Excellent advice for polypropylene (soft) dirt bike plastics. I've done scraping and sanding all the way to wet sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper and then heat-treating the plastic surface but the real key is the lambswool buffer shown in this video. I got a 7-inch buffing pad and a lambswool buffer at Harbor Freight for my angle grinder just to polish vintage motorcycle plastics. Phenomenal! Finished up with Meguiar's new Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax and my 36-year-old plastics are improved 1000%. Thanks!
This is awesome... I'm restoring the 1980 KD80 I learned to ride on as a kid so I can give it to my daughter ... plastic is white and oxidized. This will work!
Thank you so much for the great info and tutorial! I’m restoring a Honda ATC 350X and will do this procedure for sure! Doing it this way definitely takes time but I’m sure you have way more pride in the finished product.
When new plastic is not available anymore, this is about the only way to do it. 350x is something i am going to look for in the future. be a great restoration project.
Sanding the plastics is the best way to restore them. I have done a few sets of plastics this way and they always turn out great. This process works great on newer plastics just so you know. Keep up the good work!
did you just straight up sand them or did you start with a razor blade like the guy in this video? wanna do this but I'm a little nervous about the blade but I'm confident I could sand them/heat gun em no problems..
It just depends on how bad they are and how much time you want to spend on it. I have done some where I don’t use a razor blade and some where I do. It just depends on how bad it is.
Thank you, I asked about this process on a couple of moto sites and I got some good advice but not the details you gave. I cannot wait until I give it a try to see what my gas tank will look like on my Honda 87 CR500. Thanks...
Totally agree! I tried hard to get some replacement plastic even close to the same consistency and deep color as the originals to no avail. Have started using this process with several sets of plastics so far and getting ready to try it again... Right now I have a wonderfully intact, non scratched or gouged but horribly sun faded, set of plastics for a 1978 Yamaha YZ80 and I’ll be starting to work in them this weekend. I’ve been watching eBay now for close to ten years looking for a NOS set of plastic for this bike, particularly a rear fender to no avail... Thank you so much for a really exceptional video!
Nice video! I have a 88 Honda trax300. Replaced the rear fender because it was original and too damaged. But the front was replaced maybe 15 years ago but totally needs this. I'll be working on it! Thanks again for your very informative video!
Any ideas if I should be afraid of light sanding on a yamaha WR 500 gas tank? They supposedly had a coat of lamination around them to hold the graphics on better.
Great vid. I have been similarly restoring plastics for a while but never used heat until the end. Also buffing with sheep's wool looks like a good way to bring out the shine. I will add both steps on my next resto. Thanks.
I learned my lesson. I won't waste time removing the paint it isn't necessary. Just sand the paint down smooth the full paint removal is just extra work.
I have a 95 banshee and have tried so many products and buffing pads to try to shine them up and nothing has worked for me but I think it’s bc my plastic aren’t even bad I just want them really shiny since I’m used to the results I get when paint correcting a car
I use high but be careful to just create the film. It can melt if you not careful and there is no going back. Buffing wheel was dry. Co compound. You can use a plastic polish if you want.
Curious why you use the heat gun between grits? I've never done this, but I would think you'd just need the heat gun once, after going through all the grits. Thanks!
Speeds up the process a little. its not necessary on all plastic. i have found some pieces need it to reveal more work being needed where others do not.
Really nice video, thank you! I've seen the heating method used a lot, but some people say that the plastic might become brittle over time. Anything you've noticed with your restorations? I have some large ATV fenders in really bad and scratched condition. I just ordered sand paper ranging from 220 up to 3000 for my orbital sander and I have some rougher paper as well. I was thinking of removing the deep scratches with 120 or 240 and work my way up, maybe ending with some wet sanding around 1200-2000 grit is the finest I have. Heat it up once or twice as well as and use the wool pad. Have you used any protection when done? I have some left over Cerakote Plastic Trim Restorer which I used to restore some faded black plastics on my car. I was thinking I could try that to keep it looking good for longer.
I have a strange problem in the beginning, after sanding with 400 I use heat gun but the dark color is coming on a few plastics but the side plastics of the tank stay Matt gloss. Why is this? They were in a quite good state. Now with the sanding completly Matt and heat Will not get the color back?? Do I need to sand with the fiber papers first?
@@TNTMOTO it is also a cr 500 1985 it is not the tank itself but the radiator flaps mounted on the tank the flaps were good but now they are Matt from sanding. When I use the heat gun on them there is almost no color coming back. While on the fenders etc it is coming back 😯 strange...
@@TNTMOTO hmm I don't know. I don't think so because the bike is like 99% original, but I Will see maybe after some more sanding and buffing it gets better. I Will keep you updated
great technique although recently i have been using 0000 wire wool which gives the same finish as the 2000 grit. buffer clamped Ina vice and fender to buffer . never used a heat gun yet as i can’t afford to burn the thing
Question: will this process work on mid 80's (mine is 86 Suzuki DR200) that the plastic has bad oxidation. Very rough feeling damage to the plastic. It kind of feels like rough fiberglass but if it is, it very flexible fiberglass. Just curious if you have ran into plastic like I am describing and if this will work? I am assuming if I can sand enough of it off, I should be able to get to some better plastic?
@@TNTMOTO nice, that might save you some time in having to resand a few times with 2000 after buffing. I have done a few headlights and mx plastics. I find using a compound gets rid of alot of the 1500 marks the 2000 cant. I know you are a expert at this by now, but have you tried using those inexpensive foam buffing pads? I find them to work a bit better on plastics than the wool. The wool tends to heat the plastic up alot faster. Anyways amazing work.
