Scratches on matte gray body pieces

Joined
Oct 27, 2016
Messages
18
Location
Coffeyville, KS
Bike
2011 NT, 2014 FJR
Other than painting, does anyone have any good solution to removing/buffing out those annoying scratches on the matte finish gray body panels, like the fake luggage rack and those pieces on the upper fairing? They scratch so easily.
 

karl

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Dec 13, 2010
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Hampden, MA
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2010 Silver NT700VAA
There are actually a couple of bits that started grey, most started black.
 

Tonydtiger1971

Guest
Looking at getting someone to wrap those pieces in carbon fiber, $200 to wrap all the black on the bike.
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2011
Messages
998
Location
Maryland
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Honda NT700V
I tried Mothers Back to Black. Didn't work.

Somebody posted about a plastic dye that does work, but I don't remember who. A forum search might turn it up.
 
Joined
Jun 5, 2011
Messages
630
Location
Western Washington
Bike
2010 NT700V, 2015 CB500X
Some of the black plastic pieces are cheap, others are ridiculously expensive. For example:

Rear cover behind the grab rails $14.54
Engine guard cover, left $4.34
Vented middle cowl lid (insert) $132.70
left cowl pocket cover $16.06
Under headlight cover $23.89
Speedometer cover $29.74

My source is hondabikes.com online parts fiche. Check the prices and decide which pieces are worth the time, money, and effort to paint or dip only to have it chip or peel later. Or it may be cheaper & easier to replace them and find a good sun protector.
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2011
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1,285
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Arkansas
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2020 Kawasaki Versys
I used the black dye and it is still black after a few months in service.
It will not correct the scratches/decay that the sun eats out of the plastic over time. The sun is hard on that stuff esp down here in the south.

Brad
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
399
Location
Great Plains
Bike
2010 Silver NT700
Hello fellow Kansan!

I used to commute with my NT when I had it. It sat in the glaring prairie sun for three summers. if you are referring to the pieces I think you are, they came from the factory as black. Here is what I did to finally fix it:

http://www.nt-owners.org/forums/showthread.php?7176-Plasti-Dip-(black-faded-plastics)&highlight=plastidip

It held up for the rest of the time I owned the NT. When I traded it off it still looked like the photos. I found the plasti-dip an relatively easy solution. If you don't like it you can peel it off! :)
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
399
Location
Great Plains
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2010 Silver NT700
Just to add. I still have a brand new cowl for the left side for the NT. I am referring to the piece with the vents that is just under the gas tank where your left knee touches the bike. I listed it for sale a while back but nobody wanted it. If that is one of your faded pieces let me know.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Oct 27, 2016
Messages
18
Location
Coffeyville, KS
Bike
2011 NT, 2014 FJR
I might have stumbled on a solution that works. I bought some stuff at Wal Mart called Wipe New. It comes in a yellow box and inside the box is a small bottle (1.5 oz.) of liquid. It's used for fading car bumpers. I put it on the formerly gray pieces of my NT and it turned them black again, and got rid of those scratches. It costs about $13, and the bottle is small, but it takes very little to do the job. I've used it on cars with good results, so I figured I'd try it on the NT. My plastic panels weren't faded too bad, just had what appeared to be lighter-colored scratches on the luggage rack and the fairing pocket covers. Just put a little of the liquid on a rag/paper towel, wipe it on the plastic, and you're done. Hope this helps someone, but it's worked good for me so far (one whole day).
 

junglejim

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Northern WI
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Tiger 800, NT sold
This is one of those threads that makes me wish I was more concened about the aesthetics of my motorcycle than I am. I do admire well cared-for motorcycles and I appreciate how much their owners invest in keeping them that way. I spend a fair amount of time keeping my motorcycle mechanically fit, but not so much keeping it nice looking. I can spend an hour or two cleaning it and after a half hour of riding it is again covered with bugs.

My motorcycle doesn't have "scratches", but it has plenty of "use marks" - or at least that is the way I see them.
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2011
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Arkansas
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2020 Kawasaki Versys
I used to keep all my vehicles very clean. Not so much any more.
I would like to do a little bit better than I do. It gets me a closer look at the bike and tires to prevent issues before they happen. My cleaning is pretty minimal now.
I still don't think I could prevent the graying of the plastic in the sun very easily.

Brad
 
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karl

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Dec 13, 2010
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Hampden, MA
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2010 Silver NT700VAA
I prefer the term patina, my machine has lots of it and I still love her.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Oct 27, 2016
Messages
18
Location
Coffeyville, KS
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2011 NT, 2014 FJR
I like to keep my vehicles (cars, trucks and bikes) looking nice as long as I can, and so far the Wipe New stuff seems to do the trick. Patina be damned; I like nice looking bikes. So there.
 

junglejim

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Apr 26, 2012
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Northern WI
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Tiger 800, NT sold
I like to keep my vehicles (cars, trucks and bikes) looking nice as long as I can, and so far the Wipe New stuff seems to do the trick. Patina be damned; I like nice looking bikes. So there.
I didn't mean to be critical of keeping vehicles clean and good looking. I appreciate the work and expense owners invest to do so.

I just don't do it myself. Part of my justification is living in the "rust belt" where keeping cars looking good is a real challenge. My pick-up trucks last 7 = 10 years before the body pannels are rusted through. In addition brake lines, transmission cooling lines, fuel lines, brake sensors, and other sensitive parts have already been replaced before then. Frequent washing is the only defense and there is no manual car wash in town and my truck won't fit through the only automated car wash. Consequently the salt never gets washed off. Anyone want to buy a truck?
 

Warren

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Dec 13, 2010
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O'Fallon, MO
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2019 Yamaha XMAX
Regarding the plastic parts on the NT. If you park in the sun a lot and in particular if you live in the South the graying of the plastic is far more detrimental than just calling it patina. I have worked on and owned many vintage bikes and turning gray is just the first step towards total disintegration. Unless you are planning on selling your NT in the near term or you keep it out of the sun you are going to eventually have to replace the plastic and when you need to it may no longer be available. The easiest solution it to paint it which helps a lot in protecting it from UV and extending its usable life. if you think you are going to own your NT for a lifetime you might want to purchase some of those plastic parts and stick them in your closet.
 
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Joined
Jan 23, 2011
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Arkansas
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2020 Kawasaki Versys
Warren I agree about the sun eating the plastic in the South. I could rub my thumb across the luggage rack behind the seat and leave a mark. I think if I tried I could plow a furrow with a fingernail.
The sun is a powerful thing. If you don't believe it spend a full day on a Florida beach and leave the sunscreen at home. Ouch.

Brad
 
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