Is it just me, or does this stuff scratch if you breathe on it wrong? No major scratches yet, but I can't even clean a bug off with a microfiber towel without leaving a small dull spot.

 

Not just you. Drives me nuts how easily it get swirl marks

 

I've gotten to the point that I'm afraid to clean it.

 

I know what you mean, it sucks too cause I hate having a dusty/dirty bike, especially black since its much more apparent. Clay bar, swirl remover, and a coat of good quality wax helps make it pop again

 

Yep, it's soft as shinola. I don't mind "war wound" scratches, but I hate letting the bike deteriorate through neglect or ill-treatment. So, I clean it carefully, and try to avoid those little swirly scratch things.

Swirly scratches are usually from something avoidable we do during the cleaning process: rubbing grit particles into it, using the wrong 'cloth' (anything too new, or made of paper, not matter how soft it feels, will scratch), or just rubbing too hard/too long (as the actress said to the bishop!).

Keep all your old t-shirts (the older the better) for polishing rags...

The main trick to avoiding scratches is to keep a protective layer of wax over the paint at all times, so you're rubbing the wax layer, and not the paint directly. Always wax immediately after washing.

Thereafter, lightly wash regularly with plenty of warm mildly soapy water rubbing as sparingly and gently as possible, just enough to loosen dust and crap from the surface. Imagine you're cleaning your sun glasses lens... You don't need to apply any "elbow grease" at all, and you don't need to get all the old wax off etc. The wax stops crap from sticking (so you don't need to rub hard) and also acts as a barrier so you're not rubbing the paint directly.

Then rinse the dusty soapy slurry off with fresh warm water. Rewax when dry.

I've used a billion waxes in my time but I've found that (if money is not a problem) good quality carnuba wax is better than the cheapest supermarket laundry aisle spray-can furniture polish (which works just fine!), but everything else is no better than the cheap stuff and can still cost lots of money.

The main thing is don't leave it too long between wash/waxes - wax protects the paint from everything including the next cleaning process, but it will eventually deteriorate leaving the paint exposed directly to the elements. How often will depend on how much sun, rain, salt and all that stuff it lives under.

If you already have the swirly scratches, wax will hide most of them anyway...

Boy I never thought I'd crap on about wax so much in one post. I think I need to lie down for awhile!

 

Scratches very easy. I ride it so don't care. No show bike. Though project blacken is taken progress so we will see how I feel from there. I think the factory clear isn't the greatest but black just shows everything period. Cars are the same way.

 

i do car cleaning the best product for dark colors i use it on my black fatboy really nice product

 

Thanks for the replies, I've got some stuff to buy

 

Although not Vivid Black but Sedona Orange I dust my bike with a microfiber towel using either Meguire's 'Showtime' or Eagle One 'Nanowax'. These are really 'show waxes' for everyday to dust off a good coat of paste wax.

 

I think it's kinda like fire truck paint, it's thick and durable but soft and easily scratched. This makes it also easy to buff out as well.