It's a two step process, one for cleaning the other for sealing. I found it at the Long Beach Swap meet for $20 for both bottles. After using Flitz, I found this to be very long lasting and effective. Cases still look new and it's been 5 months now since last application. It took me about 2 hours to do them all using only my own elbow grease and that product.

Last time I saw a thread on aluminum polishes, the Mother's seemed to be the most recommended. I wouldn't toss them just because they are ugly right now, I'd clean them... but that's your call obviously. So what if the film goes away too? If you seal them after polishing, you will be fine.

 

Simple Green will do the same thing to polished aluminum. They now have a cleaner specifically for aluminum. I have some and it works great.
The suggestion to use the S100 to fix your issue is a good one.

 

I've been using Mother's Aluminum polish and a mini power ball on my '01 FXD since the second year I had it. That clear protective coat will dull anyway and I've had people mistake my covers for being chrome after I polished them and I don't even use a sealer. I give it one good polish in the Spring and one or two touch ups the rest of the summer.
Going out and replacing the covers with chrome ones will run you $1K even if you do it yourself. A dealer doing it will be at least $1.5K so I think buying some aluminum polish and a six pack on a free afternoon is well worth it. You can even go all nuts and get the two step stuff that FBinSoCal suggested.

 

When I had the POLISHED aluminum cases on my FXD i used the Mothers alum. polish with elbow grease, bare alum. will dull by itself over time, it's called oxidation. After I polished the stains or dullness out i applied StarBrite aluminum boat polish on the cases and that will also seal the surface. I've used Shout laundry cleaner 50/50 with water and my polished rims/wheels for the last 5 years and no problems, a very mild cleaner. You've got a job ahead you.

 

Hey Charlie, what's a mini power ball? I would assume an attachment for a drill? I remember some kinda thing like that from flitz...same trip?
On the mother's polish...I have probably about 3 years before I'll run out of this other product before I can try it...lol
How is it to apply?

 

go online and order a product called Heavy Metal Polish....its the best stuff I've ever used

 

Bob, The mini power ball is like you said an attachment to a drill motor. I use my cordless drill motor with it and it makes the job a little easier. The only drawback is that it's hard to use on some areas like the cam cover because of the exhaust so you have to go old school on some areas. But during maintenance work in the winter when I have the covers right off the bike, man it's nice to use that power ball. They have different sizes for different applications. I'm not saying Mother's makes the best stuff because that's all I've ever used and the two step stuff you use sounds interesting. Here's a link to their website so you can see all their products. It's easy for me to get it around here because all the auto parts stores stock their stuff.

http://www.mothers.com/02_products/05100-05101.html

 

That is very true chrome is the best solution, I have polished wheels and forks on many bikes, what I really did is wipe them with a cloth w/windex every few days, they stay shinny the whole season, never had problem. When I put it in winter storage, I apply a thin coating of mother aluminum polish, it holds up pretty good.

 

When you have aluminum covers, eventually you will have to polish them. Unfortunately for you, you "thought" you had chrome covers, AND you don't. Also, that "Awesome" crap somehow etched the finish on your faux chrome (ie: aluminum) cover(s). IF you are going to salvage the covers, you will have to use some elbow grease, I've also always had good luck with Mothers aluminum polishing products. Be prepared to have sore fingertips when your all done...Good Luck!