XJ650J Engine clear coat restoration

I'm restoring my XJ650J to the best of my ability. When I started many of the engine covers were factory clear coated. Over time the clear coat had chipped away. My solutions was to use a fine sand paper and removed all of the coating. The bike looks so much better but even so I would like to preserve the parts with a clear coat.

Anyone have good suggestions on a clear coat that can be used and the best practice on applying it?

Thanks.

 

I too would like to know, as I am in the same situation, altho I got all my corrosion off with a stainless steel wire wheel I used with my dremel.

 

If you have the clear coat sanded off I believe it is best to polish it with mothers mag and aluminum polish. The polish will give you a high shine and it will protect and preserve your metal better than the clear coat ever could.

 

jarreddaughtry - You are spot on. Mothers mag and alum is exactly what I used to clean up and shine the covers. I may be wrong, but won't a clear coat protect better against flying debri off of the road? The Mother's polish does an excellent job and while a clear coat may be more durable I'm afraid as it wears it wouldn't look as good as a good polish would.

Hinestly I'm a bit in the middle of the road on this one.

 

+1. +1. Don't do it. Look in my gallery; go buy some Mother's Billet Metal polish.

Aircraft paint remover will take the old clear coat off effortlessly but the part should be off the bike.

 

I dont know what kind of roads you ride on, but I dont encounter enough debris to damage my engine. Just shine it with mothers and you'll be fine.

 

Here. This is my "daily rider" and I've been caught in the rain about a half dozen times just this year. At least three of those before I took this. It got bad snotty every time. I wash it, and dry it with a terry cloth towel; and go for a ride to dry out the "nooks and crannies." That's pretty much it; do some "touch up" polishing here and there, or some "R & R" polishing (I'm a single parent, polishing my bike is relaxing, OK?) and that's it.



My Norton, which is now 35+ years old, NEVER HAD clearcoat. Didn't come with it. Didn't need it. Has MORE polished bits than an XJ has bits, and they have held up fine with the occasional polishing. Clearcoat is for people who don't actively take care of their motorcycles. That ain't us.

 

Great advice all... I'm convinced. Thanks for the replies.