I'm interested in how you did the polishing too. I'd love to do that to mine..

 

Mate, I polished them while still on the bike and did it all by hand.. Not difficult but time consuming. If I could have bought 2400 wet and dry would have got a slightly better finish but still pretty good!

 

So you did it with sand paper?

 

CaptSalty, I started by using Scotchguard pad to get the clear coating off (didn't take long); Then I used ordinary sandpaper (200) to get the worst of the pitting and some of the welding leftovers around the mud guard nodes and break caliper nodes - (even used a small chisel to get some of the welding detritus off the forks around those nodes). then started with 400 wet and dry (a few goes with this) then graduated to 1200 Wet & Dry then 1500 then 2000. As I said in another response if I could obtain 2400 Wet & Dry I would have used this as a final polish but couldn't buy it in Brisbane but I know its available in the States. In the later stages I occasionally used a paint cutting product to see what was coming up good and where I needed to do more work. This was an excellent product as it also helped smooth out the finish. Also of course used Mothers every now and then and at the finish to bring up the shine. I did all this by hand which wasn't so hard but time consuming (being locked down because of the virus I had time on my hands!)

From what I've read I'll just need to give them a good go over once or twice a year to keep the shine up. Miles better than before and far, far cheaper than getting them re coated!
The last thing I did was give them a spray of furniture polish covering the brakes while doing so - Why? Because one day I asked our local HD outlet (Morgan & Whacker) how they managed to keep all their bikes looking so good while outside on the lot and he told me they use furniture spray polish all the time in their detailing. This was from the second oldest HD outlet in the world. They opened after the original outlet was established. That's not a bad claim from the other side of the world! Hey!

 

Carl, there's a few guys over in the Dyna section that have done it, I also did it my Dyna, local hardware store, look for Strypezz, use that first to remove the clearcoat, then it's all hand rubbing and polishing, I went with sandpaper also.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...ic-heavey.html

 

Aussiejack, Many Thanks for all those details!
As for furniture polish, I have found that rain-x waterless car wash & rain repellent works great for cleaning and putting on a shine.
It also does what it claims in repelling water.
The shine may not last as long as a good waxing, but it's a lot easier & quicker to apply.

 

Hey Capt, once you strip that clear coat and get those forks polished up, it's going to be a never ending battle to keep them clean.

 

Mods since I last posted:

New Mirrors and HD Defiance grips
New V&H Big Radius exhaust
Arlen Ness Air Intake
Custom Sissy Bar w/passenger
Mustang Solo Seat
and I modified a Lower Chin Fairing Front Spoiler for Harley Dyna. Not sure if i am going to keep it on or not.

 

04FXDI, That's where I ran across the idea and one of the guys finished off with 2400 W&D which gave his forks almost chrome finish. I couldn't get 2400 when I started the job. Will keep looking for it to get that last shine!

 

Check Amazon, I think I got a big kit of all the ones I needed. There is a ton of upkeep on them once they're done. That's why this time around I went with chrome forks.