[Corsair]

I'm still prepping an '04 that I bought a few weeks ago from a guy, and the two last steps I have are cleaning/lubing the chain and washing/waxing the bike in general (obviously happening in reverse order!).

I know all years have decal groups on them with the fairing wing decals, the RVT decals, etc. With the '04 there's a handful more. But do you guys wax the decals just like the regular painted surfaces of the bike (i.e. tank, cowls, etc.)? I did four searches on different text strings for "decal wax", "sticker wax", etc. and didn't find anything except a post from HanZcap way back in 2006 about Honda Polish that had nothing to do with decals.

Not only do I want to start off ownership with good paint protection, but the bike is going to be out in the sun for eight hours at a crack because I plan on taking it to work on nice days this summer and I'd like to keep UV damage on both the paint and the decals to a minimum.

I do plan on checking out the Honda Glare Polish stuff that seems to be highly regarded for paint protection versus regular wax. I gotta imagine that stuff is okay for decals, too?

 

[nomo]

Yes the Honda Glare Polish is fine for decals . I use it for bikes/cars that sit in the sun for extended periods , and Zymol wax for vehicles that are parked under cover . Both waxes can be used everywhere on the bike and work great including on clear-coated aluminium/metal . The Zymol , however , is water-based and therefore gentle but still protects very well ; a friend who restores vintage concours cars has used it for years so it's good enough for me . Don't go crazy rubbing hard on the fairing decals b/c I don't think they're cleared like the tank , but I could be wrong (mine is an 05). Good luck .

 

[Corsair]

Based on what Realmanken wrote way back about stuff with Glassplexin in it, it seemed like the Honda Polish stuff was superior to waxes, but I suppose anyone can Google for days and find advocates of both products claiming both protect from UV and oxidation. There's something about red paint as well that seems to oxidize (turn pinkish) more quickly than metallics or other colors do, and with having an '04 that is predominantly red, I wanted to put a stop to that if it was true.

As for the decals on the fairings, no, I definitely don't think those are clear coated. The Honda/Wing and Nicky Hayden signature stickers on the fuel tank are clear coated in, though. So, no, I wouldn't go to town rubbing the decals very much on the rest of the bike.

 

[nomo]

To get the full official PR on the polish , google GLARE POLISH for the actual manufacturer website . It seems to be good stuff as I have no complaints but it does have petroleum solvent in it like most waxes , but Zymol doesn't which is why I like the latter for my vehicles which don't get parked in blazing sun for hours . I use the Glare on my wife's Suzuki car once a year and it seems to still be protecting the paint even after a harsh winter of salt/sand covered roads , and a HOT summer . Both great products .

 

[Corsair]

Just as added info if anyone is looking in future searches, I bought the Honda Glare today from the dealership and on the instructions on the back it says "Avoid rubber and vinyl." So I'm like, 'WTF?, most of my RC is decal!' Of course, you ask two different dealers they tell you two different answers.

I called Customer Service @ American Honda Motor out in Torrance about it. They said that because the decals are a gloss finish they're safe to apply the polish to.

My guess is vinyl equaling something more along the lines of like vinyl fabric (i.e. seat cushions) or something.

 

[Ash2001SP1]

Spray it Clear coat

I got my whole bike minus tank which is already clear coated done by a spray painter for $550. That locks all the stickers/decals in so everytime you wipe the bike down you wont gradually start peeling them off. The bike shines/stands out a mile away and the stickers/decals are safely locked under the clear coat. Bugs just wipe off, it is the only way to go if you plan on keeping it forever like me!

Best $550 I ever spent

Cheers

Ash

 

[RVT1KR]

the bike is going to be out in the sun for eight hours at a crack because I plan on taking it to work on nice days this summer and I'd like to keep UV damage on both the paint and the decals to a minimum.

You might want to look into getting a Geza gear cover. The roll up pretty small and really protect against UV damage.

GEZA Stretch Form-Fit Motorcycle Covers - Portable, TOWABLE, Daily Use

 

[HOOVY]

Only Way To Go !!!!!

This is the best stuff ever wiped off by a clean towel !!!:rockon:notworthy

Zaino Store HOOVY

 

[BC999S]

Any regular wax will work fine on paint, decals, etc. Pick the one which turns your crank and have at it.

If you can, try to get a cover for your bike because no wax will protect 100% against the sun. Geeza Gear makes a great cover. All you'll need is the entry level one. I've had two for 4 years and they're still in great shape. It'll fold up tight enough to fit in the trunk.

