Showroom look!

[John_H]

Hi all,

I have a jet black tank and I can never seem to get it to bling like new. I have used cut and polish on it but it never really gets that perfect finish I'm looking for. Any suggestions or do I need a professional to do it?

Cheers

[Paul in NZ]

Oh dear - cut and polish? I hope it was 'clear coat' safe or youve got a wee problem.

Clean the paint - protect it with wax of some sort and use a detailer for the final buff. Blacks a bitch of a colour to keep 'new'...

[White trash]

Plastic tank? They never look that shit hot anyway in terms of finish gloss.

[firefighter]

Cut and polish?

Polish then wax, meguiars or mothers is usually good. How old is the original paint? I would'nt have thought you'd need cutting compound on a newish bike? Anything more than that I don't think is worth it personally, unless your aim is to get it that shiny because you are selling it, even then overkill.

[John_H]

It's a metal tank and a 07 model. The tank isn't bad at all, I just like to get it really shiny when cleaning it and wanted to get a newish look on it. I have used cut and polish and it doesn't seem to have done it any harm.

[firefighter]

It's a metal tank and a 07 model. The tank isn't bad at all, I just like to get it really shiny when cleaning it and wanted to get a newish look on it. I have used cut and polish and it doesn't seem to have done it any harm.

Not to play the 'my dad does this' game. But, my uncle really does own a motorcycle repair shop, and is a bit of a paint guru- the old school kind who can pin-stripe (properly), and if you won't take anyone elses word for it, at least take his when he says not to cut and polish new paint like that.

Remember it's not an old Kingswood, it's an economically made mass produced bike with thin paint and less than optimal coats of that thin paint. Cutting new paint like that is just stupid. Polish and wax makes shiny not cutting compound.

[John_H]

Not to play the 'my dad does this' game. But, my uncle really does own a motorcycle repair shop, and is a bit of a paint guru- the old school kind who can pin-stripe (properly), and if you won't take anyone elses word for it, at least take his when he says not to cut and polish new paint like that.

Remember it's not an old Kingswood, it's an economically made mass produced bike with thin paint and less than optimal coats of that thin paint. Cutting new paint like that is just stupid. Polish and wax makes shiny not cutting compound.

Sure, I'm not doubting what your saying, I wont use the stuff on it again. I just wanted to make sure I haven't stuffed it. Trying to look at it objectively, it still looks like paint work from a 3 year old bike, which is what it is so I haven't ruined it. Perhaps I'm just being unrealistic but I just like to keep it looking as mint as possible. Do the professional groomers offer anything other than what's suggested here?

[firefighter]

Sure, I'm not doubting what your saying, I wont use the stuff on it again. I just wanted to make sure I haven't stuffed it. Trying to look at it objectively, it still looks like paint work from a 3 year old bike, which is what it is so I haven't ruined it. Perhaps I'm just being unrealistic but I just like to keep it looking as mint as possible. Do the professional groomers offer anything other than what's suggested here?

Just quality polish and wax. Seperate polish and wax rather than a 2'in1 kinda thing.

More layers naturally the better it gets. I usually put on 2-3 layers of each, this does'nt take me too long with the bike really. It's more about how clean you get it and making sure you apply it properly than anything really.

In the end if it's not getting shiny after all that it's probably the paint rather than the polish itself and a re-spray would'nt hurt if you plan on keeping the bike. Being black (i'm assuming) if you prep it yourself it would be pretty cheap to do.

[Hopeful Bastard]

Hi all,
I have used cut and polish on it

Cheers

:facepalm: I use cut and Polish on my car to get the taggings out of it.. :gob:

Just hope you havent taken the best life out of the paint.. Otherwise you will never have it looking like show room finish unless you get a new paint job on it..

[Gremlin]

I ride my bike :yes:

[Grubber]

Cut and polish?

Polish then wax, meguiars or mothers is usually good. How old is the original paint? I would'nt have thought you'd need cutting compound on a newish bike? Anything more than that I don't think is worth it personally, unless your aim is to get it that shiny because you are selling it, even then overkill.

I'm with this guy.
I do the Meguiars 3 stage polish on mine and it's black.
Used to use it on my show bike and it is awesome polish.
Mothers is a good drop too.
In saying that though, black is a bit of shit color to keep good.

[John_H]

I ride my bike :yes:

Yes you and the rest of all do.

[Virago]

The good-old cut 'n' polish may still have its place in reviving old and oxidised paint finishes. But it is worse than useless for modern paint finishes that are in otherwise good condition.

Old habits are difficult to break - I can't convince my old mum not to get down on her knees and "scour" her new vinyl flooring either...

[DEATH_INC.]

