Cleaning old plexiglass

[Anonymous]

I don't know if this is old or a new discovery but, I just cleaned my Windjammer windshield and then went for a ride. Being very old, the plexiglass had many many swirls and mini scratches that light up when the sun light shines through. I took some Armor-All cleaner/sealer (the original formula) and rubbed it all over the windshield. At first it was all while and milky but after a while or rubbing with an old tee shirt, the plexiglass looks like new! Wow! I surprized myself! 'Course, the rest of the plastic on the fairing looks like new also now!
Just thought I'd pass this along.
GY

 

[Dink]

Meguiars also markets some products specifically for restoration of acrylics etc.
Dink

 

[Anonymous]

Lemon

Lemon

Try Lemon Pledge! Works on nearly the whole Machine. Regular flavor works as well.

 

[Anonymous]

cleaning old plexiglass

cleaning old plexiglass

Lemon pledge, use on virtually everything.

 

[Anonymous]

Lemon Pledge is good and cheap!

Lemon Pledge is good and cheap!

I've been using Lemon Pledge for years. Takes the bugs right off, and it's cheap. I use it to clean the entire bike, instead of washing it.

Nick

 

[argonsagas]

I have a really simple solution for removing bugs..just plain water.

When I put the bike away for the day I soak a soft towel and smooth it out across the windshield.

Since it stays damp for hours, it softens up all bugs, dirt etc. In the morning I just slide the towel off, turn it over and wipe off everything. No scratches, no bugs, no dirt. It dries in a few minutes and the shield is clean and ready.

I have not used it on the bike before, but I really like the results of Rain-X on my car. Hopefully it will work as well on the bike. I got stuck in rain with a lot of junk thrown up off the highway this week. The windshield was almost covered and useless in just a few minutes. Rain-X lets even dirt bead up and blow right off with the water, so I am putting it on today.

 

[Dink]

I have used rain-x for years on my cars and agree that it works very well,however on my bike I only use it on my helmet visor. I tried using it on the fairing screen but found it inefective for any thing but funnelling water into my lap.
Dink

 

[argonsagas]

Dink:

I liked your suggestion, but did a compromise...I put the stuff on the fairing and the visor.

Drove about 50 miles in light rain and mist today and have to agree, some of the water spills over the top of the shield, but the shield remained clear and I could see through it.

 

[Anonymous]

Reading through this old post I had a thought I hoped this experienced group might be able to comment on.
The idea of water coming over the top etc. is new to me as I have only recently begun riding with any kind of shield. I'm grateful for the wind blockage, and figured that without the shield I was going to get wet anyway, so no big deal. However, getting older and less tolerant of the status quo it occurs to me that maybe that water can be channeled away.
If I find the right bit of flexible channel (U shaped) wider than the thickness of the windshield I ought to be able to glue it to the inside of the shield such that the channel and the shield form a smaller channel on the rain side of the shield. This could keep it out of my face, and direct it to the sides - or it would it just fill up and blow over anyway. Would any of it blow down and out the sides? HAs anybody tried it?

 

[jimcor]

Gerry, if you find it try Plexus. It's about six bucks for a medium size aerosol. Local Honda shop has it here. Truly does amazing stuff to plexiglas. This spray was originally made for the aircraft industry. Attn.Plexus: another plugola check, please!

 

[argonsagas]

Since the airflow is coming upwards, as well as moving to both sides, your channel idea would work to divert the water away from the top of the shield, but the backdraft behind the shield would likely cause the water to move back onto the inside of the shield from the sides.

The amount of disturbance in the air flow, which would be directly related to the shape, size and position of the channel, might also not be pleasant for you. especially if you normally sit so that you see over the top of the shield, as I do with my Windjammer IV.

On some newer bikes/fairings there is something like what you describe placed at the top to deflect more air, but I have not been behind any of them.

Hmm....just remembered some folks use an accessory deflector that mounts on either/both the side and top of the shield.

