Polishing Rims

[Kamzilla]

This is the last of my pre-season projects.  Has anyone polished their own rims?  If so, could you post up the procedure, what stripper works well, etc?

[Red01]

I did mine about 4 years ago. I think the stripper used was "aircraft paint stripper" from WalMart. It took a couple or three applications to get it all off for me, some have had an easier time of it.

I only stripped the smooth parts of the rims, not the rough cast part (which is much harder to strip chemically and doesn't polish up to a shine). Some have masked the rims, but most don't. Since the paint is difficult to remove from the rough, you can easily strip them just by putting the stripper on with a paint brush. (Be sure to wear gloves that the stripper won't eat, this stuff is toxic! ) Final traces will have to be removed with fine steel or aluminum wool and/or fine Scothbrite pads. Once all the paint is off, they can be shined up with most any metal polish. Nevrdull, Mothers, Magic Metal Mix are popular ones.

[Kamzilla]

Paul,

Thanks so much for replying.  I think the bike looks so much better with the rims done!  

I remember reading somewhere that you should put a coat of wax over the polished part once you're done.  Did you do this?

[PitterB4]

Kamil,

I just polished my peg brackets a month or so ago.  I buffed them with some rubbing compound between the steel wool and the polish.  They came out nice.

[Red01]

Paul,

Thanks so much for replying.  I think the bike looks so much better with the rims done!  

I remember reading somewhere that you should put a coat of wax over the polished part once you're done.  Did you do this?

I clean my rims (and the rest of the bike) with Honda Spray cleaner & polish, wich leaves a light wax coating.

[Kamzilla]

Paul,

How long did the job take you, start to finish?

[Red01]

Can't really say because I worked on it piecemeal over the course of a week before I went to work. It did take me more than one application of stripper per wheel to get the paint off, whereas some others had better success in that area. Even with that hiccup, I'd say I could have accomplished it in a single day off, had I done it all at once.

[Kamzilla]

Cool beans.  Thanks again.

[B12MoJo]

S100 makes a product calle polishing soap you can use when you're washing the bike.  Comes with a little sponge and a paste typ formula that bubbles up nice, and does wonders on oxidation.  Almost makes me want to polish up the Bandit like I did my last streetfighter/standard.
I stripped the lips of the wheels and used a brush to apply rustoleum silver paint to the cast portion (easy to do since you can't see any brush strokes through the rough cast portion).  I also used it on the cases (like I plan on doing to the bandit), and polished them.  These bikes look so bad ass with polished bits...




BTW, I used aircraft paint remover on this bike.  Works quick and burn if you eat it.

[Snubnose]

could you post an more involved outline of your procedure here and post some close up pics of your rims?
Did you take the wheels off the bike to do this? and what kind of prep was needed to the "rough bits" in order for the silver paint to adhere properly?

thanks man

[Red01]

I stripped mine with the tires still on and the wheels off the bike.

I suppose it could be done with the wheels on the bike, but you'd need to use great care applying stripper so as not to get it on painted parts.