I do the Meguiars 3 stage polish
That stuff is the shit.:yes: That's what I'd use if I ever cleaned mine.

[John_H]

I'm with this guy.
I do the Meguiars 3 stage polish on mine and it's black.
Used to use it on my show bike and it is awesome polish.
Mothers is a good drop too.
In saying that though, black is a bit of shit color to keep good.

Is that available from supercheap or repco?

[DEATH_INC.]

Is that available from supercheap or repco?

Pretty sure you can get it there.

[Owl]

Remember it's not an old Kingswood, it's an economically made mass produced bike with thin paint and less than optimal coats of that thin paint. Cutting new paint like that is just stupid.

While I understand exactly where you are coming from, this information in regards to his S3 is completely incorrect. In fact paint quality is better than most cars in production!

Nothing wrong with using cutting compounds, but it's knowing what/what not to use.

[davebullet]

I just use a regular car cleaning (no wax) product - like Turtle, then finish with Meguiars NXT (purple bottle shit). Quite overpriced from Ripco or one of those places (about $50 a bottle) but lasts forever - esp. if you only have one bike. Meguiars seems to last (although I end up repolishing every 2nd wash anyway). Been using it on the 2003 suzy and people always comment on how new it looks and surprised at it being a 7 year old bike.

I've even heard of people using Pledge... not that I can bring myself to try that.

[Jim Shady]

Depends what your after. Showroom look, nice wet paint look. Wax wax and more wax. Polishing is replacing big scratches with smaller ones, thats it. Polish will "cut" the paint and wax is what makes it look "wet", or shinny. Modern 2 pac paint will only need polishing if you scratch it, otherwise it will stay shinny on its own. You can't really hand cut 2 pac, will come out duller than when you started, the paint itself is too hard, not like the old 1k laquers which are soft.

[Owl]

Depends what your after. Showroom look, nice wet paint look. Wax wax and more wax. Polishing is replacing big scratches with smaller ones, thats it. Polish will "cut" the paint and wax is what makes it look "wet", or shinny. Modern 2 pac paint will only need polishing if you scratch it, otherwise it will stay shinny on its own. You can't really hand cut 2 pac, will come out duller than when you started, the paint itself is too hard, not like the old 1k laquers which are soft.

Absolute bollocks!

Polish is not cutting compound! Polish is what gives the best finish, not wax.......hence why Meguiars recommends polishing as the final stage for car shows etc.

Many cutting compounds can be used to hand cut 2-pack paint. The key is using one suitable for hand cutting, not machine only.

[CookMySock]

Ah yeah cutting compounds will scratch modern painted surfaces, especially if applied by hand.

You need two things, it has to be bloody clean which means a cleaner than actually cleans and not some cheap shit car wash, and then you need a modern wax which means Turtlewax Ice. Ice on anything black is the fucking bizo. Don't be tempted to use the yuck oldskool paste waxes - they are shit compared to the modern stuff.

[Owl]

DB is back:brick:

I use TW Ice on plastics, other bits and it's great. For my tank (black) and other painted surfaces, I'd say it's the worst product I've ever used.

Once again, compounds can be used without scratching, but they need to be fine and suitable for use by hand! Machine is certainly better, but sometimes not possible to use in some areas. What then.........give up and say fuck it, can't be done?:weird:

[NOWOOL]

Bikes always look best in showrooms because the showrooms are designed to make the bike look it's best. Lights, mirrors, chrome and a dull carpet. Even a crappy bike looks good inside a showroom.

[Jim Shady]

Absolute bollocks!

Polish is not cutting compound! Polish is what gives the best finish, not wax.......hence why Meguiars recommends polishing as the final stage for car shows etc.

Many cutting compounds can be used the hand cut 2-pack paint. The key is using one suitable for hand cutting, not machine only.

Sounds like the word polish has a wide definition here. But after 17 years of painting cars, polishing means to cut. Compounds= "cut and polish", sound familier?
To hand cut 2 pac paint is a tedious excercise in wasting time, if its a showroom finish your after.
You can bypass compounds altogether if you use 3M's trizac system. You sand with 3000g wet used with a DA sander, and then "polish" the scrathes out with trizac machine glaze, witch is also an anti swirl (but takes ages, quicker to use a fine compund, but is not the 3M method), then you apply final hand glaze (wax) for final coating.
Or if your anal, you can get dura seal applied as the final step. They garantee it for 5 years before it will need to be re glazed (waxed).

Hope this clears up a little of your automotive refinishing confusion. If you need more educating in what it takes to get a "showroom finish", just holla.

[Owl]

Hope this clears up a little of your automotive refinishing confusion. If you need more educating in what it takes to get a "showroom finish", just holla.

