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

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

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

[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 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. 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?