Restoring Handlebar Pads - 81 SECA 750

A previous owner decided to spray the handlebar pads Red - and did a lousy job......

Yes - I know I can find some out there - but why not give it a try to bring these back to life.

Anyone have any past experience removing paint from these pads?? Looking for something that will attack the paint and not ruin the plastic.

Thank You

Stephen

 

Not done this process myself, but I have heard many amateur modellers' tales about removing paint from plastic models using spray-on oven cleaner. Maybe give this a small try in an inconspicuous place?

 

If you mess them up with paint stripper, you can always shoot on some black vinyl dye-paint. I'd let them sit in the sun for a few days before painting to "out-gas" any residual chemicals.

Nothing ventured . . .

 

Easy-Off will melt them, not. good.
Citrus Goof-Off Gel is available from Home Depot or other warehouse in your area. Won't kill the plastic/rubber and works great, just takes a heck of a long time to work through. Patience is a must.

 

Thank you for the ideas....

Step One - Citrus Goof-Off Gel (what is considered a long time???)

Step Two - Clean, Clean, Clean and then let them out-gas

Step Three - VHT Vinyl Dye - Black Satin

Sound like a plan?????

Stephen

 

brake fluid soak, and a old tooth brush mixed with some elbow grease

 

Well today I experienced either the 'Deer In The Headlights' look or the 'Black Lab' look when I asked about Citrus Goof-Off Gel.

That was at Home Depot, Lowes, and Walmart...............

The search continues............

I wonder what glass beading on a lower pressure might do??????

Stephen

 

Idiots... I got similar assistance this past weekend looking for a scale cleaner for the hard water deposits in my dishwasher (yes, I know about CLR, doesn't work for the application but my floors are now clean :0 ).
It is made by Goof-Off and can be found in the paint section. Spray bottle, clear orange color. There is also a professional strength Goof-Off available there. Yellow can.

 

I've had success with Simple Green, hot water, and elbow grease (variation on Polock's suggestion). Soak in Simple Green (overnight), and work at it with hot water and a brush. Good luck!

 

Hmmm - I have some paint overspray on my 750's fairing that's been bothering me. I'll have to see what some of these products will do.

It's the unpainted, textured plastic of the inner shell (black)
What's a safe time frame for brake fluid on plastic??

 

Brake fluid on plastic is not a good idea. Laquer thinner also not a good idea. Enamail reducer shouldn't hurt plastic, but try in an inconspicuous spot first.

 

i guess it depends on what kind of plastic it is, it's ok on side covers on a KZ and the inner fairing parts of a BMW and the brake fluid res. on most new bikes or the bottle it comes in.
try it on the back first, i left it on the BMW parts about a half hour and the overspray hosed right off

 

Not sure about the other stores, but that W-M one I know has it. Unfortunately not all the employees are as motivated as some of us. It's not that they are "idiots", it's just that they are lazy and don't give a damn whether you get what you are looking for. I'm sorry that you had to deal with them.

All the paint departments are pretty much the same. So, Goof-Off and Goo-Gone (made by the same company and used to be called OOPS!) is awesome stuff for removing adhesive or cleaning up paint spills and overspray, but it will slightly thin out a new paint job so not recommended for that purpose. It shouldn't be a problem on the unpainted fairing, I use it on plastic all the time. Just test it first in a spot that isn't immediately noticeable, like say, the inside of an unpainted fairing.

It is located in the 4' section that also has the Acetone, paint thinner, etc.

If you want to try the Simple Green, that is over in the automotive dept., in the "garage cleaning" section.

Brake fluid would be fine on unpainted plastic, but it will eat the paint off plastic just as fast as it does painted metal.