Polishing up the Scoops

Was just cleaning my bike and am wondering what and how to clean the scoops ? Are they aluminium or plastic coated ?
What you recommend as would like it nice and shiny like my chrome .:ummm:

Want them to look like chrome? Take them a chroming shop and have them chromed.
They are aluminum with a factory clear coat over them.

lankeeyankee said:

Want them to look like chrome? Take them a chroming shop and have them chromed.
They are aluminum with a factory clear coat over them.

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What would you recommend using on aluminium then ?:clapping:

Just wash and wax like normal clear coat. Removing the clear coat and polishing is doable but is a real PIA. I have a chrome set and it looks great but is costly.

gunrunner said:

What would you recommend using on aluminium then ?:clapping:

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You wont be cleaning aluminum. You will be cleaning clearcoat. so regular wax will clean it best.

If you want "Chrome Look" You will have to have them chromed.
If you want them shinier" You will have to remove the clearcoat and get terry towels, aluminum polish and about 20 hours to rub your arm off, and it doesnt stop there, once you have them half ass shiney you will have to keep polishing them on a regular bases. After about a year of buying polish and towels you could have had them chromed. IMO Polished scoops suck!!

lankeeyankee said:

You wont be cleaning aluminum. You will be cleaning clearcoat. so regular wax will clean it best.

If you want "Chrome Look" You will have to have them chromed.
If you want them shinier" You will have to remove the clearcoat and get terry towels, aluminum polish and about 20 hours to rub your arm off, and it doesnt stop there, once you have them half ass shiney you will have to keep polishing them on a regular bases. After about a year of buying polish and towels you could have had them chromed. IMO Polished scoops suck!!

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I take it you dont like them then , alot of work for no joy :bang head:

Here is a process I found to polish the scoops. I followed this and got acceptable results for me, not exactly what I wanted but not bad. It's a lot of work and you will probably curse me if you go this route. Just don't expect it to look like chrome....if you want that do what Lankee suggested and get them chromed. (Sean Morley does some excellant work with chroming!) Whatever you choose good luck and hope your hands won't ache for too long!:confused2:

gunrunner said:

I take it you dont like them then , alot of work for no joy :bang head:

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We all have different expectations when it comes to appearence. Basically when a person decides to spend there hard earned money on there motorcycles appearance its personal. We all have different opinions on what we call "looks great" thats the joy of people that modify there motorcycles if its looks, or performance or both.
So in my opinion I did want a better look with my scoops its the VMAX logo which no others has so I wanted it to stand out more! I polished mine and cussed the whole process, I settled on what came out or I may have just got tired rubbing, buffing and eating polishing compound and tired of my fingers having oxidized aluminum on them:bang head:
In order to keep the polished turd look you have to stay up on it *this is why we polished them right* well break out the polish again, get some more terry cloths towels, rub buff rub buff rub buff and so on, now remove all the crap that got on the faux. Its to time consuming, expensive and doesnt hold up very long with a poor result.
I than looked into chroming, yeah $300.00 USD for both, I thought to myself hmmm all the saturday nights I went out,,, hmmm all the money I have spent on past x girlfriends 300.00 isnt a whole lot.
Once I got them back from www.chromemasters.com I was amazed on how much they shined!! The qaulity of work was awesome and real deep of a shine. Now when I want to clean them I just spray some wax on em and wipe off and they look like the day I picked them up. Its been over 5 yrs now and the chrome is still as bright as it was on day 1.
I looked back and it was a well spent money!! So after that I had my side panels chromed, the rear grab bar.
Just my opinion. Just all depends on how your expectations are on the motorcycle.

I agree with Yankee in that polishing will never look like chrome. After purchasing mine a month ago, the clearcoat was peeling quite a lot. I figured I would polish them and if I didn't like how it turned out, I would have them chromed when I came into a fortune (which hasn't ever happened). I used a few methods to get the clearcoat off, but finally just took some 320 sandpaper and got after it. I then went in increments until I got to 1000 grit and then to fine steel wool. I had previously set up my bench grinder with a polishing wheel, which I HIGHLY recommend if tackling this job. I used some aluminum polish ( Mother's, I believe) and buffed with the grinder. After final touches by hand, I am pretty pleased with the results. I have only had it a month, so I haven't had to rebuff or re-polish, but I am sure I will have to. I thought about spraying clear on it, but I have heard aluminum and rattle can clearcoat don't get along too well. Best of luck.
Derek
http://www.vmaxforum.net/album.php?albumid=52

If you're paying $300 you're getting screwed. Many feel my chrome is better then chromemasters (deeper luster). I charge $180 if you chrome yours or $230 if you use mine. Of course you have shipping in there too. I think there is a price list on here somewhere but I need to updated it.

