I had black paint on my 07 FLSTF- what a pain, never again. My root beer color on my RKC has been better to manage with a quality car wash soap, Zymol wax and such.

If I had $ i would have the tins done white with a few clear coats and some red pinstripe for old school look.

 

Well when you pay for a detailing and it was definitely NOT detailed then the detailer has the nerve to tell you that you must have done something to his detail job to make it look like that I think it is time to find a new detailer.

If the detailer was telling you not to rub a dry cloth on your bike that would be expecting and I would be glad that he was educating me on keeping my finish clean and scratch free.

 

Dust with the small california duster for dashes/interiors and then follow up with Meq detailer and microfiber. If I got caught in rain or real dirty I wash.
I buy the detailer called Last Touch from Autogeek by the gallon and then you mix 1:1 with water. So I get 2 gals of detailer for about $20. I use the Griots quick spray wax when drying after a wash.

 

Sorry but this post is just incorrect in many ways.

Clay does not remove scratches or clear coat/paint, it removes contaminates from the paint. The amount of clear coat that is actually removed from a proper machine polish is minuscule and if done PROPERLY will not lead to differences in gloss at all. It will actually "jewel" the clear and make it shine better. Finally, yes a inexperienced "car detailer" that just grabs a polisher can cause horrible holograms and swirls if they have no clue but in most cases it can be undone by someone who knows what they are doing.

I'm not trying to insult you but you should read up a bit on proper paint polishing, correcting and protecting. There are a lot of products out there that do great things other than just "a good wax."

 

I asked a professional detailer about washing and waxing my bike. Big Blue Pearl & Vivid Black. Here is his response:
Sadly, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that one size does not fit all.
In your case, you have the (very soft) dreaded H-D "Vivid Black" paint.
Things I'd normally suggest, I would not recommend for your soft paint.

Here are some suggestions just for your (very soft) H-D Vivid Black paint.

Wash Mitt:
Merino Wool Wash Mitt - This is a very soft and safe luxurious wash mitt.
Wash System:
MR. CLEAN AUTODRY AUTO DRY - Excellent tool for washing a motorcycle
Clay Bar:
Zaino Z-18 ClayBar - This is a very fine clay bar. It doesn't mar Vivid Black
Clay Lube:
Meguiar's Quik Detailer - It can be purchased at your local auto parts store.
______________________________________

Good Quality Microfiber Towels are a BIG Deal!
Drying Towel:
Microfiber Madness: Dry Me Crazy Jr. - A safe (non scratch) drying towel
General Purpose:
BOA Super Soft Plush Microfiber Towel - I would suggest getting a 5 pack
Quick Detail:
Microfiber Madness: Crazy Pile - Keep this one with you in it's ziplock bag
Question:
Do you have swirls in the vivid black paint that you can see in direct sun?
Should I apply a wax? Or does the claybar with the Miguires's Quik Detail with the polisher do the job?

1. To look for swirls look at a reflection of direct sunlight in your paint. I didn't put any products on the list that remove swirls and fine scratches.

http://www.cpcardetailing.com/wp-con...mustang-gt.gif

2. Yes, same products

3. To check if it "needs" to be clayed. clean paint first...
This can be done with a wash or a QD spray to remove surface dirt.

After it is cleaned put your hand in a baggie an feel the paint.
Can you feel little grit? If so, this is contaminants in the paint that need to be removed via clay bar.

After all the paint is clayed I suggest cleaning all the paint with an IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) spray mixed 1 part IPA and 2-3 parts water.

This cleans and removes any remaining product residue (Quick Detailer, Polish etc.) before applying the Last Step Product (LSP)

Your LSP can be many products from a wax to a synthetic wax to a coating.

Some inexpensive products I like are Collinite 845, Blackfire Wet Diamond AFPP, Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax.

NOTE: One of the very few products that can be used on paint and a OEM H-D windshield is Liquid Glass.

IMPORTANT: Rain-X will ruin a HD windshield. It will turn it yellow and foggy.

 

Meguier's Detailing Spray, NEW microfiber towel, gentle pressure. No problem.

 

That's what I do and never had a problem. No scratches at all

 

I use soap and water when the bike is dirty. If i am just going to give it a quick polish i use Purple Slice. This stuff works great and makes the bike shine.

 

Be careful with microfiber towels. The best ones have no edges or very soft edges. The sewn edges can scratch. I really like using a leaf blower to remove the majority of water.

 

+1 on the Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish. Use it after every ride with a clean micro fiber towel and only takes minutes. Mothers Back to Black on the inner fairing and other black plastic and Mothers on the wheels and pipes.