So alright I read, watched youtube videos, read some more, and spent the past 2 weeks tearing down my fairing so I could paint the inner and outer black. I just moved and back before where I was we had no garage and I couldn't afford more than a tarp to keep my bike covered from the elements. Now that I have a garage here, figured let's fix 'er up and make 'er shine like she used to.

I followed the steps at another forum (I don't think you're allowed to link so I'll post them):

Wash with dawn dishsoap/water solution and let dry

Wearing neoprene/latex gloves, scuff inner fairing with 400 grit til its all dull looking

Clean off with dishsoap/water solution

Wipe down with rubbing alcohol or prep cleaner

Spray with adhesion promoter (1 light coat then a medium coat 10 mins later)

Spray primer (if using) or dust coat of color after 10 mins from last coat of promoter

Let sit for 30 mins then spray next color coat

Let sit for 30 more and spray one more color coat

Let dry for 1 hour

Spray 1st clear coat

Let sit for 30 mins

Spray last clear coat

Let sit for 48 hrs before handling

Wetsand with 3M 1500 grit wet/dry paper using ZERO PRESSURE on the sand paper til it has a cloudy finish

Clean off with soap/water solution and let dry

Use a damp cloth and rubbing compound in a BACK AND FORTH motion NOT CIRCULAR until the haze has become somewhat shiny (wont be shiny shiny though so becareful)

Wipe down im circular motion with a DRY microfiber cloth
--------------- THIS IS WHERE I GOT TO ------------

Now I went to harbor freight, they told me to get the headlight restoration kit which has a foam disc on it, I got 3m rubbing compound and a close-quarters drill. What they said at pep boys when I showed them the part in person which is in the picture here is that I broke up the clear coat by wet sanding it. Mind you there's a streak down the middle where you can see I burned through the clear coat. This honestly was after me going over it gently for about 15 minutes and realizing it had already burnt a nice strip and gettin frustrated and said screw it and kept buffin knowing I had to re-do it anyway, but to see if maybe I was supposed to break through it. Are the steps I posted wrong? I'm tryin to figure out what I've done wrong here because I love my bike more than anything and I wanna do right by 'er. This just really bites me hard in the rear.



The right wasn't touched at all other than wet sand with 1500 grit very gently. It seems it broke up the clear coat.

 

just sand it all down and repaint it. no primer just paint it

 

That's what I was going to do but still the clear coat issue. I'm watching this video now: and his clear coat with orange peel looks just like mine did before buffin it. I'm thinking maybe I was too impatient and should have just kept sanding. Going to finish this video now. Thanks for the response

 

I agree. I'm a painter by trade and know that it you break through the clear the only fix is to sand it down and repaint it. For a part that small I'd be inclined to use finer paper for your wetsanding. If it was me I'd be leaning towards 2000-2500 grit because you would really have to do some serious sanding to break through 2 coats of clear coat with paper that fine. Plus it would make your polishing easier.

 

I was gonna take a 320 grit to this cap and the paint again. How many coats of black should I put on there after? I figured after that, put on a coat of clear - wait 30 minutes, put on another coat of clear or two and let it sit overnight and then take 1500-2000 grit to it in an up and down motion like in the video I posted.

 

I have my inner and outer fairing at the same point this cap was at. Should I take a soft block with 1500 grit and sand down the clear until it's not showing the orange peel anymore and then apply another coat of clear? I've watched this guy's videos in order here and it seems that's what he was doing. I appreciate all of the feedback folks, really.