Did they Laquer my aluminum pieces?

My KZ1000P engine covers or what ever they are called have some very polished areas and some dull areas. Looking closer at the dull areas it looks like it has a coating on it that has gotten dull, that can be scraped away even using my fingernail. The shiny places seem to be where the laquer has worn off. I went after the left side with some 0000 steel wool and it removes it with lots of elbow grease and polishes up nicely. I'm just wondering if there is anything in the solvent department that might make removing this crud easier?

I tried mineral spirits to no avail. I'd really like to get this stuff off and get the sides polished up nice. It would make the bike look soooo much better...

Fergyfer, I was wondering whether this is clear powder-coating. If it is, it will take forever to get off. Lets assume its not! I would see an auto/motorcycle painter and get their opinion as to an easy removal solvent.

The front fork-legs of the Z1 series, were linished then lacquered and that's hard to remove and I'm not sure what the purist use to bring them back to original. Perhaps they could suggest a solvent to try!

RegardZ

That's a good idea. I don't know what a clear powdercoat is, unless it gives it a satin finish? If so, I don't believe it is, since they made these bikes shiny in every way they could. It comes off, but man, it's tough. Especially in the hard to get to areas.

I'm afraid to use anything unless someone else recommends it cause I could easily tarnish the aluminum, which just takes more work to polish after.

polishing the aluminum is the easy part.
gettin through the clear is a pain in the ass.
my guess is this is what your looking at??

Probably, but my forks don't look bad at all. I just made a "tool" that seems to be doing a pretty good job. Took a 1/4" aluminum rod and put duct tape around it with sticky side out. Wrapped my steel wool around it and have been using the speed drill to work on it. Seems to work pretty good, still not very fast, but much faster than using steel wool and my fingers!

yea dremel makes a similar sanding/forming pad.
i used that and craftsman twistlock sanding discs.
it took about an hour and a half- 2 hours to do the fork from looking like^^^^^^^ to this

The forks coating comes off real easy using paint stripper. If paint stripper won't get it off it's going to be a rough job on the engine.

Does paint stripper have any effect on the aluminum? I assume you are talking about the stuff you brush on, let set a few minutes until the paint is bubbled up, then scrape or wipe off. That's some nasty stuff! But, if it works, I'm in.

fergyfer wrote:

Does paint stripper have any effect on the aluminum? I assume you are talking about the stuff you brush on, let set a few minutes until the paint is bubbled up, then scrape or wipe off. That's some nasty stuff! But, if it works, I'm in.

Works great and doesn't hurt a thing. We have to get rough sometimes and show these bikes who's boss. Of course don't leave the stripper on overnight or anything like that. Just brush it on, give it a few minutes and wipe it off. All that crap will be gone.

OK, I'll pick some up on the way home and get after it! Thanks, and my fingers thank you as well!

if you leave the covers on the motor make sure you cover frame or anything else thats painted to keep sripper off them. goodluck,happy wrenching!

Don't worry, you're reading my mind. Thanks tho!