Harley Davidson Chrome Guide: Do’s and Don’ts

If you’ve got a Harley Davidson you probably have some chrome
that adds to the look of your bike. Chrome styling is definitely one of
the things that can define a motorcycle. You might have wondered about
your chrome, though – and specifically about chrome maintenance on your
Harley Davidson.

What Is Chrome?

The word “chrome” refers to chromium. Chromium is one of the basic
elements and has the atomic number 24. It is a metal. When something is
said to be “chrome” it is not really made of chromium, though. Rather
the object has had a thin layer of chromium applied through a process
called electroplating. You might hear the terms “chrome plated” or
“chrome dipped”. These are just different names for the same process.
All chrome is applied via electroplating. While there are two types of
electro plating with chromium (hard plating and nickel plating) only
nickel plating is used for items that are intended to shine.

What Does Chrome Look Like?

Chrome is an extremely shiny metal. It shines more than aluminum or
any other type of similar substance. If you have two pieces (one chrome
plated and one another substance) they might look the same. That is
until you put them next to one another. The one that shines the most
will be the chrome. It has a shine like nothing else and that is one of
the reasons it’s used to add aesthetics to Harley Davidsons.

How Do You Keep Your Chrome Looking Great?

Chrome adds so much to the look of your Harley, but only if it’s been
treated properly. Chrome can discolor and just turn ugly if you don’t
do regular maintenance on it. If you don’t care for the chrome properly
you will shorten the life of that shine altogether. Be careful not to
scratch your chrome. Remember, it is just a thin layer of chromium on
the part. So, a scratch is pretty much permanent. The only real way to
fix it is to re-plate it – and that’s more of a process than it sounds
like. It is time consuming and can be expensive. The best answer is not
to scratch it in the first place.

Regular Cleaning and Polishing

The most important step in keeping your chrome looking great is to
clean and polish it regularly. You should do it every time you clean
your bike. Be sure that sort of a cleaning is done at least every couple
months. You can find good commercial chrome cleaners and polish out
there and that should work for you. Avoid polishes that have too much
abrasive in them, though. You should also avoid over-polishing. The
higher quality (and more expensive) polishes are easier on your chrome
in terms of abrasives. Just like scratching, too much abrasion can wear
away the chrome and since it’s just a thin layer, it will shorten the
life of the part – at least the life of the shine.  

Exhaust Chrome

Chrome exhaust is one thing that requires a little extra care. That’s
because it heats up and that heating can cause it to turn blue. If you
want to do everything you can to avoid that, you should take some
special precautions when the exhaust is new. Basically you should burn
it in gradually. That means turning the bike on and letting the exhaust
heat up for a while and then cool it down again. Do this several times
before running the bike for an extended period. This type of wearing in
process should keep your pipes from turning blue.

Chrome has been associated with motorcycles since the first part of
the 20th Century and adds a glow that can’t be achieved any other way.
Some preventative maintenance will keep your Harley Davidson chrome
shining for a long time.