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Need a non-oily way to clean scuff marks off saddlebags.


EffBee

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I've been on this board for 16 years. And I've seen it all. The problem is I don't remember it all. Somewhere along the way, we must have covered this: Cleaning scuff marks off the unpainted saddlebags on an 1100/1150RT, but without oil or polish.

 

I've always used a detergent, a blue 3M scrub pad (non-scratching), and then a light coat of WD-40 to even out the finish, which eventually wears off. It works well most of the time, sometimes only so-so. Now, however, I'm looking to put some clear protective film over that area of the saddlebag lid ('cause sure as sunrise, I'm gonna kick them again sometime soon), so I need to make sure there's no oily finish on it, or the adhesive won't stick.

 

So, what has worked for you? Again, I want a non-oily finish, and would probably prefer a non-polish or non-silicone finish, to ensure good adherence from the clear vinyl.

 

 

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Also, if you have a good technique for cleaning scuff marks off the painted surfaces on R1200RT lids, please let me know.

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You should check

out.

Problem I see is the palstic on the lids isn't as smooth as a painted surface. What kind of film are you going to use?

If ya need a third hand don't hesitate to get in touch.

Good luck with it. :wave:

 

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Yup. Have a friend with a vinyl wrap business and I've helped him do several vehicles. Surface prep is extremely important, which is why I want to make sure when I remove the current heel marks, that I don't leave behind any oils or waxy/silicone residue. Thus, my question.

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Morning EffBee

 

Now that is an interesting question--

 

Just about anything I have ever used that had any chance of working had some sort of oily base to it (that is what rejuvenates the plastic color).

 

Personally I like a product called Back-to-Black but it is also an oily like product.

 

Maybe just putting the plastic film on (with nothing underneath it) will make the black plastic look more even.

 

Otherwise the only thing that I can think of that will WORK & dry without being oily is paint.

 

I wonder if a lightly tinted protective film would cover the marks without doing anything special to the plastic under it?

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The Rocketman

I went to a vinyl wrap guy just 2 days ago, and he installed a small sample of clear vinyl wrap. It looked good, but when I scuffed the vinyl with the sole of my boot, I could not get the scuff off the vinyl, no matter what cleaner I used. So I'd advise staying away from vinyl wrap; it might end up looking worse than scuffed unprotected bags. Try it with a small sample and see for yourself.

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Thanks DR. I think I may have to see if using something oily only in the scuff area (applied with a rag rather than sprayed on) will work to bring the color back, and then the larger footprint of the clear vinyl will seal over the entire area, including the oiled part. Time to experiment.

 

Rocketman, I'm using

which is self-healing, non-scuffing, and a fair bit expensive as far as clear PPFs go. Anything, of course, can be damaged, but this stuff is tough. Ultimately, though, I think the idea is to minimize damage to the plastic and, if the clear vinyl ends up scuffed, remove it prior to eventual sale so the bags look as good as they can.
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I wonder if a lightly tinted protective film would cover the marks without doing anything special to the plastic under it?

That's what was running through my head as I was reading the replies - or just a solid color (black) film?

 

From the previous owner, I have a small rectangular sticker (or film) on the top corner of my right bag. It looks like crap, as it's not integrated into the lines of the bag, but sure enough that's the exact spot my boot will hit when I swing my leg over. It's probably covering up prior boot scuffs on the plastic. Maybe divide your film into a few sacrificial sections that can be replaced.

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The Rocketman

I will be buying this 3M stuff to do the tops of my '09RT saddle bags, and the sides of my top case.

Just saw this great video:

 

Also spoke to a 3M trainer named Ted at their Interwest training facility in IL. He said you can put the film on over a waxed base, so long as the wax doesn't have a high polymer base. He said most off the shelf waxes will not hurt the adhesive properties of the film. He also recommended using a clay bar first to get the smoothest finish. He also said to install it indoors, as outside if its too hot, the fluid mixture will evaporate too quickly leaving a lot of air bubbles. Apparently some air bubbles are normal, and you can squeegee out as many as you can, but after 45 minutes or so, the remaining air permeates out through the film Lastly he said if there are scratches, and they're not so deep that your finger nail can catch them too badly, that the film's adhesive will actually fill in and hide some of the scratches. You can call him to confirm all this, or maybe have a pro install it for you. I think this sounds like a winner! Fleabay has a lot of different size rolls. Time to start shopping :)

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