Cleaning tarnish?
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Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Cleaning tarnish?
Hi guys, took the bike out of garage today and noticed a lot of what seems to be tarnish on much of the brushed aluminum and some of the chrome, i can get some of it off with some chrome polish but there are still many spots where it wont budge, its driving me nuts as you might imagine, the rag will have black build up after polishing these areas, any suggestions on what to use to get it all off? was thinking a mildly abrasive rubbing compound?
Note: I've enclosed a few pics that were taken after washing the bike twice and polishing the areas shown.
Note: I've enclosed a few pics that were taken after washing the bike twice and polishing the areas shown.
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 324
Likes: 2
Yeah you really have to stay on top of them, especially during the winter when they are just sitting and your aren't really doing anything with them. There is a lot of condensation that still gets in a garage. I use Mothers Chrome Polish on mine but I clean my bike 1-2 times a week and dry it really good with a leaf blower so it doesn't get bad. The only place I have ever had this type of situation luckily has been on the sides on my rocker covers. I would like to find something better than Mothers as it isn't the quickest solution I'm sure.
Last edited by rc4fan; Feb 17, 2011 at 12:28 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 17
From: Central FL
Metal polish should do it, I'm not sure what's in the chrome polish. What you are seeing is simply aluminum oxidation. You can only stop that by keeping oxygen away from bare aluminum. Since that is virtually impossible we are stuck with polishing.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,189
Likes: 3
From: Massachusetts
Hi guys, took the bike out of garage today and noticed a lot of what seems to be tarnish on much of the brushed aluminum and some of the chrome, i can get some of it off with some chrome polish but there are still many spots where it wont budge, its driving me nuts as you might imagine, the rag will have black build up after polishing these areas, any suggestions on what to use to get it all off? was thinking a mildly abrasive rubbing compound?
Note: I've enclosed a few pics that were taken after washing the bike twice and polishing the areas shown.
Note: I've enclosed a few pics that were taken after washing the bike twice and polishing the areas shown.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Minot, ND
+1 on never dull. One reason my bike is so blacked out now is because now I have less chrome to worry about cleaning. Ha!
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 509
Likes: 10
From: Bristol, England.
My rocker covers and yokes have gone like that, they are clear coated though aren't they?
I've not used any kind of abrasive polish for that reason, was just going to live with it until I swap them out for chrome.
For the rust on the chrome I would use a piece of fine wire wool.
I've not used any kind of abrasive polish for that reason, was just going to live with it until I swap them out for chrome.
For the rust on the chrome I would use a piece of fine wire wool.