I've been looking and looking at orbital polishers and I just cant decide. I've narrowed it down to the Griots 3" and the Porter Cable 7424XP. While I can put a smaller pad on the Porter Cable I'm concerned about the size of the tool itself and getting into smaller areas like between the forks or around the tail light.
I'd love to hear from members who have either one and their pros and cons on each.

 

Why the need for a polisher on a bike? Seems like overkill to me.

 

I have a orbital polisher...complete and total waste of time on a bike. For paint problems you need a buffer...eastwood sells this kit which coverts a DA sander into a buffer...perfect for bikes and comes with everything you need except the DA.

http://www.eastwood.com/3-inch-compl...ng-system.html

 

How much experience do you have with polishers? Rotary polishers are for pro's, they require a lot of skill and experience. The best for removing deep scratches. Very easy to burn the working surface. Rotary's can produce swirls and holograms. Random orbital polishers are great if your just starting out. They are the best for removing swirls and minor scratches. Ros can't burn the paint, when you press hard it stops thew orbiting motion. Dual action (DA) polishers offer the best of both worlds. They are a rotary with a "forced" random orbit. Pressing hard will not stop the orbital motion. They are good for removing swirls to heavy scratches. DA's require some experience but get the best results. The Porter Cable is a very good machine but it is large. If you are going to get a 6.5 inch polisher, take a look at the McGuire G110V2. It is a DA polisher and is priced similarly to the Porter machine. As to size, the 3 inch will allow easier access to tighter areas.

 

I've very familiar with the difference between an orbital, a DA ,and a rotary buffer. I'm not looking for a rotary, I'm NOT color sanding and buffing out car panels. i have an Air Vantage 6" DA ( great sander but sucks a lot of air)that I used when I restored my old Trans Am. I'm looking for something to help clean up the shitty Harley Vivid Black paint on my 07 Road King. The Meguiar's g110v2 looks interesting.

 

I have a full size Porter Cable and yes I have the Griot's 3 inch machine.

You want the Griot's machine. Its small size makes it perfect for motorcycles. A full size machine, even with smaller pads, is far too cumbersome on bikes. I've detailed sportbikes and various HD's, and find it true with any bike.

The Griot's machine looks/feels cheaper than any Porter Cable, but then again it IS fairly cheap. However, I've had no issues with mine, and Griot's has great customer service so if it ever craps out I'm sure they'll take care of me.

I use the Griot's orange paint polishing pads with mine. I bought the white pads for use with chrome polish, but never found a need to apply chrome polish with a buffer. Just get the orange paint pads, maybe a 3-pack to start.

 

I have the Porter Cable, and use it on cars and trucks frequently. I also have the 4 inch pads more appropriate for use on MC's, but rarely use it for such. I have only used it on the MC to polish out a particularly difficult swirl. Unless you have a specific problem requiring use of a DA polisher on a motorcycle, it is a waste of money and storage space. If you have broader uses, go for it. The Porter Cable was my choice due to its broad applicability, and diverse attachments.

 

porter cable with EDGE pads, no velcro, cool system and works great, i use it on my bike and car and nothing works better..........it was a great investment 6 years ago and i still use it once a season on the bike and the car.

 

Been using Griots garage products for a lot of years,and only by hand,simply because it takes so little time.Never needed a machine.Was thinking about their polisher for muscle car,but again their products take very little effort to apply and polish off. Good Luck

 

I have a Porter Cable but its useless for a bike....not enough paint surface