How do I polish some dull marks out of the rear fender?? My seat has left some pretty good sized rub marks on the fender finish and I'd like to try to buff them out during the off season, since I plan on looking for a solo seat for next season. I already placed a piece of felt between the seat and the fender to prevent further damage. I got the bike out today (nice day with highs in the 60s) and took it for a quick ride. I came home and did a quick wash and parked it back in the shed. I wiped down the excess water and tomorrow I plan to use some Windex to polish up the chrome. I'm planning to then wax the tins and try to buff out the small marks and scratches in the paint finish. I have a small electric buffer and I'm planning on using it for the job.
My questions are - is this type of buffer sufficient to remove the marks and what should I be aware of before beginning? What is a good/decentquality wax/compound to use for this job? I'd like to use the inclement weather we're expecting over the next few days to give the bike a good cleaning. Then I'll probably get her all dirty again the next decent day we get!! Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated!! Happy Turkey Day to all!!

Gilmour

 

Well, my son does my bike. He uses Meguire's Car Wash, then uses Scratch-X and then puts Coor-X on top of that. All made by Meguire's. He has a hand polisher, also.

 

a rubbing compound to remove scratches and some kind of electric polisher or buffer, I use the mothers powerball mini, works great. keep it wet or you'll MAKE scratches

 

Can't recomend any solution for removing the scuff marks with out seeing them but, what I did as soon as I noticed them on my fender was, and I only use one seat so this works for me I put a layer of duck tape over the scuff on the fender not the seat, to keep the seat from causing more damage.So now the seat rubs on the tape.

Tom

 

Better yet I use clear heavy duty packing tape as it is clear and is less visable.

 

Duct Tape on your fender??? I did this but when I pulled it off it left so much of a mess, i had to go at it with Goof-Off, and when i got the tape residue cleaned, there was more scratches from me rubbing it off with Goof-Off then if the seat had not had any padding.

now I cut a square from an old cotton Tshirt and use it

 

There is a polishing compound made by 3-M that you can get at auto parts stores. it comes in a small (8 oz?) bottle. There are actually two types, one says "removes scratches and swirl marks finer than 1500 grit", an dthe other one is for finer marks (2000 grit). Get the one that removes 1500 grit scratches and use it on your damaged area (follow directions on the bottle). this is the stuff that is used when painting, after the final wet sanding. Will make that hazy scratched area shine like glass. If you have deeper scratches that this stuff won't remove, wet sand the scratched area first with 800 or finer grit paper.Keep using finer and finer grit paper (1000, 1500, 2000), then go with the 3-M product to complete the job. If sanding, you may remove some of the clear coat. If this concerns you, then prior to using the 3-M product you can shoot some rattle-can clear coat on the area, then wet sand with 1500 or finer, then use the 3-M compound. I have had excellent results using this method.

Edited to add: I haven't used a machine (buffer) to do any of this kind of work--hand polished with the 3-M stuff.

 

YEAH thats the stuff I use too, I know There was 3-M on the bottle. that stuff is great.

 

How about the detailing section...
detailing

 

Depends on the marks. Start with minimal tools and abrasives--you can always up the anty later. The idea is to polish and leave as much paint on the surface as possible. I was successful bringing up gloss with polishing compound and toothpaste finishing all by hand and about 15 minutes per spot. I used Tom's mint without floride, btw. Sometimes a ghost shows up ard your polished area, but not so much if hand polished.

hyway61