Detailing Discuss keeping your bike looking brand new here.

Milky haze

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 7, 2018 | 10:51 PM
  #1  
tphillips's Avatar
tphillips
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
Default Milky haze

So my paint gets a white / milky haze when it gets rained on and some residue even when it dries. Is it detailing product reacting or something else? Solution for removal / prevention?
 
Reply
Old Jan 7, 2018 | 11:28 PM
  #2  
TriGeezer's Avatar
TriGeezer
Seasoned HDF Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,027
From: Carlsbad, CA
Default

What have you put on your paint?

None of mine do that...with various paint treatments.

Edit: is there something in the air? Do any other vehicles do that?
 

Last edited by TriGeezer; Jan 7, 2018 at 11:29 PM.
Reply
Old Jan 8, 2018 | 12:02 AM
  #3  
missionwop's Avatar
missionwop
Road Captain
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 676
Likes: 581
From: Surrey B.C.
Default

Could be the paint is not cured. Did you just get i repainted?
 
Reply
Old Jan 8, 2018 | 12:13 PM
  #4  
tphillips's Avatar
tphillips
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
Default

Nothing in the air that I know of...didn't happen to my cars which were also subjected to the rain.

And no, haven't gotten it repainted. It is a 2005 that otherwise looks great despite the years (and 80k miles...).

Thanks for feedback though.
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2018 | 07:09 AM
  #5  
smitty901's Avatar
smitty901
Seasoned HDF Member
Veteran: Army
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 22,998
Likes: 11,439
Default

Wash the bike with a good dish soap like Dawn. It will remove any wax or polish on it .
Dry it it an look at it . You may need to do it more than once if you put a lot of stuff on it.
If after than it looks good put a good coat of polish or wax on it and ride.
It would however be a good time to Barclay the the paint. You likely have some build up on it just time for a fresh start.
 
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2018 | 08:28 AM
  #6  
Veekness's Avatar
Veekness
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 646
From: Santa Clarita
Default

I've seen that on my 2011 FLHX from time to time...seems to come and go. Except for the rear fender, the paint is all OE...and that means a VERY thin clear coat... the other clue for mine, not sure if this will mean anything to ya, OP...is that it lived during its formative years by the ocean...


I've read on this forum about others experiencing similar things...no explanation so far as I know. The other thing that comes to my mind would be silicone infusion. For instance, if you use silicone based substances on the engine, tires, what have you. Armor All contains silicone, so does HD engine brightener, I suspect that Pig Snot does too. If you do this, all is well until it's repaint time...then your surfaces are going to be alive with 'fish eyes', or little craters that you often can't get rid of, even if you strip the surface back to bare metal. I don't have any particular evidence that your milky appearance is related to silicone, but if it rings a bell to you, OP...something to keep in mind!


I would expect my problem to go away when I eventually repaint all the tins, but since the original finish is in good condition, that's gonna be up the road.
 

Last edited by Veekness; Jan 9, 2018 at 08:31 AM.
Reply
Old Jan 9, 2018 | 12:46 PM
  #7  
tphillips's Avatar
tphillips
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 32
From: Houston, Texas
Default

Originally Posted by smitty901
Wash the bike with a good dish soap like Dawn. It will remove any wax or polish on it .
Dry it it an look at it . You may need to do it more than once if you put a lot of stuff on it.
If after than it looks good put a good coat of polish or wax on it and ride.
It would however be a good time to Barclay the the paint. You likely have some build up on it just time for a fresh start.
This is a GOOD idea... I've done this before, but it has been a looooong time since stripping and clay barring the bike. It is now officially on "the list" for spring time prep (though we ride year-round here in Texas).
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
magna
General Harley Davidson Chat
15
Apr 22, 2017 06:13 AM
05Fatty
General Harley Davidson Chat
20
Mar 29, 2016 07:49 PM
scooter34
Softail Models
1
Mar 21, 2009 06:31 PM
lowhog
Dyna Glide Models
4
Oct 28, 2007 10:08 AM
someday69
General Harley Davidson Chat
2
Jan 20, 2007 01:06 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:00 AM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE