Plastic Black Unpainted Parts

[Lance Mark]

There are a few parts on my bike that are unpainted plastic. One of the most prominent being the access cover and frame on the lower fairings.

As well, I have grill covers over the speakers in the bags as well as the speakers in the grill.

The grill covers on the bags just got replaced, but they will get dirty.

These don't get washed when the bike gets washed. The speakers are made to be weather proof, but I can't see any good coming from filling a speaker pod up with water and soap and then rinsing it out. The only treatment the grills have gotten is a quick wipe with a detailer.

The only thing Ive done to the black plastic on the lower fairings is wash it and wipe it down with a detailer.

Is there a way to renew and protect plastic like this on my bike?

View attachment 72786View attachment 72787

 

[Bruno Soares]

Solution Finish is the only way to bring faded black plastics back to life. And then you'd want to use a sealant on that, something like Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant (applied after SF cured).

For new plastic that is not faded yet, I'd recommend a coating. CarPro Dlux or Gyeon Trim. Those will make the plastic look darker and new for a long time.

Both approaches above will require a full cleaning first, something like an APC and good wash to ensure bonding is optimal.

 

[2black1s]

There are many products available to address the plastic trim on your Harley. Which is best depends on many factors, one of which is how much effort you want to put into it.

From my perspective, the products fall into 2 categories.
- Maintenance products
- Restoration products

From the description and appearance of your bike I think you're looking for a maintenance product. Again, maintenance products can be categorized...
- Protectants (in generic terms, think Armor-All)
- Sealants
- Coatings

Any of these will work to improve the appearance and provide some protection to the plastic parts. I have never used a coating on my bike so I can't speak to their user-friendliness, but from my exposure to such products on this forum they will provide the longest lasting protection. I opt for the "protectant" and/or "sealant" variants for my bike. They are simple to apply, are aesthetically pleasing, and provide enough protection for my needs.

More often than not I will use Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer. Even though this product's name implies it is a restoration product, I see it as more of a maintenance product that falls into my "sealant" category. It is not a true restoration product like the "Solution Finish" noted in the previous post. The Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer dries to the touch without any oily or greasy residue left behind, like you might find with some "protectant" products and that is why I consider it as a sealant and use it as my primary product.

Additionally, I've found the Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer to be the perfect product for maintaining other items on my bike, i.e., the matte black switch housings on the handlebars, the seat and other vinyl trim, and even the tire sidewalls. Many people will tell you to never apply anything to motorcycle tire sidewalls, but I can't deal with crappy looking tires on an otherwise perfectly cleaned/detailed bike. The Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer works perfectly to maintain a nice black satin finish on the tire sidewalls and since it dries to the touch it will not migrate to the tire tread like some "protectants" might do.

In this and your previous threads you haven't brought up maintaining the engine cases yet. My suggestion there is S-100 Engine Brightener. I've tried several variants of this product, i.e., Pig Spit, Harley's version (whatever it's called - I don't recollect off hand), WD-40, and none work as well for me as the S-100.

One last point. The access covers and surrounds on the lower fairings are some weird material. Kind of a very rubbery vinyl of some nature. These can sometimes be problematic in getting a uniformed looking finish with any products I have tried. These parts are one of those cases where you just have to do the best you can and call it good enough.

 

[Lance Mark]

Until now, I've used S-100 to clean the entire bike. Thank for the nod on their engine brightener, I ws going to try that or Pig Spit

 

[The Guz]

If it needs restoration solution finish topped with the protection of your choice.

Pinnacle Black Label Ceramic Trim Restorer on top of solution finish looks great.
If it doesn’t need restoration any trim protectant will work whether it’s a sealant or coating.