Topic: It's shiny, but will it last forever?

[mazingerzeca]

Hello all.
I've read lost of post about polishing. Either doing it yourself or having it made by a profesional, the results are very good. When I dismantled my rear brake (cb 750 K8). I polished the cover almost as a mirror, but some months after, it began to corrode very quickly; some dark spots appeared on the shiny surface, and they were very difficult to clean without dismantling the plate. Imagine that on parts more difficult to access like valver cover.
Is there any treatment or painting or any protective coat to avoid corrosion on polished aluminum? I know there are some varnish, but, as I know, they became yellow and scratchy. Maybe the same about chromed parts. I wouldn't mind that the finish was not so shiny, but more durable, something almost eternal, as I want my bike to be.
Any experience with that?
Thank you.

[eurban]

I have no direct experience with this product but it seems to fit the bill . . . . . . .http://www.zoops.com/zoopseal.asp

[MadDogMcq]

Regular polishing is the best way I guess.  Personally, I don't mind polishing the shiny bits - I've always reckoned its part of owning a bike. But if you hate regular polishing, then that Zoops stuff looks handy.  I wouldn't recommend varnishing or lacquering because if a small part starts to peel or yellow, it can quickly become messy and you can't even polish it up to make it look better.

Naw, its a polisher's life for me! 

[Bodi]

Well, the bad news is that aluminum just doesn't stay shiny very well. Bare metal will haze and pit pretty quickly on a bike that sees rain. Salt will really speed up that process. There isn't any clear coating I've come across that will stick succesfully to polished aluminum, and the engine heat doesn't help.
SO... Honda leaves the metal rough and coats it with a pretty good clearcoat, I doubt if there's a ratlle can product that would stand up to heat and gas like Honda's factory finish. Possibly you could get an auto paint place to put on automotive clearcoat, that is gas proof but I don't know about engine heat.
For shiny stuff you really need to electroplate. Chroming aluminum for real-world use (as opposed to show bike chrome that probably never sees sun let alone rain) is tricky and you have to find a reputable experienced shop and pay quite a bit for the multi layer and multi metal plating that will give you a durable shiny finish. Even then, a scratch or dent that breaks through the plating will lead to a disastrous and amazingly quick decay of the coating. The electrochemical reaction between chromium and aluminum is just about the strongest on the chart.

[ProTeal55]

You could always polish it up the best you can , and then have it Powdercoated clear.
you might loose some of the "luster", but cleaing it is just a wipe with a damp cloth away..

I have a few buddies who cleared their polished wheels for the cars , with good results...

[kghost]

I had this same question a while ago.

So when I put my black bike together I polished and clear powder coated the brake pivot arm.

Was an experiment of sorts...figuring that the arm lived in about the most hostile environs.

Its held up well and after 2 yrs and 7000 odd miles still looks like the day it was done.

Since the powder coat is put on in the neighborhood of 350 F I would imagine that engine heat would not be a factor.

[Jinxracing]

So when I put my black bike together I polished and clear powder coated the brake pivot arm.

kghost, any chance you could post a pic of the clear powdercoated part? I'd like to get a look at it if you don't mind. 

[mazingerzeca]

Anyone has experience with www.hpcoating.com? They make a kind of anti-corrosion coating...

[kghost]

Yeah I think I can do that.

[hopterfixer]

I waxed all of my polished parts with a few heavy coats of paste wax after I polished them.  I wipe them down and rewax them every so often.  I have 7000 miles of them and they are holding up well.

[kettlesd]

Mother's Aluminum Polish does a good job of retaining the polished shine I find. No more work than giving your bike a good wash.

[seaweb11]

When I did the CL350, I clear coated "rattle can" the polished bits after wipping them off with acetone.
Seems to be holding up well, but is not gas repelent

[schneider419]

there is a product called VHT that makes a clear coat is supposed to hold up to 1000 degrees. never tried it but they say it will work.