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Well, from you post, I'd assume "something" penetrated the clear cost (or single stage) paint.
I don't think claying will resolve.
Be prepared for a repaint.
My suggestion is to move up with a coarseness of polishing compound, and start with a sample area, perhaps in an un-noticeable area.
You may even need to use a machine polisher instead of hand (an applicator pad) polishing.
If that doesn't resolve, try 3000 (and move up to 1500 if need be) grit sandpaper then re-polish.
That great care not to sand through any clear coat paint.
I guess the question is how far that "something" penetrated into the paint.
Or perhaps it is not a penetration, but an issue with the metal surface and the stain is below the paint and seeping upward.
maybe possible, but not super likely that the staining has penetrated the clear coat, but if somehow that is what is happening, there is no chemical that can correct this
if you don't have a machine polisher or know how to use one, you can at least check to see if this is on the surface of the clear coat
see if you can't find an obscure spot on the bike and do the following
wash it with a quality wash, nothing that leaves a wax or residue - Reset by Carpro
then chemically decontaminate the surface, iron remover, and a bug and tar remover....let them both dwell for a bit on the surface for a bit, but don't let em dry
clay barring always mars the surface....you don't use a clay bar to clean a surface, you use it to remove embedded particulates that could not be washed or dissolved in the decontamination process
when you are going to polish, you usually should clay bar first, but if you clay bar, you should always polish afterwards
now that it's clean
assuming you don't have a machine, you can test by hand polishing using a foam pad, and a light cutting polish to see if you can make a difference in the stain
take your time and hand polish, even if the polish you have is best used with a machine, this will work for test purposes....don't try and make make it perfect, you are simply hogging off a bit of your clear coat to see if the stain is deeper than on the surface of the clear coat, if you can see an obvious difference, and you think this will do it, you'll need to get it machine polished, or learn to do it yourself....hand polishing all of that is a job....and you'll never be able to do the work that a wheel spinning a googoojillion times a minute does
Clay is only going to remove contaminentts that are stuck to the paint. "Heavy" clay would be for some serious overspray.
Compounding looks like it will be needed now, its pretty marred up. Do you have a DA polisher?
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Correcting Stained Paint?
