Engine Clear coat

[lakecountrydave]

Is it possible that the clear coat on my engine covers is completely gone? How can I tell?

It was finally warm enough outside today for my little portable heater to get my garage to the prerequisite 70 degrees. I turned off heater then I applied aircraft stripper wrapped it in a bag, waited a half hour and nothing. Not one bubble or blister and no sign of paint coming off when I cleaned off the stripper. I then repeated and the results were the same. I searched to see if there should be clear coat and per the thread below there should be. I really want to get the clear coat off today so that I can spend my layoff productively working on the bike, and the weather will not be this warm again for a while.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...+clear+factory

[webbcraft2150]

It is possible that it has aready been removed. Aircraft stripper would have peeled it off in a heartbeat. You can try some aluminum polish and see if it shines up, it won't do anything if the clear coat is still there. You could take a sharp blade and see if you could scrape any off from an unseen area like under the cover. I stripped the clearcoat form my covers and fork legs and polished em up with Simichrome (best stuff I have found). A mini Mothers Power Ball on a drill makes short work of this project. It takes a little more work to keep em clean and shiney but the job is a labor of love.

[lakecountrydave]

Thanks for the reply and the advice I was thinking about doing the fork legs. I bet that they look sharp. I must say that I am surprised that the PO removed the clear coat. I can think of countless better ways he could have spent his time

[foreda]

Fork Legs

The fork legs look really good after polishing. Here is a picture of my 78 after I polished the forks and restored wheels.

[lakecountrydave]

I really like the looks of the fork legs all polished up! You're bike looks stunning Did you clear coat the polished parts?

[petejw]

polished fork leg

hi Dave,
Just polished this one up this arvo,
much easier 2 do off the bike, i also replaced the seal.
ive never clear coated, doesnt take much to keep em lookin good.

[Stralya]

Dear Pete,

I'm off tomorrow and Friday. If you have some free time let me know. I have dull everything.

Dan.

[lakecountrydave]

Your forks look great!

I would be worried that if I took the forks off my bike I would thereafter have a unicycle. I can ride a unicycle, but I enjoy having 2 wheels on my motorcycle

[foreda]

Clear coat?

I really like the looks of the fork legs all polished up! You're bike looks stunning Did you clear coat the polished parts?

I did not clear cloat. One you get it polished up, it only takes a little maintenance to keep it up.

[corey]

Mothers!

This is inspirational.... do the mothers PowerBalls work that good? I think of all the time I've spent polishing... and if the ball does it quick and that good, I'm all over it.