Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

[OnlyVees]

My Moto-OCD got the best of me again- I bought a clean, but ridden 2001 Honda VFR this weekend. It has about 26K miles on the odo, but nothing out of the ordinary as far as wear and tear goes.

I'd like to get the paint looking as good as it can, but I realize it's a 9-year-old machine, so it won't be perfect. There are some mild to moderate scratches on the plastic and some marks from a tank bag on the steel fuel tank.

Once I got the thing home, I attacked the exterior with some Honda motorcycle detailer. (if you ride, you know what this stuff is) Then I broke out the clay bar and went over all of the painted surfaces.

What do you guys recommend that will help with some light scratches on an older surface? I have a Porter Cable random buffer already...

Thanks, and here are a few pics. It's a sport-touring bike, please don't call it a crotch rocket.

[KC's]

Re: Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

Mama mia
look like new
great turn around what did u do

[Murr1525]

Re: Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

Is it painted, or colored plastic?

[OnlyVees]

Re: Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

Eh, that's really the before shots. It looks good until you get really close, or throw some good light on the paint.

I'm almost certain the plastic is painted.

Just looking for some direction.

[Murr1525]

Re: Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

With it being paint then, you can use the full array of Meguiars products. With those kind of body lines, I am not sure how helpfull the DA will be, but you can certainly try it. You may want to look at these as far as remvoing defects by hand and machine. The products in them are a little older, but the ideas remain the same.

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How To Remove a Bird Dropping Etching by Hand using M105 Ultra Cut Compound

How to correctly apply ScratchX to remove swirls and scratches

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line


I would start off mild with something like SwirlX, which can be used by hand or machine.

Then if needed, you can step up in strength to Ultimate Compound or #105, again by hand or machine.

Between those two, you shold be able to remove most of the defects.

Then wax with something line Nxt 2.0.

[OnlyVees]

Re: Paint restoration on '01 Honda VFR

Thank you Murr. I just posted a new topic a little lower in the forum.