Side Hard Bags Rejuvenation

[FJRPittsburgh]

The non painted inside plastic portion of my hardbags are turning from black to a dull sun bleached gray. What do you all use to brighten up this part of the hard bags? I've been riding more than cleaning lately.

 

[El Toro Joe]

You could try this...

https://www.mothers.com/02_products/06108.html

 

[lnewlf]

ayup-back to black seems to work fairly well-tricky to avoid streaks tho..

 

[ALDAWG]

Paint the rest of the bike to match :lol:

 

[Fred W]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

Now the outside rejuvenation on the previously painted surfaces does interest me greatly. Since I have managed to flop the old girl onto both sides now over the years, and have the normal scratch marks on those "rear sliders" (aka saddle bag covers) it would be nice to come up with a really neat and clean way to cover and protect the lower half of the bag lids.

I may go the Rhino Liner route, but it tends to look just a tad, umm... "tacky" shall we say? A Garauld lid repaint would be fantastic, but probably just ensure that I flopped the fat thing again. Something that could be done relatively easily and at home, and come out not looking like ass, would be just the ticket.

 

[FJRay]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

Now the outside rejuvenation on the previously painted surfaces does interest me greatly. Since I have managed to flop the old girl onto both sides now over the years, and have the normal scratch marks on those "rear sliders" (aka saddle bag covers) it would be nice to come up with a really neat and clean way to cover and protect the lower half of the bag lids.

I may go the Rhino Liner route, but it tends to look just a tad, umm... "tacky" shall we say? A Garauld lid repaint would be fantastic, but probably just ensure that I flopped the fat thing again. Something that could be done relatively easily and at home, and come out not looking like ass, would be just the ticket.

If all else fails, lower your standards After Wheatie made me tip mine over I did the spray on truck bed liner and if you do a good job sanding and taping it doesn't look all that bad and you can't see it when you are on board unless you are doing it wrong.

 

[FJReady]

cover them with NERDS stickers

 

[A41Billy]

Tape em off and hit em with Krylon Fusion! Worked on my truck's fender flares perfectly.

Then hit em with Krylon Fusion Clear Coat. No chipping!

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

I meant the outside of the bags closest to the seat that are plastic and not painted. I don't worry about the painted surface as I have rear crash bars.

Jeff

 

[HotRodZilla]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

Now the outside rejuvenation on the previously painted surfaces does interest me greatly. Since I have managed to flop the old girl onto both sides now over the years, and have the normal scratch marks on those "rear sliders" (aka saddle bag covers) it would be nice to come up with a really neat and clean way to cover and protect the lower half of the bag lids.

I may go the Rhino Liner route, but it tends to look just a tad, umm... "tacky" shall we say? A Garauld lid repaint would be fantastic, but probably just ensure that I flopped the fat thing again. Something that could be done relatively easily and at home, and come out not looking like ass, would be just the ticket.

I was gonna suggest using some type of clear cover. You could put a picture of Beemerdoms on it so you wouldn't care if you dropped it. BUT then you said you didn't want it to look like ass...So Nevermind.

 

[phroenips]

303 Aerospace protectant. You're welcome.

 

[900gc]

Black Magic Pro Shine works great for this application. I used it for exactly the same purpose you need it for and the bags still looks great after 4 months. It appears to both penetrate and coat. I used it on the lid of a 10 year old Givi top box on my old bike and it looked good for a whole year with one application. I've tried others (ArmorAll, etc.) but found the Black Magic to be far superior in this case.

 

[Fred W]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

I meant the outside of the bags closest to the seat that are plastic and not painted. I don't worry about the painted surface as I have rear crash bars.

Jeff

Oh, duh. :huh: Nevermind.

I guess I never noticed if mine are fading there, but it makes sense they might if the bike is left out in the sun a lot, like at work, etc. So maybe prevention with a cover is the best course of action? I do have the back halves covered with the Alex's big retro-reflective stickers, but that probably isn't where your fading is either.

