[MacDoc]

Cleaning a screen of bugs in the sunlight is an exercise in frustration but I seem to have built up some fine scratches inside and out from rather improper use of cleaning materials. :violent1:

A Magic sponge picked up some of them so it looks okay but

a) is there a method for removing them

b) best protection material on it

c) safest cleaning gear

I'm pretty "don't care" in terms of keeping it all pretty and clean but seeing things is a safety issue even if I nearly always am looking over it ( due to conditions and being tired yesterday I put it up full to reduce noise ).

 

[Buffalo]

Can't help a whole lot with removing the scratches. I know there are polishing kits available to take scratches out of car headlight covers that are suppose to work but I have never actually used any of them.

As for safe cleaning I can tell you what I have used with success. This is on the Clearview windshield that was originally on my 05 650 and transferred to my 07 so it has 8+ years and 120,000+ miles on it with no fine scratch hazing. I use the same procedure on the Clearview on my 400 but it doesn't have nearly as many miles on it. This is how I clean then.

1) Use a micro fiber cloth soaked in clean water and left dripping wet. With a very light touch go over the whole windshield wetting it well. Let the water set on the windshield for a few minutes to soften the bugs.

2) Go back over it with the dripping wet rag again with a light touch to clean the bugs off rinsing the rag a couple of times so that you are not pushing dirty water around.

3) Spray the windshield with a heavy coat of Pledge. Use a clean Scott's blue shop towel to rub the Pledge around and get all the remaining gunk and most of the Pledge off the windshield.

4) Take a clean dry micro fiber cloth and polish the windshield to a shine.

I use the same procedure to clean the bugs off the front of the body work. On the rest of the bike I usually just hit it with the Pledge and Scotts towels then buff with a micro fiber.

 

[Jeff_MdR]

Take a look at Novus Plastic Polish. They have 3 grades of polish, for heavy, moderate & normal clean & polish. I used the three step process when I stupidly scratched up my brand new Clearview while installing it. The heavy scratches remained, but are less heavy. The moderate scratches became light scratches, and the light scratches were effectively removed.

Regarding car headlight covers, some people swear by Crest toothpaste! Probably not a bad place to start. Worse that can happen is your shield ends up with a minty fresh feeling.

 

[TheReaper]

When mine get a dose of bug juice , I place a wet paper towel on it and let it soak in , then a half hour later I just wipe it down , it all come right off . Then periodically I use a good plastic polish . Works for me .

TheReaper!

 

[MacDoc]

Thanks some good info ....I generally am careful with the cleaning and soak the bugs off but something got it/

Rode with it and they really are not noticeable at all but I would guess at night they might be.
Might try a couple of things as I'm thinking of a vented clearview instead anyways.

The Magic sponge did a pretty decent job on the one small section.

This looks the ticket as they are fine scratches

Take a look at Novus Plastic Polish. They have 3 grades of polish, for heavy, moderate & normal clean & polish. I used the three step process when I stupidly scratched up my brand new Clearview while installing it. The heavy scratches remained, but are less heavy. The moderate scratches became light scratches, and the light scratches were effectively removed.

WHat did you polish with ?? I have microfiber clothes we use on the computer.

 

[Jeff_MdR]

I honestly don't remember - I might have used a 'wax applicator' for the heavy duty/medium scratch remover, and definitely a microfiber cloth for the fine/everyday polish.

 

[Penforhire]

I have also used the Novus series polishes in the past. Back when, before microfiber was common I used regular cloth rags. These days I would choose microfiber towels. I notice that regular cleaning with Plexus makes it easier to remove bug guts.

Also the best tip I read in the past was to soak the guts under a wet towel for a while before trying to remove them. Makes them softer and easier to remove.

 

[TheReaper]

I did a little How-To on a Honda 250 Elite forum I set up a few years ago , on how to safely and PATIENTLY rub out plastics . I'm joeblack on that forum , see it here if you have an interest .

http://www.phpbbplanet.com/hondaelite250ow/viewtopic.php?t=104&mforum=hondaelite250ow

TheReaper!

 

[ChipDoc]

Soak a t-shirt in water, put it over the windshield, and let it sit there for a half hour or so. It's amazing how well this works.

 

[Scootor]

+1 for Novus Plastic Polish. Popular with pilots and they have a lot of plastic to look through. Don't want anything messing with the view when incoming object has a closing speed in excess of 300 mph. I have used it on the windshield as well as the helmet visor and the combination meter screen.

 

[roy_ryall]

+1 on the Novus.

On the recommendation of the maker of my new WS, I tried Merguiar's PlastX, it also works well on fine scratches.

 

[fernando]

I got the Givi AF266 and got scratches on it. Last week I got the Novus 1 and 2 and it works pretty well, mind you they don't recommend using the Novus 3 on polycarbonate it may be too harsh for it.

the kit of 3 its $17.95 at amazon:
Amazon.com: Novus 1, 2, 3 Kit Plastic Polish and Scratch Remover: Automotive

 

[MacDoc]

thanks good info as I have the 3 kit coming

 

[soc714]

I use a product called ALL KLEER. Google it, I have used it for 2 years now on both my scooters.

 

[greginnm]

I use 3M Finesse It, dang expensive stuff but it sure works wonders on Plexiglas. I actually bought the stuff for polishing out paint jobs, it was $56 a quart when I last bought it.
Like I said expensive but very effective.
Greg

 

[david wilett]

Towel soaked in hot water will remove bugs quicker. Use Johnson lemon pledge for polish.

 

[scrollderf]

Crest toothpaste was suggested somewhere. Used Colgate instead. Bad news. Bought some Maguiars PlastX. Bingo. Does a great job on the fine scratches.

 

[knucklehead]

3) Spray the windshield with a heavy coat of Pledge. Use a clean Scott's blue shop towel to rub the Pledge around and get all the remaining gunk and most of the Pledge off the windshield.

4) Take a clean dry micro fiber cloth and polish the windshield to a shine.

I use the same procedure to clean the bugs off the front of the body work. On the rest of the bike I usually just hit it with the Pledge and Scotts towels then buff with a micro fiber.

+1 on the Pledge idea.
I use furniture wax from a spray bottle - Future works good - so does any good tire spray like Armor All. I use the Future wax on the Burgman and on the golf cart windshield. It doesn't remove the scratches but it makes them all but disappear and improves visibility greatly.

 

[Muse]

Cotton is the best material to use in polishing windscreens. synthetics are not good as they can create fine scratches.

 

[wannahelix]

Regarding car headlight covers, some people swear by Crest toothpaste! Probably not a bad place to start. Worse that can happen is your shield ends up with a minty fresh feeling.

I am not aware of any way to permanently revive headlights. New headlights are made of plastic and are coated with a protective layer to guard against the suns rays, As the layer wears, the lenses absorb more of the sun's rays and eventually get cloudy looking. You can use any number of polishes , toothpastes and restoration kits and get a very temporary fix but without that layer of protection that comes on new lenses , you are fighting a losing battle. Days weeks or months later your lenses will be cloudy again. There have been people who have restored their lenses (remove whats left of the sun protection coating off) and polished them to look like new and then painted them with a clear coat of spray paint in an attempt to replicate the original layer of protection they come with when new.. Not sure of the long term success of this process.

The point is, once you get them looking like new, which is not difficult, they are not going to stay like that for long unless you find a way to protect the plastic from the sun.