Headlight Lens Restoration System?

[0Face]

Has anybody tried this on the FJR Headlight?

Headlight Restoration System

 

[El Toro Joe]

Toothpaste is also supposed to work

 

[Warpdrv]

As Joe suggested - here ya go, see for yourself....

 

[Bounce]

I've used this on my bike and cars and it's always worked and been easy.

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G1900K-Headlight-Plastic-Restoration/dp/B001O7I7FS

 

[RadioHowie]

WHOLE lotta negative reviews on the Amazon page.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I've used this on more lens's than I can count here..

and it's double duty, hides sanding marks in paint after hitting with 1200 grit.

11 to 14 bucks depending on the joint selling.

 

[TomInPA]

Any of the acrylic polishs will work, and even better, sand the lens with 1000 grit or finer emery paper before polishing. Best results are with a machine orbital polisher, but be careful to keep the surface wet, or it can burn I have done headlights windshields and even helmet visors. So if you want to practice on something disposable, go grab an old helmet visor.

 

[0Face]

My Headlights aren't massively bad. I'm hesitant to attach sandpaper to a drill and have it rotating on plastic.

I could practice on my neighbor's car.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I've done 'em by hand Marty.. Never sanded a single.

If they get so bad the plastic gets white or scratches with a fingernail, the plastic is toast anyway.
Lens's are similar to our windscreens, they have a scratch proof coating on them and once that's gone they need this done every few months to preserve them.

 

[HotRodZilla]

What Barry said. Once they start to get foggy, they are toast. I have yet to see a product that makes the lenses look like the picture on the box. I do it to my truck every now and then, but I need to just suck it up and buy new headlight housings.

 

[Warpdrv]

we have a service center and use a kit to do the job, I can attest you can make them look good again but don't need a kit....

Plastic gets oxidized, no different then paint - which under a microscope creates a hill and valley mountainous looking surface. it can be polished back to smooth and be fine for many many more years to come..... The ToothPaste trick works by using a fine grit polish, more like a super fine sandpaper....

Try it out on your tail lights and see what the results look like, I'm sure you can notice that there is dirt that has pitted the plastic from the rear wheel. Your not going to damage anything here - its good enough for your teeth, do you value your bikes lenses more then your teeth or ?!!??!

Unless of course when you look in the mirror your used to seeing this ??!?!

 

[Fred W]

I've not been able to keep a headlight on the bike long enough to have it oxidize. First one got taken out by a Bambi and the second one by a BMW F800GS.

But I have a lot of experience with oxidized headlights on cars, specifically SAAB 9-3 sport sedans. If the lens is sandblasted badly you can wet sand the surface down first, then hit it with rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound. A mechanical buffer will speed the material removal, but also increases the chance of screwing it up by over heating.

Now, here's the rub (get it?) , after you get the surface all polished and clear, because you've removed the outer UV coating in the polishing process (if it wasn't sandblasted off already) the plastic will re-fog very quickly from the sun. You can try using a plastic protect-ant, which is like sunscreen for the plastic, but you have to keep up with it because that stuff doesn't last all that long.

There are also some some spray on coatings that can be professionally applied, but i am unaware of any you can by for DIY use, unless it comes in one of the "headlight restoration kits".

But when it gets really bad, you can always just spring ~ $250 for a new bucket.

 

[900gc]

Never used a dedicated kit, just rubbing compound followed by polishing compound followed by plastic polish (which a kit is anyway). If the lenses were bad to start, I'd use a drill motor for the heavy lifting and finished off by hand polishing. If the lenses weren't too bad, I'd forgo the drill and just hand polish. The easiest way with the best results usually needs 2-3 steps. Then you can protect them with a clear film such as:

https://www.lamin-x.com/Yamaha-FJR-s/1048.htm

Most if not all film mfgs. use UV-inhibitor mat'l so they stay clear too. I did my BMW car and my Honda Pilot. The Pilot is an '07 with 110k and the headlight film is still clear and has protected the lenses from some big rock hits.

 

[dcarver]

https://www.ceebaileys.com/yamaha/fjr1300_2013grds.html

 

[Bustanut joker]

sure am glad Fred stated, with bigger words what I said.

Vacation time again.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Marty, I've used the 3M kit with good results on several vehicles. I have had longer lasting results with the Sylvania Kit which in addition to all the other polish sand paper etc includes a liquid protect any which you apply once the lens is polished to your liking.

Consumer reports liked the Sylvania System as well

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headlight-restoration-kits/buying-guide.htm

 

[SnowAviation]

Here's one for those of us who aren't oxidized yet.

What is the best method to avoid oxidation, apart from keeping the bike in a garage all the time?

 

[LKLD]

You can get UV spray at most auto parts stores to help protect them.

I've used the Meguiars headlight cleaning system, and have had great results on my Acura. Living in Flatistan, this is an annual thing.

 

[TomInPA]

I don't know if the Cee Baily headlight covers help, but my 05 has no oxidation on the headlamp plastics and has never required polishing.