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Think hard before buying a long throw machine. They're definitely more challenging to use on small areas and tight quarters. They also have a propensity to sling polish if you don't manage them correctly. For my bike polishing work the Griot's G8 is essentially perfect in size, weight, maneuverability and overall performance. It doesn't pay to overthink this too much, as you can talk yourself into too much buffer or the wrong one for a motorcycle. Much of your work will be done one-handed so keep that in mind.
I'm not ever going to say Griot's is better than anyone else's stuff. What I can say is that it worked very, very well for me. It's one thing to have a washed, shiny bike...quite another to have the paint decontaminated and then fully corrected (polished) to the maximum degree possible. There are a LOT of products out there that will work, and people do have their favorites for whatever reasons. My professional painter is big on Meguiars products, and he swears by them for correction and final polishing. Not often touted as anyone's first choice, but it's hard to argue with him given his results and experience.
Works well for what I use it for, mostly polishing and some paint correction, six speeds from 3,000 - 7,200 rpm.
I'm not a professional so it gets used about 5 or 6 times a year. I could not see pending hundreds or even thousands of dollars if I was not going to use it daily.
I also have this RO and for the price it works well. I recently used it to do paint correction on my 06 Heritage and was impressed with such an inexpensive polisher. Like Coolbreeze said, it only gets used a few times a year so its perfect for me. I highly recommend it.
* Griots G8 Mini (decided not to do long throw)
* Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover (been using Griots Complete Compound - it's just ok, imo. Could be better.)
* CARPRO Reflect and Gloss Pad
* CARPRO CQUARTZ Kit SiC (try my first coating - hope I don't screw it up)
Thanks for all the suggestions. I do realize all the product options out there, but have read a lot of input from EagleFan, and he has helped many folks on this forum. So, will try these products!
You can't go wrong with any of those. One thing to keep in mind, at least in my experience, is the long-throw DAs really do throw the pad around quite a distance. That can be great when you're working on larger areas, but can be annoying in tight spaces on a bike where you're working up against an adjacent panel or tank console for example. I switch the long throw 13mm drive on my Griot's Micro out for the 5mm when working in such areas.
I'd also say I prefer a cordless option these days as battery and motor technology have come a long ways. While the corded machines are consistent in their power delivery, and you're not dealing with batteries, the convenience of not having to worry about what the cord is doing (and what it's touching while I'm working) is worth it to me.
I agree with you about the cordless option but for no more than I will be using it, it isnt worth the price to me.
I agree with you about the cordless option but for no more than I will be using it, it isnt worth the price to me.
That was and is my reaction also. I have several battery tools that seldom see use, but the batteries work on other same-brand tools. Unfortunately that's not the case with b-o buffers I've seen. There's also a weight disadvantage (some will say no issue) to a b-o unit. Cost is definitely higher.
Cost is higher and I already have enough battery platforms. 2 different Snap On battery platforms, Milwaukee, and Ryobi for the little gun blower I use on bikes. I set up a cord on each side of the vehicle so Im not dragging the cord around it but cordless would definitely be easier. Im digging the new Flex cordless stuff though
Meguiers was bought out by 3m, they both had a big following in the auto body world. Ive tried the 105-205 combo years ago against other stuff I was using at the time, Menzerna, for me and what I do Menzerna was the winner in every category. However I don't do auto body. Use whatever you like and works for you. There is no one size fits all in this game. Every paint job is different and can/will act different. Even same year, color, model.
I did not care for Griot's Boss pads, the ones with the hole in the center, they are too thin, the fatter 1" thick pads are easier to work with on curved surfaces. Make sure you have pad cleaner too.
the Rag Company also has super quality microfiber towels, you will love these
I did not care for Griot's Boss pads, the ones with the hole in the center, they are too thin, the fatter 1" thick pads are easier to work with on curved surfaces. Make sure you have pad cleaner too.
the Rag Company also has super quality microfiber towels, you will love these
The thicker pads will stahl more than the thin pads. With the power the griots machines have, at least the ones I have owned, they work much better with a thinner pad like the 50/50 euro pad. Spinning a finishing pad is no problem with the thickness.
The Pinnacle polishes are nice to work with. The compound is not super aggressive if that's what your looking for.
I did not care for Griot's Boss pads, the ones with the hole in the center, they are too thin, the fatter 1" thick pads are easier to work with on curved surfaces. Make sure you have pad cleaner too.
the Rag Company also has super quality microfiber towels, you will love these
I like the Wolfgang Concourse series abrasives....I'll use the Finishing Glaze on brand new bike parts and even when you start with a relatively flawless surface, it does an amazing job of 'jeweling' the surface
if you take your time and do it right, the clear coat after a correction can look better than when the paint was brand new
OP, grats on the G8, you'll love it....i'm not sure where you are at as far as skills, but just let me mention the first landmine i stepped in when I first started using it....too much pressure, and it wasn't spinning, hash marks on the pads helped me learn the feel...and I used too much product....abrasives also transfer heat....so the pad which was saturated in too much product burned up and delaminated from the velcro backing
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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.
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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.
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