Paint removal from plastic side covers??

Need advice on what's the safest and most effective way of removing paint off my plastic sidecovers. I want to restore my bike to a original color, for it's year, and I need to remove the paint off the side covers and tail of my 77 KZ1000. Appreciate any advice. Thanks.

I always just sand it off with some 150 grit sand paper.
Mark

Unless someone did a really crappy job of painting them, you might consider just leaving the old paint on. Sand out any imperfections runs, cracks etc. Use a good primer to even everything out and paint from there. Now if your current paint is cracking or blistering or something awful like that...which mine were. I used a course grit (maybe 80 but don't quote me on that it may have been more like 100) to get through the thick parts. I then worked into finer grits something in the 600 to 800 range. I then used an epoxy filler to fill in the moulded in 'stripes'. I used a rattle can filler primer on top of that sanded smooth then a regular automotive primer and then my color and clear. Turned out well for a rattlecan job, if i do say so myself. The only mistake I made was I used a pourous filler puddy on some little gouges that got into it (out of my own stupidity). Those areas have now swelled up from heat and storage and they need to be re-worked a little.

Now that I have babbled and ranted, a little sandpaper and some elbow grease is probably your best bet. I would not use any chemicals, just to protect any exposed plastic.

No chemicals.. trust me..

KzJim wrote:

No chemicals.. trust me..

No kidding! I tried a paint stripper safe for Corvettes (fibreglass). I figured the sidecovers would be ok. Nope. It softened the plastic and raised a "fur". They did harden up and a hell of a lot of sanding and primer made them paintable. I should have just sanded out the original finish and gone from there.
...I've wondered if blasting would work, something like ground nut shells.

Fossil.... HA i did the same thing.. course i had sucked down almost a 12 pack while working on the tank, the fur was hell to fix.. i keep the tail i screwed up as a reminder...