Lower fork tube polishing

I'm looking for different methods of polishing off the dull stock factory finish of the lower front fork tubes. I know they can have a highly polished appearance when they are done, and look quite awesome. But I can't seem to find the right method. I've heard there's an easy way to get the look I am seeing in others.

If they have a factory clear coat, here's a topic in which acetone was used. Cleaning those Ugly Yellowed fork tubes

Thank you Martin. That's the first I've heard of using acetone. It certainly sounds like a logical and practical method to accomplish what I'm looking for. I will give it a try.............Mike

The 70s models may not have the clear coat --- not sure what bike you have.

I have 3 '76 KZ900's and a '77 KZ1000

I don't really know, but yours may not have the coating & might be just oxidized instead. ???
My 81 650 had the clear coat ---- I wish I'd seen that acetone topic before doing mine the hard way. doh.

Rockranch wrote: I have 3 '76 KZ900's and a '77 KZ1000

Lower legs have lacquer finish on them. Buy a cheap aerosol can of paint, gasket stripper.
And you need to buff with a bench style electric motor buffer at least 3450 rpm's.
I always glass bead my aluminum, then some fine scotch wheels then wet sand with auto paint wet sand paper 400-600 grit.
Good thing you can do forks assembled if your internals are good. Easy to hold, aluminum gets hot!
The machine buffing with the correct compound does it.
Here's a couple of front ends I've sold on ebay over the last few years.
Good luck! Patience and your own labor and sweat equity are free! If you have the time.

My '77 KZ1000 has lacquered, urethaned or plastic coated lowers.... after 42,000 miles on the road they are starting to pit on the front and I can polish the aluminum under the coating.... that looks weird now so that will be a winter project for me too.

After polished , take over paint ? trasparent obvious ...

I tried the acetone with rags.... it doesn't hardly cut this stuff at all... this will be a lot of work with acetone and it can make me dizzy followed by puking.

My method to polish aluminum (engine cases, fork lowers, etc)

1) Paint stripper to remove the clearcoat (KZ fork legs)
2) DA sander w/220 grit
3) Buffer w/sisal wheel and black cutting compound

If you want a "brushed" finish like OEM, then take some 800 grit sandpaper or gray scotchbrite pad and apply uniform strokes in the desired direction. If you don't want the brushed look then I finish with some Mother's polish applied by hand to remove swirls.

Optional: use clear coat so seal the aluminum. Por-15 Glisten clear works well.

I recently finished these engine covers (sans clear coat). The fork legs were cleared though.

How disgusting --- that my parts don't look that good. (Insert homer simpson drool pic here).