Emblem gold plating

I'm sure I am not the first to ask this question.. the gold plating has peeled off one of the side plate emblems on my 550.

I asked the guy that plates emblems on cars, he said it'd have to be metal of some sort to plate..

Right? Wrong? What have you guys done?

 

I replaced all of mine.

There is a new sprayed-polymer process that produces chrome like results and can be used on plastics;

We just had a big discussion about it, including links in regard to the process I mentioned. Do a forum search or just scroll the indexes of "Chat" and "General Lounge" and you'll likely find it.

Like I said, I simply replaced mine. (Except the LH "Seca 550" badge on my black bike. It's still original.)

 

The badges are still available??

 

The badges are still available??

 

http://www.badgereplicas.com.au/badges_yamaha.htm

Yeah but they aint cheap.

 

Yes they are and you don't need to get them from Australia; chacal (XJ4Ever) has them for $44.95.

I also know of an NOS source that would be happy to sell them to you all day for $68.50, they have a bunch in stock.

*tip* Although Yamaha lists two part numbers, 4U8-21781-00-00 and 4U8-21782-00-00 for the sidecover badges, I've held real NOS examples of both part numbers in my hand and I can tell you they are IDENTICAL. Supposedly there's a slight "curvature" difference-- I couldn't see any.

(I got mine NOS off eBay over the span of two years and the most I paid for one was $25.)

THIS is the one that's impossible to find; it came on the front of the instrument cluster on the '82s and '83s. I "repurposed" this one:

 

For the cheap, do-it-yourself option -- I've had good luck with gold & silver leafing kits (aka gilding).
The trick is to make sure it's good and smooth before laying the leaf down, then burnishing gently. Do it right, and you can't even see the seams -- I have not done it right, and it still looks really good unless you're really really looking.

 

Thanks for the responses guys! I appreciate it!

 

Prepare the Badge to be made Gold again.
Clean it and sand the Letters smooth.

Spray the WHOLE Badge GOLD
3 Coats
Wet sand the Letter Surfaces with 1000 after they are DRY.

CLEAR the Badge adding the shine to the Letter Faces.
Let DRY
BUFF the Letter Faces, ... Bringing-out a Luster and Shine.
CLEAR X 2, 3 ... Heavy on the Clear
Let Dry
Buff the Clear until it's Beautiful.

Prepare to Finish the Badge.

The finishing step must be carried out with skill and precision.

Spray the Badge Gloss Black over the Clear.

Before the BLACK Dries, ... remove it from the LETTER FACES.

Use Q-Tips that are DAMP with LACQUER THINNER.
Remove the BLACK with a Damp Q-Tip.

DISCARD the Q-Tip after One and ONLY One swipe of a Letter.
Work FAST and CLEAN

Swipe a Letter. Toss the Q-Tip. Use NEW Q-Tip. Swipe again. Toss.
REMOVE the BLACK from the faces of the Letters.

You will be left with Gold Faces Letters and a Beautiful looking Badge.

The trick is having Buffed-out Clear on the Letter Faces that will let you swipe the BLACK Color off the Faces with those DAMP Q-TIPS.

((A time-saver is the Cotton Tee-Shirt Trick. Wrap the end of your finger with a CLEAN Section of the Tee Shirt. Damp the Tee with Lacquer Thinner and wipe a Letter. New Clean Tee, Damp, Wipe ... Until you get them alll to where you just need to Q-Tip a spot here and there.))