No confusion at all and as I've been painting since 84........mine is bigger than yours:bleh:

Oh by the way it's "Trizact"

[pete376403]

Seeng we have experts available, how does a clay bar work, and under what circumstances should it be used?
(not thinking of the KLR, the paint on that is beyond salvage, but the car could use a bit of TLC)

[Jim Shady]

Seeng we have experts available, how does a clay bar work, and under what circumstances should it be used?
(not thinking of the KLR, the paint on that is beyond salvage, but the car could use a bit of TLC)

Used for removing overspray, will also remove light tar spots. Helps if you use a spray bottle with water, only a little water or will glide over the paint instead of gripping it. Surface needs to be free of dirt or you will scratch the shit out of it.

[Jim Shady]

No confusion at all and as I've been painting since 84........mine is bigger than yours:bleh:

Oh by the way it's "Trizact"

Oh your one of "those":rolleyes:

[BMWST?]

am i correct in saying that a clay bar is really a "polish" with very small particles??

[Owl]

Seeng we have experts available, how does a clay bar work, and under what circumstances should it be used?
(not thinking of the KLR, the paint on that is beyond salvage, but the car could use a bit of TLC)

What Jim said!

Personally I don't use it........tried it, but none of us liked it. We did find it had some entertainment value though!


Used for removing overspray, will also remove light tar spots. Helps if you use a spray bottle with water, only a little water or will glide over the paint instead of gripping it. Surface needs to be free of dirt or you will scratch the shit out of it.

[Owl]

Oh your one of "those":rolleyes:

Triumph rider?.......Yeah:msn-wink:

Wanker?.......Possibly:innocent:

[Crasherfromwayback]

It's a metal tank and a 07 model. The tank isn't bad at all, I just like to get it really shiny when cleaning it and wanted to get a newish look on it. I have used cut and polish and it doesn't seem to have done it any harm.

Dude...your tank is plastic is it not? I know the '05' 1050's certainly were/are.

[Owl]

Dude...your tank is plastic is it not? I know the '05' 1050's certainly were/are.

Correct on the 05, but there was a change to metal during 07. VIN 305060 onward apparently?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Correct on the 05, but there was a change to metal during 07.

Good job. The plastic tanks weighed a fucking ton and reduced tank capacity due to their thickness to retain strength.

[Owl]

Good job. The plastic tanks weighed a fucking ton and reduced tank capacity due to their thickness to retain strength.

Both have their positives/negatives.

Plastic doesn't rust, dent so easily and if it gets water inside it, you can stick your hand inside it to wipe it out:D Down side is it's heavier, can't take ethanol and if breathers get blocked for a period, decals can bubble.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Both have their positives/negatives.

Plastic doesn't rust, dent so easily and if it gets water inside it, you can stick your hand inside it to wipe it out:D Down side is it's heavier, can't take ethanol and if breathers get blocked for a period, decals can bubble.

The plastic tank on the 1050 is also about 20 fucking mm's thick! What a waste of space. Thread hijack and all...but now you've mentioned the decal bubbling, I was told of a product that lines plastic tanks and stops the decals bubbling. I was more than sceptical...but it actually works 100%. I've lined my RM400's tank with it, and the decals still look like new. And normally they'd bubble up and part company while the bikes were still in the showroom! O for awesome.

[Owl]

The plastic tank on the 1050 is also about 20 fucking mm's thick!

I've told you a million times to stop exaggerating!:laugh: It still holds 18 litres?:yes:

Be interested to know about that liner for future reference?:msn-wink:

[Hawkeye]

Can someone explain to me what this 'washing and polishing' thing is..:scratch:

[Owl]

The plastic tanks weighed a fucking ton and reduced tank capacity due to their thickness to retain strength.

5.2kg (without hardware) to be precise. Had it apart and couldn't resist putting it on the scales.:innocent:

[Crasherfromwayback]

5.2kg (without hardware) to be precise. Had it apart and couldn't resist putting it on the scales.:innocent:

Heavy! Now take the fuel sender out and see how thick the plastic is while you're there...

[Owl]

Heavy! Now take the fuel sender out and see how thick the plastic is while you're there...

That is without any hardware, including fuel pump/sender etc. Base is fairly thick though........and top and sides and.......oh fuck it......alright, it's a monster.:laugh:

[Crasherfromwayback]

That is without any hardware, including fuel pump/sender etc. Base is fairly thick though........and top and sides and.......oh fuck it......alright, it's a monster.:laugh:

Hahahaha...aye! So I'm fucked if I know why they used plastic actually!

[jonbuoy]

I´m not sure that in some show rooms they don´t use some silicone based products to make the paint that little bit more bling and wet looking. Bit like oiling up those swim suit models before a photo shoot.

[sak 44]

take it to your local paint shop and get it re cleared!