New Harley Question

[Brad519]

I just got a 2019 HD Street Glide Special  and was wondering if doing the ceramic coating on the bike is a good idea to keep it looking new. If I apply the ceramic coating would I later apply polish or just used waterless wash and detail spray on top of the coating (not same day but after riding). The paint had zero imperfections and doesn't need any corrections so is ceramic coating what I should use or just polish and wax? I have used Adams on my truck and love the stuff but the truck doesn't get as much TLC these days. Thanks for any advice. Not the greatest pics but gives an idea of what I'm working with.

[shane@detailedreflections]

You ask a loaded question. Choosing a last step product depends on you...what do you want to do and what are your goals?

 

Ceramic coatings are less maintenance but not maintenance free. It will be easier to clean the bike which means more time riding it. 

 

You say the paint is “perfect” and doesn’t need polishing. Here is where I would disagree. Even brand new paint benefits from polishing. It’s not so much to repair damage, but to level the clear coat for the best gloss. Our new vehicle prep includes polishing, just not as much as a vehicle that’s been used and damaged. 

 

If you’re going to go through the trouble of a coating done properly, don’t skip the steps. I will tell you that despite being smaller, it’s just as challenging to do a motorcycle as a car. That’s speaking from experience. And it’s easier to do if you pull the body work off the bike. 

 

To maintain a coating is variable on the coating you use. For Adams, you can top with ceramic boost, ceramic spray coating (not my choice) or ceramic wax. Or simply keep it clean with waterless wash. The choice is yours!  It will still need an occasional claybar. 

 

Best of luck!

[Brad519]

Ok so after taking a more in dept look into the steps:

1. Wash and Dry

2. Clay bar

3. Polish

4. Coating Prep

5. Ceramic Coating

Would this be the proper steps?

 

Then once those steps are final, I would just wash and dry it as needed and use detail spray over the coating?

I just want to protect the surfaces as much as possible but want it to shine as well.

 

 

 

[Dan@Adams]

6 minutes ago, Brad519 said:

Ok so after taking a more in dept look into the steps:

1. Wash and Dry

2. Clay bar

3. Polish

4. Coating Prep

5. Ceramic Coating

Would this be the proper steps?

 

Then once those steps are final, I would just wash and dry it as needed and use detail spray over the coating?

I just want to protect the surfaces as much as possible but want it to shine as well.

 

 

 

 

Hi Brad, yep that would be the correct order of operations. Polishing always comes before applying any type of protection product, since if you use a polish after a wax for instance, the micro-abrasives in the polish are going to at least weaken or possibly remove the wax layer.

 

After ceramic coating, you can wash with our blue Car Shampoo, Ultra Foam Shampoo, or Waterless Wash (for light dirt and dust). Me personally, for maintaining a coated vehicle, I will stick to our Ceramic Boost rather than Detail Spray, since Ceramic Boost is in the same product family as a ceramic coating, and they're designed to work with each other. Detail Spray will not remove the coating, but it is not the optimal product for a coated vehicle and could slightly detract from the water-repelling nature of the coating.

 

Edit: Beautiful ride by the way, wow!

[Brad519]

17 minutes ago, Dan@Adams said:

 

Hi Brad, yep that would be the correct order of operations. Polishing always comes before applying any type of protection product, since if you use a polish after a wax for instance, the micro-abrasives in the polish are going to at least weaken or possibly remove the wax layer.

 

After ceramic coating, you can wash with our blue Car Shampoo, Ultra Foam Shampoo, or Waterless Wash (for light dirt and dust). Me personally, for maintaining a coated vehicle, I will stick to our Ceramic Boost rather than Detail Spray, since Ceramic Boost is in the same product family as a ceramic coating, and they're designed to work with each other. Detail Spray will not remove the coating, but is not the optimal product for a coated vehicle and could slightly detract from the water-repelling nature of the coating.

Ok that makes sense.

Thanks for your input

[Rich]

That's a beautiful bike!  Congratulations!

[hemi1300]

I have had my 14 street glide special for 4 years now and I will say, be very cautious wiping her down when it gets very dusty. Harley black paint gets swirls extremely easy, they polish out within seconds but I have definitely noticed the clear is very soft. Thinking of trying the ceramic spray on mine to see if it reduces the amount of swirl marks it acquires over time