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.

 

I'd give Semichrome Metal Polish a try. It's taken out spots on my bike when nothing else will. You can get it at most auto parts stores.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Try using Never Dull. It takes out rust pits and tarnish.

 

Never Dull is good stuff, and easy to use.

 

One technique I resorted to is wiping the bike's metal parts down with WD40 or machine oil before laying her up for the winter. When it's time to ride I wash her down and I'm ready to go. No tarnish or rust.

 

+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!

 

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.

 

No clear coat. Just bare aluminum. They do polish up nice.