Yes. Got it. I've seen it on Ted Warren's GS1100GK, but I don't think he ever posts anything in the Forum, although he is registered. You should be able to send him an e-mail from the GS directory. If not, send me a PM and I'll get his e-mail address for you.

 

[Anonymous]

I would suggest that no one uses any pledge or similar on their saddle. You will end up very sore after you slam into the tank under heavy breaking or like me will nearly slide off the saddle under cornering.

 

[arveejay]

I have a question about the lemon pledge. Besides the seat, what else should I not get the pledge on. Can I use it everywhere, frame, tank, sidecovers, tires, rims. It don't hurt anything? Can't use the garden hose for next 4 months and want to really spit shine the old girl.

 

[Anonymous]

Removing Scratches

Removing Scratches

I use Novis #2 light scratch remover. With a little elbow grease it will make a dramatic difference on windscreen scratches. Novis also makes a #3 heavy scratch remover for plastics that I would test before getting agressive. These products are commonly used to maintain the playfield and plastics on pinball machines.

 

[luc8421]

!!!WARNING DEALING WITH RAIN-X!!!

a little known fact about rain-x is that it actually weakens class, if anyone who's used rain-x frequently and gotten a chip in their window, you'll noticed that it spiders quite quickly. It happened to my friend, and the instant the glass repair man saw it, he said "you use rain-x" because of the way the crack spidered out.

I'm not sure if it has the same affect on plastics, or even if it weakens all types of glass, but I would highly suggest you do not use rain-x on your motorcycle helmet visor, I imagine it would greatly reduce it's saftey purpose.

 

[mixongw]

I have been toying with the idea of using Rain-X on my plexi windshield, but the bottle says not to use it on plastic. I did try some on a scrap piece of plexi with no negative effects. Maybe it softens the surface after multiple uses or some other bad stuff. Any experience with extended use?

 

[bonanzadave]

The product is NOVUS. 800-548-6872. Have been using #1,#2 & #3 for 20 years on new and used airplane windows. Would not recommend anything else except water. Acrylic is a petro by product and silicone and waxes will cause premature aging. Poly-carb is even worse. Pledge, Rain-x and other products will really bring out the shine and thats great for MCs. Plastic Airplane windows are big $$$ and the labor to put them in is over the top so we are very careful with what we put on them.

 

[retrex]

Another Product

Another Product

I have recently tried the Novus plastic polishing products with excellent success. They have a heavy scratch and light scratch product. You should get both. I was truely amazed at how well they work. Give them a look.

 

[seancanfixit]

As a former employee of a plastics distributer, I can tell you this. Most fairings for bikes are made of a product called Polycarbonate (Lexan GE tm) with a Marguard coating. You can check for this on the stamped or sticker logo on your particular fairing. If it is one of these Marguard shields it will say somewhere on it MR-10 or a varied number based on the manufacturer. If it is not labeled like this it is quite likely to be acrylic. Either way here's how the plastic thing works. Both products are broken down by alcohol. This means almost every cleaning product like Windex, etc. I'm not sure about Pledge...check to see on the label if it contains alcohol. Windex and other similar cleaning agents will cause Acrylic or Polycarbonate to craze or spider-web over time...this is what you see when the sun glares on it. If your shield is Marguarded, only the surface finish will craze, so any abrasive product as the one suggested before will remove that surface finish and take the craze out of the plex. Only works once usually...unless you buff like crazy and polish the heck out of it. And it should not work on Plexiglass as far as I know. The best cleaner you can possibly buy (and I don't sell it so I'm not advertizing) is the 3 step Novus line of products....Novus 1 is a general cleaner safe for all plastic, Novus 2 is a light scuff remover for any visual damage hardly able to feel and Novus 3 is a heavy scratch remover..careful though it will distort the plex or polycarb. Hope this helps.


--------------------------------------------------------------
1980 (81 model year) GS750EX -- in my shop for engine trouble

I'm lost, I've gone to find myself. If I should return before I get back, please ask me to wait.