Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 64
Likes: 0
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
Best thing to use is baking soda on a wet clean rag..........is disolves the guts and doesn't harm the paint. I have put some in a sprayer added water and sprayed it wherever needed. Works the best and won't scratch paint.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 7
From: Bellingham, WA
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
Wish I'd been a HDForum member last June when I ran through 10 miles of swarming locust in Nevada. When I got to LA I thought for sure my buddy would help me put the bike in his hot tub, but he claimed his filter wouldn't be able to handle all that yuck. I sure hope these tips work because the they still haven't come off.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,947
Likes: 5
From: Ontario, Canada
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
I appreciate all the suggestions, some of them are worth trying.
Just to be clear, I took the lowers off and soaked them (submersed them) in warm water for a half an hour.
That didn't work.
These are not fresh bug guts.
The wetr towel trick is what I normally use when washing the bike. These guys are down and under and in hard to get and hard to see places that you don't normally see unless the bike is on a lift or dismantled like it is now.
Some of this mess is I'm sure years old and baked on.
Just to be clear, I took the lowers off and soaked them (submersed them) in warm water for a half an hour.
That didn't work.
These are not fresh bug guts.
The wetr towel trick is what I normally use when washing the bike. These guys are down and under and in hard to get and hard to see places that you don't normally see unless the bike is on a lift or dismantled like it is now.
Some of this mess is I'm sure years old and baked on.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 13
From: NWFL
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
Usually the Florida bugs come off with the wet towel trick, may take 30 min. Mostly love bugs, which eat the paint if you leave them on too long. Another "Florida" method is to use Armor All on the fairing and lowers after you clean them, the the nasty little critters just slide off.
One thing for sure!!!! They don't have the guts to do your bike a second time!!
One thing for sure!!!! They don't have the guts to do your bike a second time!!
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,294
Likes: 33
From: Po-Dunk Looziana
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
If the older ones have etched themselves into the paint due to the acidity of the "juices".............sandpaper and fresh paint from your friendly paint and body shop is all that'll fix this.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,947
Likes: 5
From: Ontario, Canada
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
ORIGINAL: wldbill
Wally, you're discouraging me!! Are you saying that I might be stuck with my bug encrusted EGC forever??? I do have to say that it does draw a crowd.
Wally, you're discouraging me!! Are you saying that I might be stuck with my bug encrusted EGC forever??? I do have to say that it does draw a crowd.
I'm going to try some different things including some buffing compounds, but, mine is mostly down low and more or less out of sight.
If I were You Buddy, I'd take it to a reputable body shop and let them try to buff it out. It may need to be recleared.
Or you could by a fairing bra and forget about it.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 723
Likes: 3
From: Greensburg Pa
RE: Bugs baked on to fairing lowers
i just used some regular old tar and bug remover from turtle wax.... it worked great.... directions say rub gentlely so be patient and take ur time.... once ya got em off, wax that front as much as you can it really helps... i also bring a terry cloth and s100 on trips and soak em over night and clean em in the morn... this keeps it from getting too far gone...