And it seems like you are getting some good replies (unlike mine) on stuff to try to restore them. Let us know what you try and if it works.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

Hmmmm. I know Armor All doesn't work well on Givi cases or anything else that sits in the sun long. It burns off in a day. I've had more luck with Meguiar's Natural Shine Protectant. After a few applications it holds up better, but will still wash off after a heavy rain. I've not tried Black Magic Pro Shine. I'm thinking it will be much like the Meguiars product. More info please 900gc. Does the black rub off on your hands after it has dried? Will it survive a heavy rain and blazing sun? What about 303 Aerospace? More details Phroenips, you're better than that. (I know I'm welcome). There has to be some type of protectant that restores the black plastic luster and can survive some rain and sun, at least for a month or so. I thought the Meguiars was the answer until I experienced a frog strangler in Lancaster, Pa earlier in the Spring. Even after multiple coats of the product on the case, it washed right off. Now it was a really heavy rain. I was actually surprised to see my E-52 back to it's sun faded gray after waking up in the hotel the next morning and inspecting my bike in the parking lot.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

I wouldn't do anything to the inside of the bags. It's just gonna flake off and make a mess eventually, and you don't want that.

I meant the outside of the bags closest to the seat that are plastic and not painted. I don't worry about the painted surface as I have rear crash bars.

Jeff

Oh, duh. :huh: Nevermind.

I guess I never noticed if mine are fading there, but it makes sense they might if the bike is left out in the sun a lot, like at work, etc. So maybe prevention with a cover is the best course of action? I do have the back halves covered with the Alex's big retro-reflective stickers, but that probably isn't where your fading is either.

And it seems like you are getting some good replies (unlike mine) on stuff to try to restore them. Let us know what you try and if it works.

Yeah, I was a little confused by your reply, but after I reread my post it's actually my fault for not being specific enough. I definitely won't be spraying bed liner material on it.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

I found this review on Amazon for Lexol Vinylex 1215 Protectant Spray. Interesting......

5.0 out of 5 stars Seems to be better than 303 Aerospace Protectant, February 13, 2012

By Charlie (MI, USA) - See all my reviews

(TOP 500 REVIEWER) Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Vinylex 1215 Protectant Spray 16.9 oz. (500mL) (Misc.)

Lexol Vinylex Protectant Spray

Lexol makes a variety of quality car care products, and Vinylex is no different. I've used their leather cleaner, leather protectant, and 2-in-1 leather protectant with great success, so I had high expectations for the Vinylex.

The best way to describe Vinylex is that it is almost like 303 Aerospace Protectant, which I have used for over 12 years with good success. Vinylex is a white milky liquid that is applied to plastic and rubber to protect it from UV radiation and degradation. It's not supposed to contain silicone which can dry out dash board materials.

I've used the Vinylex on polycarbonate, plastic car trim, dashboards, steering wheels, center consoles, and the plastic body panels on my Ducati Monster 696. It dries cleanly leaving no greasy residue or smell. There are no streaks either. However, I don't recommend using it directly on the grip area of a steering wheel or any other surface where friction is required for safety purposes. It does get somewhat slippery even when dry.

Vynilex is holding on the exterior plastic and not getting washed off: It's been a few weeks already and still ticking (I've very pleased with performance).

The directions indicate to shake well, so there's probably some ingredients that settle. However, I recommend covering the nozzle with a cloth when you shake it because some product does come out. I just use old (but clean) cotton socks for applying the Vinylex. The best part about Vinylex is that there seems to be no off-gassing after applying it on the dashboard. When I tried Armor All products and even 303, it tended to leave a filmy residue on the inside of the windshield as it dried out. The 303 also had an odd smell, whereas Vinylex is almost totally odor-free. I also used Vinylex on the EPDM rubber door seals on my cars.

Overall: 5/5 stars, highly recommended. I feel Vinylex is better than 303 Aerospace Protectant, but only time will tell after I observe the actual UV protection capabilities.

 

[phroenips]

haha, I was on a mobile device on my first post...a bit annoying to type too much

I haven't used the Vinylex (or Black Magic Pro Shine for that matter), so no direct comparison experience from me, but I've been really impressed with 303. I use it anywhere I used to use Armor All. In the car's dash, and mostly on faded black plastic trim pieces. It can take a little time to penetrate, but it usually lasts about a season before I have to reapply (oh, and I wear disposable gloves...it leaves kind of a slick film on my hands from the paper towel I use to apply it). (Side tip: 303 won't cause the inside of your windshield to haze up like Armor All does)

A neighbor friend recently bought a used truck, and the running boards, etc were really faded. I gave him the bottle and told him to go to town. The next day, his (adult aged) step-daughter thought he had somehow painted it black!