[email protected]

one2dmax said:

If you're paying $300 you're getting screwed. Many feel my chrome is better then chromemasters (deeper luster). I charge $180 if you chrome yours or $230 if you use mine. Of course you have shipping in there too. I think there is a price list on here somewhere but I need to updated it.

[email protected]

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I highly recommend Sean's chrome scoops.You can also send him the raw scoops with out putting all the time and work into them.Sanding the end of your fingers off!He has the best price and chrome quality!

shawn kloker said:

I highly recommend Sean's chrome scoops.You can also send him the raw scoops with out putting all the time and work into them.Sanding the end of your fingers off!He has the best price and chrome quality!

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If you do choose to polish them,a couple good coats of turtle wax or something will keep them nice longer.

Hand polished mine, was a great bonding experience with my son, and have to polish every few weeks. The main problem is the piss poor castings!! The more you polish them the more the imperfections show. Winter project is to talk to Sean about black chrome for scoops and a couple other parts like my aftermarket fork brace.

one2dmax said:

If you're paying $300 you're getting screwed. Many feel my chrome is better then chromemasters (deeper luster). I charge $180 if you chrome yours or $230 if you use mine. Of course you have shipping in there too. I think there is a price list on here somewhere but I need to updated it.

[email protected]

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Sean, let me know if/when you get an updated price list. My polishing attempts also revealed the casting imperfections. I think chrome would look fantastic.

Mine are Chromed (done by the previous owner), I think they look great!!!......my one warning would be that chrome is addicting, once you start there is no turning back....lol...

anyone wanting a list go ahead and email me. I only have added a couple of things but there is now a 7% environmental fee (thanks to the government).

Sean

one2dmax said:

If you're paying $300 you're getting screwed. Many feel my chrome is better then chromemasters (deeper luster). I charge $180 if you chrome yours or $230 if you use mine. Of course you have shipping in there too. I think there is a price list on here somewhere but I need to updated it.

[email protected]

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Could you show us some pics .:th_biggun:

Sean, are you still offering chroming services? I understand the regulations have gone stupid last few years....Have Gen 1 scoops and side covers needing help.
Thanks,

Mark

I've used a local shop, a second-generation business doing chrome plating. I used 'em when it was the father, I've used 'em when it is now the son. Bigger pieces that are expensive to ship, they get the nod, but having seen Sean's plater's work, feel-free to use the service with confidence in how they will turn-out.

I'm no plating person, but after discussions with the local guy, he says that baking the pieces causes impurities to move-to the surface. What kind of temperatures, for how-long, and how-many times, and in what atmosphere, are all questions that the internet may provide, assuming that you locate a reliable resource. A quick search for the 'melting point of aluminum' is 1221 degrees F, so you don't have to worry about popping your stuff in the Whirlpool stove to see what-happens. However, still, I would not recommend this, as there are probably many factors to be taken into consideration, such-as the alloy involved, what gas should be used (if something other than 78% N & 21% O2 in our atmosphere is used), time of heating, duration of heating, multiple sessions, etc. Bottom-line, let the experts do what you're paying-for. Then be prepared to answer queries from admiring riders who compliment you on your end-results. "Yes, I sent them to my VMax boutique, the guy's name is Sean Morley!"

Save yourself the time & money of polishing the scoops , you find out once you remove the clear coat that every 2 wks to keep a good shine on them then you have the cost of materials every so often and it simply becomes a pain in the ass. Sean does amazing work and with great prices and the fact that he answers your questions when need be . Yrs ago I polished my scoops then after 3 months took them to a chrome shop locally , biggest mistake of my life ! Took the shop 7 wks and cost was sickening $350.00 to end up looking like shit . That was many yrs ago . I learned a lesson that I should have dealt with Sean and been happy . Just my .02 cents . Good Luck in what you decide to do.