Motorcycle Help Please

[ExpressThis13]

ok so my mom just bought a 02 Yamaha Vstar (Nice bike) and its in pretty good condition but could use a little love from the adams line. The chrome could use a little tlc and I do not currently have any adams metal polish but I do plan to get some if you guys suggest I do. Heres what I am planning for both my parents bikes. 02 yamaha vstar and a 05 harley electriglide screaming eagle.

Wash

Clay

Focus Pads on a cordless drill SHR, FMP

Brilliant Glaze

Americana wax

Now thats the paint and for the chrome I was thinking

Wash and all that good stuff

Metal Polish

Brilliant Glaze

Done?

My moms bike does have some scratches on the pipes from the where the salesman tried rubbing it with some steel wool I dont know what number and its dull and scuffed so I am hoping you guys can help me out here. They are relying on me to the make them "bling" for spring time. Heated garage so thats not an issue. So those of you whom have bikes or detail bikes please point me in the right direction and help me out here.

My other issue with the pipes is how would the metal polish and brilliant glaze react to the heat? Leave em alone? Thanks for your help ahead of time. Oh yeah and Ive got plans for a PC soon for my own christmas present can you tell whos excited? THIS GUY!

[ExpressThis13]

I'd use Pledge on 'em....

Hardy har har chris. such a funny guy arent ya? I got them off that kick quick:lolsmack:

Good unto Mom!!!

I've used Metal Polish on pipes without any issues. Dunno what Brilliant Glaze would do with the heat from the pipes, I can't imagine it'd do anything negative but discolor at worst - which should polish off again.

 

As a side note ---- show Mom & Dad you're thinking of them by getting a set of bells for those bikes. It'd be a nice gesture and 1 that's highly regarded in bike circles. Relatively cheap Holiday gift as well

I will try to get pics of the damage done by the other guy and post em up. My dad has some bells on his bike that a friend bought him. Isnt it a good luck thing for you first bike? My mom just got it yesterday and she still has to go through classes so it will be probably within a few months that I will do all this its not gonna be this weekend lol.

[Chewy]

That would be great Chris. I plan to buy them their own metal polish anyway because 2 bikes = alot of chrome. I also plan to buy brilliant glaze as well to really make the chrome and paint pop.

 

That picture almost makes it look like the chrome may be gone and the nickel is showing now. Chrome is VERY thin. Looks like they tried to scrub the rubber from a shoe off of it.

 

Not always... two bikes can also mean NO chrome!

 

Well, nearly none... Mines only got some stupid plastic chrome covering the intake plenums now(old pic), but I soon will dispense of that.

 

You know what they say... If it don't go... Chrome it...

 

Let me know when you want to grab it.

 

Chris

[ExpressThis13]

That would be great Chris. I plan to buy them their own metal polish anyway because 2 bikes = alot of chrome. I also plan to buy brilliant glaze as well to really make the chrome and paint pop.

[Chewy]

Thanks for the info guys. A friend who is big into harleys told me a trick of aluminum foil. He said it will not scratch the chrome and it will fill in the scratches. Any one ever heard of this? Im gonna give it a try on the spot just because there is no way I could mess it up anymore anyway.

 

That makes sense, but like fillers in cheap wax, it's just a bandaid. Have you tried adams metal polish yet?

 

If you'd like to try some, let me know and you can pick up and use some of mine. Mine will go bad by the time I use it all, so you may as well try it. lol

 

Chris

[w0lfy]

Thanks for the info guys. A friend who is big into harleys told me a trick of aluminum foil. He said it will not scratch the chrome and it will fill in the scratches. Any one ever heard of this? Im gonna give it a try on the spot just because there is no way I could mess it up anymore anyway.

 

 

elaborate a lil on the trick pretty please

[ExpressThis13]

Thanks for the info guys. A friend who is big into harleys told me a trick of aluminum foil. He said it will not scratch the chrome and it will fill in the scratches. Any one ever heard of this? Im gonna give it a try on the spot just because there is no way I could mess it up anymore anyway.

[Chewy]

Eric, I have two motorcycles and I treat them NO differently than my cars.

 

The only thing I DON'T do is use VRT on the side walls of the tires. Only do this if you want to see your parents low side the bikes.

 

Chris

[Vzguy]

1) Bells are always bought for others, never buy them for yourself...

2) Wax wont hurt the pipes

3) Looks like someone tried getting YE old BOOT mark off the pipes.

 

Looks to be melted rubber from a boot. I had a plastic grocery bag blow into my pipes while on a run in NYC a while back. I Let the bike warm up a little and went to town with the 0000 Steel Wool.

 

Like I said all chrome is not the same, but there is some damage there that I don't think will come out. You can try some metal polish, but it might take some of the plating off that is under the chrome in those scratched areas. Most people just live with those types of scratches, or get new pipes. Pipes take a beating on bikes. If it were me, I would just leave it alone and live with the scratches...

[ExpressThis13]

Pictures added

[Chris@Adams]

Eric post up some pics when done!

[Vzguy]

Really weird that steel wood scratched the chrome pipes. Unless he used a scotch brite pad or even #4. I use 0000 or even Brillo on my Road King pipes (Vance & Hines), and never had any scratches at all. The Brillo works the best. It takes all the little surface crap off them. Little rust spots are gone... I follow up with some Adams Glass cleaner on the pipes, and they come out great. If there are scratches in the chrome, they are usually hard to get out, if not impossible. Chrome is very hard substance. Very hard to get a scratch out of chrome. Chrome does not have a clear coat like car paint. Always try a test spot before using anything on chrome. I have friends they used steel wool on some Rush pipes, and scratched them. I have Vance and Hines, and have no problem. Not all chrome is the same.

[70'sChevyGirl]

I don't have a bike but it sounds like fun.

 

Post up some pics so everyone can see what your up against.

[RyGo]

Good unto Mom!!!

I've used Metal Polish on pipes without any issues. Dunno what Brilliant Glaze would do with the heat from the pipes, I can't imagine it'd do anything negative but discolor at worst - which should polish off again.

 

As a side note ---- show Mom & Dad you're thinking of them by getting a set of bells for those bikes. It'd be a nice gesture and 1 that's highly regarded in bike circles. Relatively cheap Holiday gift as well

[Nordgrey]

I'd use Pledge on 'em....

 

 

Don't even!!

 

 

Eric, sounds like a good approach.

[Chewy]

I'd use Pledge on 'em....

[Kingsford]

Adam's Metal Polish is certainly a must have for a motorcycle.

 

I think the Metal Polish could possibly get the steel wool marks out. I couldn't be 100% without seeing it.

 

Everything else sounds good!