If/when my bottle of 303 runs out (not sure if that'll ever happen though...a little bit goes a long way), I may have to try the Vinylex and compare...I've had good luck with other Lexol products.

 

[900gc]

Hmmmm. I know Armor All doesn't work well on Givi cases or anything else that sits in the sun long. It burns off in a day. I've had more luck with Meguiar's Natural Shine Protectant. After a few applications it holds up better, but will still wash off after a heavy rain. I've not tried Black Magic Pro Shine. I'm thinking it will be much like the Meguiars product. More info please 900gc. Does the black rub off on your hands after it has dried? Will it survive a heavy rain and blazing sun? What about 303 Aerospace? More details Phroenips, you're better than that. (I know I'm welcome). There has to be some type of protectant that restores the black plastic luster and can survive some rain and sun, at least for a month or so. I thought the Meguiars was the answer until I experienced a frog strangler in Lancaster, Pa earlier in the Spring. Even after multiple coats of the product on the case, it washed right off. Now it was a really heavy rain. I was actually surprised to see my E-52 back to it's sun faded gray after waking up in the hotel the next morning and inspecting my bike in the parking lot.

It lasts through rain, washing, sun exposure and does not come off once it dries. It keeps its low sheen and stays black. I "painted" it on (bags off the bike of course) with a sponge paint brush so it was pretty wet, then let it dry overnight, and then buffed off the excess with a cloth. I do not know about the 303 stuff but I am so satisfied with the Black Magic that I don't care to try anything else. As I had mentioned, its been about 4 months on 1 application and it still looks good.

https://www.blackmagicshine.com/pro-shine-protectant.php

 

[900gc]

I found this review on Amazon for Lexol Vinylex 1215 Protectant Spray. Interesting......

5.0 out of 5 stars Seems to be better than 303 Aerospace Protectant, February 13, 2012

By Charlie (MI, USA) - See all my reviews

(TOP 500 REVIEWER) Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Vinylex 1215 Protectant Spray 16.9 oz. (500mL) (Misc.)

Lexol Vinylex Protectant Spray

Lexol makes a variety of quality car care products, and Vinylex is no different. I've used their leather cleaner, leather protectant, and 2-in-1 leather protectant with great success, so I had high expectations for the Vinylex.

The best way to describe Vinylex is that it is almost like 303 Aerospace Protectant, which I have used for over 12 years with good success. Vinylex is a white milky liquid that is applied to plastic and rubber to protect it from UV radiation and degradation. It's not supposed to contain silicone which can dry out dash board materials.

I've used the Vinylex on polycarbonate, plastic car trim, dashboards, steering wheels, center consoles, and the plastic body panels on my Ducati Monster 696. It dries cleanly leaving no greasy residue or smell. There are no streaks either. However, I don't recommend using it directly on the grip area of a steering wheel or any other surface where friction is required for safety purposes. It does get somewhat slippery even when dry.

Vynilex is holding on the exterior plastic and not getting washed off: It's been a few weeks already and still ticking (I've very pleased with performance).

The directions indicate to shake well, so there's probably some ingredients that settle. However, I recommend covering the nozzle with a cloth when you shake it because some product does come out. I just use old (but clean) cotton socks for applying the Vinylex. The best part about Vinylex is that there seems to be no off-gassing after applying it on the dashboard. When I tried Armor All products and even 303, it tended to leave a filmy residue on the inside of the windshield as it dried out. The 303 also had an odd smell, whereas Vinylex is almost totally odor-free. I also used Vinylex on the EPDM rubber door seals on my cars.

Overall: 5/5 stars, highly recommended. I feel Vinylex is better than 303 Aerospace Protectant, but only time will tell after I observe the actual UV protection capabilities.

I use and like Vinylex as well but have found it more suited for interior use. It does not hold up as well as Black Magic for exterior applications.