Stupid question...

Are these engine covers aluminum or stainless? Any suggestions on how to get the "weather" off, make them look good?

They are aluminum. To make them look good you could polish them. I think there are a few polishing threads here on the site, but here is how I do it. Start off by wet sanding. Depending on how bad the metal is I start off with 400 and work my way up to 2000. If the cover can come off the engine, I then buff it on a buffing wheel using a couple of different buffing compounds. Usually comes out looking pretty good. If its something that I don't want to take off the bike I'll probably polish it by hand or a dremel. Have a look around at some of the polishing threads and you'll see pics of how it will look.

According to El Guapo, there's a plethora of competing products in today's market for polishing aluminum.

But back in the olden times, there was only Simichrome (which still works pretty good).

Thanks guys.. Ive had no luck with the chemicals when cleaning the motor, so im staying away from them on the covers, but also didnt want to scratch or etch them. I tried a dremel, but the polish wheel is kinda small and i dont want the brush marks to show. Looks like a little light sanding is in order..

Wet sand like was suggested, then polish with aluminum polish. You can get some really good aluminum polish at most truck stops.

Polish alone will take forever once the cover is that dull.

Pulling the cover off will assure you that you can reach all the little nooks and crannies. Buffing on a wheel would make it go quickly after wet sanding.

PS - that wasn't a stupid question. It would have been stupid to NOT ask the question. Now you know:)

Laugh all you want but I've got some covers worse than that on my project bike. I've had pretty good luck cleaning them with "Honda Cleaner and 0000 steel wool and then going over them with Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish. No they don't look chrome but they certainly have a lot more shine than when I started.

I know, I know. Bob said the "H" word. Please forgive me.

I use a product called "never dull" (non toxic) and a dremmel with a small buffing wheel. It took forever, but now I can shave in my side cover.

Also, I polish my bike a couple of times a week, so keep in mind that the more your go over it, the beter it will look.

THe power wheel, either grinder / handheld will produce much better results than hand polishing, unless you are the hulk or Hulk Hogan, "Watcha gona do......"

I just leave my covers looking like yours. No one wants to steal a rat bike....Keeping them polished is a never ending chore....chris3

I don't polish mine either. I finished them pretty well with emory cloth though. Since you will always see little sand lines with a emory cloth finish you have to take care to run the lines very evenly in one direction.

For example, I run only vertically on broad case surfaces, and follow the curve of any bevels like the chamfer in the points or clutch cover.

Polishing compound and a buffer work decently, but I like the 'machined' look.