After seeing the pictures it's definitely a surface contamination issue of some kind...guy on the line might have been eating a big greasy burger and grab the thing as it was going down the line..who knows. I would definitely pursue the issue with the dealer.
There's no damage to the fender that can cause that kind of popping. It could be a number of reasons why but something from underneath is pushing the clear off.

n8dc Are you the same guy that use to call me for delam warranty claims years ago???

 

+1 thats is excatly what I was gonna say. It sure looks like brake fluid damage

 

Have to agree with the others. Not damage from brake fluid. A definate contamination of fender during paint prep. Although with urathanes I would think you would have fisheyes or similar. Most likly something dripped (during prep) then cleared over.

 

As bad as it looks its an easy fix for a painter, I owned a paint shop for 20 plus years, that clear coat can be blended real easy.. TIm

 

... nope

 

Yes, I do agree 100% with contamination as being a cause for clearcoat adhesion loss. But in this case, in the factory, with controlled conditions, it seems unlikely for the basecoat to get contaminated before it gets cleared. Even in a body shop situation, if the base goes on fine the chances for a contamination are fairly slim. Now I know chit happens, something could come out of an air line, or an airborne contaminate could become present so I agree with your comments. As far as thin clear being a cause for loss of adhesion between the basecoat does happen. As UV exposure penetrates through the thin clearcoat film, the basecoat begins to breakdown and the clear starts to come loose. In this case, being a new bike it is probably not the cause as I stated in my earlier post.

 

vivid black fender.... not a problem

Any body shop can shoot it in DBC code 99 and you'll never know the difference from the HD paint.

If you want proof I have a gunmetal gray fender I shot in DBC 99 and cleared that is sitting up in my attic and you can't tell it from vivid black when it is on the bike.... I repaired my 03 vivid black fender rather than loose the 03 decal, but I already bought and painted the fender before I decided to tin knock the one that was on the bike.

and yes I used the same paint on the 03 fender... can't tell it isn't factory

want to buy it cheap?

 

Well having done garage painting for the past 15 years, self taught I have made a lot of mistakes when painting. They all pretty much boil down to surface prep as the causative factor. Anyway if the MOCO fixes it you are at their mercy as to how they wanna do it BUT if you gotta pay for it, spend the extra cash and have it stripped, epoxy primed, sealed then repainted and cleared. A spot repair doesn't eliminate the possibility of another spot reappearing later somewhere else if it is bad surface prep. Just a suggestion.

 

While H-D's paint process may be very good there are still quality issues that slip thru, parts painted on a Friday or Monday, or the day after payday.
There was a perfect handprint, complete with prints underneath the clearcoat of my left saddlebag (vivid black). It was in a place where it was concealed by the saddlebag rails.
H-D replaced the bag, all the time swearing it was impossible for anyone to touch the bag during the paint process.
AP

 

Update!!

One of the local dealers has been communicating with the moco about my problem. The dealer took photos and submitted the problem to customer service. Well, after 3 weeks of waiting, I got a call from the dealer this morning indicating the claim was being denied because they (the moco) felt is was not a manufacturing defect but rather caused by "something" getting on the paint that damaged the clearcoat. I called customer service and calmly asked for someone to explain to me how any chemical could penetrate the clearcoat causing it to lift from the color coat without damaging the clearcoat. That was the key! There are no cracks, chips, holes, etc. to allow any chemical to get beneath the clearcoat. She called the dealer to verify the condition of the paint she went back and talked to the manager of the tech that originally denied the claim. Final decision............ the moco authorized the dealer to replace the fender! I assume having an extended warranty played a role in the final decision, but perhaps not. In any case, I'm a happy camper. I will also say that the lady I spoke with in customer service this morning was very cordial and helpful. It would have been easy for her to tell me there is nothing else she could do, but I think she went above and beyond in talking to the right people to help solve my problem. A good experience with the moco. I guess it does happen.

Thanks for all the thoughts and input.