Protecting Your Paint

[Ari Rankum]

The longest trip I've been on was 5+ weeks and 12500 miles. To do it in comfort, I took a mountain of gear. Some of that gear was secured with bungies to my Goldwing.

I didn't notice it during the trip, but when giving the bike a complete scrub down after the trip, I noticed several places where the paint on the bike was badly abraided by the bungies. I think road dirt coated the bungie and the bike, and the vibrating bungie became a very efficient, and free, sander working on my paint.

So, you LD experts, how do you deal with tie-downs with respect to protecting paint?

Thanks in advance.

 

[twowheelnut]

Stop down the auto shop and pick up some 3M clear vinyl. I've also used painter's tape with some success. That said, I've tried everything and have given up on paint protection. I'm figgerin' on a repaint in a couple of years if I keep this bike. Now if only RogDeb will cough up the secret paint code...

 

[Ari Rankum]

Stop down the auto shop and pick up some 3M clear vinyl. I've also used painter's tape with some success. That said, I've tried everything and have given up on paint protection. I'm figgerin' on a repaint in a couple of years if I keep this bike. Now if only RogDeb will cough up the secret paint code...

That seems like a good idea. For this trip, I've only got four bungies. Only two of them lie on paint. It should be relatively easy to cover the paint with some sort of adhesive vinyl. Thanks!

Any ideas about protecting paint from magnetic tank bags while away from home?

 

[twowheelnut]

Clean the dust off the tank and bag at every fill up, then buy a Bagster when you get home and be done with it.

Watch the adhesives!!! Left on too long and or baked on and you'll spooge the paint, too! See that stuff around the bag attachment point holes? That's whatcha want.

 

[Ari Rankum]

Clean the dust off the tank and bag at every fill up, then buy a Bagster when you get home and be done with it.
Watch the adhesives!!! Left on too long and or baked on and you'll spooge the paint, too! See that stuff around the bag attachment point holes? That's whatcha want.

Thanks, TWN. Looking forward to meeting you at WFO-5.

Regards,

 

[Ignacio]

I think the LD Rider set gives up at a certain point. With 90K on his '05 I would think it's fair to say George Zelenz is sufficiently past that point. Missing a lower fairing piece, shaking lose bird skulls, and windshield disintegrating in mid-warp.

I'm at the 34K mark on my '05 and am in sort of a mimimization mode. I washed the bike for the first time in 7,000 miles and noticed a myriad of marks and spots I hadn't before.

I concur bungies generally bad if they touch the paint.

I do wipe the bottom of my tank bag with a cloth occasionally. The tank has dulled up a bit, but not horrible.

 

[odot]

Hey....don't wash it....don't worry about it.

 

[vectervp1]

I think most LD riders stop trying to keep their bikes pretty after a certain amount of time. Scratches will happen, and paint will be chipped. I think I gave up some time after doing last years Cal24 when I noticed some road splooge had pitted the lower half of my fairings.

I may however wash my bike for WFO tomorrow... no promises though.

 

[SkooterG]

Scratches will happen, and paint will be chipped.

Especially when you knock over your FJR into someone else's!!!!! :angry:

:****:

Sorry buckwheat, you walked right into that one.

 

[twowheelnut]

Did Stanley just slap Ollie? :haha:

 

[Blueliner]

Tankslapper is a good place to start. I've used their kits on many bikes with excellent results. I always spend a bit more to get the 3m material for everything they offer. Their tankslapper material is cheap and easily removed though. I think they sell it in non cut to fit pieces. That would work real well for protecting tanks from a tank bag and is cheap enough to not feel bad about throwing it away when you came home from your trip.

Huge Industries used to sell some stuff called gunship tape, it was excellent. Unfortunately Huge went out of business and I have been unable to locate another source for this tape.

 

[Bounce]

I covered my tail rack with 3m clear adhexive vinyl prior to The Big Ride. After that, some months later, I removed it and cleaned it up. It was a beoch to get all the adhesive off. It saved the rack from tie down scratches. But the U-bolts I use to hold on the CB antenna bracket ate notches through the rack's plastic so it didn't really matter in the end.

 

[airboss]

Protect the paint as much as I can. Bottom line is I get bikes to ride, and if it gets to looking that bad I have a friend that can have it looking better than new in a couple of weeks.

 

[Woodstock]

I cover mine with dead bugs.

 

[throttlejockeyTJ]

If my bike ever gets looking disgusting, I will park it in MadMike2's driveway untill it looks like new. I will put TurboDaves name on it if I need to. Micky and polishing cloth are a secondary Hobby. TJ :yahoo:

 

[penguin1300]

Use straps instead of bungies. I gave up on bungies after I had the same problem on my last bike. The problem with bungies is that there is no way to prevent them from flopping in the breeze. On the other hand, a strap can be made extra tight so it doesn't sit there and bang on the paint all day. That, I just feel more secure with straps because they break less often.

With that said, I'm like the rest. I bought it to ride it. I'm going to mark it up one way or another. So, just ride it and enjoy it.