 

[Corsair]

Thanks for the feedback so far. My efforts last Saturday with the Honda Glare look amazing, but after doing the process I realized that none of the plastics on the bike, at least the lower fairings and front fender, are clear coated. I'm not autobody expert, but does that have something to do with red paint? The tank is clear coated. Only reason I can tell is because the polish cloth came up with pink on it-- which I wasn't fond of at all. That came from the "compound" step where the instructions tell you to rub the first application of Honda Glare into the paint to remove oxidation and such. Not sure if that's oxidized paint or if that's just paint! Either way, I'm a little leery doing anything else with the Honda Glare in the future other than top-coating like a wax and wiping off. I don't need to start rubbing paint off my bike! Maybe that's another reason why Ash2001SP1 got his stuff clear coated?

I've been to Geza before. Almost bought one for my 650R if I would have kept it. The only thing that concerns me about the Geza's is that I know they fit tight and the stuff looks like it wouldn't hurt the paint, but I get the feeling that anything buffeting at all on a windy day in the parking lot or something is going to start in on the paint. I used to have a "four seasons" car cover on my Intrepid outside-- wore all the clear and color coat off the roof the car over the summer. Had a Le Bra on the same vehicle which protected from rock chips, but it slowly started leaving marks on the paint. The part of the Geza I'm worried about is the bottom edge that runs back from the upper cowl and hooks to the foot pegs. You don't have any pics of it on your bike, do you?

 

[nomo]

The red on the cloth is just oxidized paint which the petroleum in the wax removed ; as you said the results look amazing . I wouldn't do the first step again in the future ; simply apply a thin coat , allow to dry , buff off . As I stated before , the Zymol is very gentle and doesn't remove paint but still does an amazing job , and can be applied as many times as you like .

 

[BC999S]

I've been to Geza before. Almost bought one for my 650R if I would have kept it. The only thing that concerns me about the Geza's is that I know they fit tight and the stuff looks like it wouldn't hurt the paint, but I get the feeling that anything buffeting at all on a windy day in the parking lot or something is going to start in on the paint. I used to have a "four seasons" car cover on my Intrepid outside-- wore all the clear and color coat off the roof the car over the summer. Had a Le Bra on the same vehicle which protected from rock chips, but it slowly started leaving marks on the paint. The part of the Geza I'm worried about is the bottom edge that runs back from the upper cowl and hooks to the foot pegs. You don't have any pics of it on your bike, do you?

Sorry no pictures. They fit tightly and do not flap around. A bra on the front of your Intrepid is (comparatively) heavy and abrasive. The fact that its contantly subjected to high wind forces doesn't help.

You'll just have to take my word for it. I wouldn't put anything on my bikes which might mark them. The Geza stuff has been great on my RC51, BMW, and Ducatis. If you plan on towing your bike with a cover on it then they recommend another model of their great covers. This is sounding like I work there. I don't !

 

[Ash2001SP1]

Picture of My SP1 Clear Coated

Hey Travis,

This is as big as I can get on this site, max is 250kb. All of the matt black sections on the tail turn into full gloss, looks awesome in real life. Never wax it, Mr. Sheen does it all & a clean cloth. I just took the fairings off except the tank and dropped them off. My spray painter is a perfectionist and noticed all of the red on each panel was a different shade so he matched the red on the tank and painted it as well as clear coated it & he bought all new stickers for $550. Hell of a deal, the stickers alone were about $450, but he sticks to his quotes!!! :clapper I rang Honda and they confirmed the red is never the same because they get different batches made & there is always some slight difference which I thought was a bit slack. You wouldn't buy a red car if the doors were a different shade to the roof & body. Anyway looks amazing now, like I said bugger the wax, clear coat it.

Cheers

Ash

 

[Ash2001SP1]

Another Pic - Clear coat

Hey Travis,

Made another pic that fits on here.

I ride my bike everyday, so it cops all day in the sun at work, I ride in the rain, I just love riding it no matter what the weather & with the clear coat it wipes off and looks awesome everytime. It only takes 5 minutes to wipe it down when I get home, whether it is just a day of sitting in the sun and some light dust or if it is wet weather it's free water to wipe it with. I use a high pressure water gun on the wheels/swingarm/exhaust area if it is dirt + water & road grime. Piece of cake to keep clean.

Getting some Carrozzeria Tri-R Gold wheels fitted this Tuesday to add some bling, looking forward to that, will post pics when done :rockon

Cheers

Ash

 

[Corsair]

Thanks for posting those up, the bike looks fantastic! If I went with a clear coat option it wouldn't be anymore in 2010-- all my money went into buying the bike last month! BUT, I'll maybe get some quotes towards the end of the year to see if doing something like that is an option compared just maintaining it by hand versus going with a Geza or something like that.