@@TNTMOTO I know what you mean. I just finished a KDX 200 I resorted. I desided to mirror polish the entire motor after my Zx7R's frame came out so nice. Took me almost a month, sanding almost every evening 3 to 4 hours. Hardest part was to get rid of all the casting marks😅. Turned out not to bad. Not a complete mirror finish everywhere, but most of the casings was. Wont be doing that anytime soon again. Aluminium is just to messy to wetsand. Keep us posted on the compound👍🏻👍🏻
yes but then you would have to paint it. paint will look bad after a short time. Better off to get a new/used piece of plastic in good shape and restore it.
Thank you so much for making this I have a RM125 and it was spray painted black by the previous owner and he did a horrible job I want to see that champion yellow again
Oh my goodness that was alot of work!!! It certainly may even look better than new, but it seems like the time invested could never return a profit. Rather you are creating museum quality artifacts from scrap plastic parts!!! I commend you sir!!!
Good information. I hope most of this applies to a 2006 bike. As you said, the plastic formulations are probably different. I don't know how or how different though. My DR650 has some bad scratches in the back fender... I started sanding them out from 150 grit up to 2000 and it's still very faded looking. Apparently I'm missing the heat gun step. I'll have to try that.
Will do a new video when it gets nicer out. I have moved to using a palm sander which speeds the process up. I have tried different compounds ds without heat and I was not happy with results. Heat seems to work well.
I liked the idea of using oven cleaner but I wasn't sure if it removed the paint. I want to try the oven cleaner on my headlights because I think there is a protective film which is keeping the lights to be restored properly. What are your thoughts?
Anybody knows if I must carry on with scraper? I did scrape, flat with 400 grid and used heat gun. Experiencing lighter spots here and there. Must I scrape again or keep on going with sandpaper? Otherwise it's coming nicely for part 1. Green kawa klx 450 plastics looked awful, my own bike since 2011, just cleaning her up. Thanks
@@TNTMOTO Cool, thanks man. I wasn't sure whether I should carry on to 600 grid and so on or sand it more with 400. Actually I think I must go back to something even rougher than 400. Seems like my scraper left marks, a lot of marks, but it's way better than it was already. At least it's showing green and not grey from the sun anymore. Had a lot very deep scratches too. I'd like to get it looking spotless, do you think start again with a rougher than 400 paper, any suggestions? Thanks for replying so quickly. Cheers
@@elcoviljoen3025 you can use more course sandpaper but you will have to do more sanding with the next higher grit to remove the marks left by the course paper. When you use a blade to scrape, you have to be very careful not to scratch the plastic . those scratches will be so deep you will not get them out.
@@TNTMOTO coarser sandpaper is doing the trick. Also, doesn't seem like marks from scraper, the original marks were just deeper than I thought. Hard to see them with dull colour before polishing..... Thanks, I can already see this is going to be close to 100% Thanks for sharing!!
My quad has white face paint that I don't need to strip should I repaint it you think or should I just use this method??? Because I see a lot of especially younger folk repainting but I think with this method it's not necessary???
More of a question than a comment. Do you use this method on all the plastics such as front number plate and radiator shrouds the thin ones. How do you keep the thin ones from permanently warping with the heat cycles?
All you are doing with the heat it causing a film to appear on the out side. you do not hold heat to any area for a long period of time or it will warp or worse melt. Yes i use this method on all of the plastic parts.
@@mattklim88 Be very careful with that heat gun. Your best to practice on something you dont care about first or you can easily damage it. The heat gun is not required. it can just lessen the time to get the finish near the end of the process
Does this process work on a plastic gas tank. I understand it needs to be cleaned out but some have said you can't use a heat gun on a gas tank, what is the truth?
@@TNTMOTO thanks for the quick reply. I'm getting a better understanding on how to do this well. I'm going to get the side panels, shrouds, and front number plate and do my experimenting on them before finishing my tank. I also like where you said for the parts of the tank unseen to stop at 400 grit, that'll save a ton of time too.
It depends if you got each grit of scratches out with each grit of paper. if you got the 400 out with 600 and then 600 out with 800 and etc. 1500 scratches are pretty light. heat and buffing will make it look pretty good. You may see them if you get really close or look in the right light. its a lot of work. Quads have a lot of plastic. it will take you a long time to do it right. If you are going to do it on a quad i would suggest using a buffer with different compounds like on a car once you are up to 1500. I plan on making a new video in the spring with a jig that holds my plastic and a buffer now that i have one. this will hopefully lessen the time. Quads have a lot of plastic. it will take you a long time to do it right.
Heat gun to get the color back and to cause a film over the plastic which is basically melting the very top layer. DO NOT HOLD THE GUN IN ONE SPOT OR TO CLOSE. Sorry about the caps but this is very important or you will damage the plastic. then you just use the sheeps wool buffing wheel which will shine it right up. After that you can use a plastic polish to put a coating on the plastic much like wax on cars. Just dont hold the buffing wheel to hard on the plastic or you will generate heat which will melt the plastic.
TNT MOTO tryed that On a extra set man didn’t work to good my plastics aren’t that bad but just in a couple spots looks like someone rubbed a eraser on my plastics there black so everything shows just wanna clean them up a little your video was definitely the best one on TH-cam gona do it with my dirtbike I know wd40 helps with a shine for a little time but not much
The heat brings the natural (well ok synthetic but its already found in the plastic) oil out of the plastic up to the surface. Obviously doing this too many times will make the plastic brittle but it sure is great for restoring!
will this technique work on crazing that appears due to age? i have what looks like scratches in a wave pattern across the fenders. they feel slightly rough but are incredibly difficult to sand out. i get the impression that they're quite deep but they don't look it. have you seen this before and will the knife and 400 get them out?
I’m looking to do something similar, I have an 09 RMZ450 that I want to instal a graphics kit onto but I fear that the current condition of the plastics isn’t smooth enough to let the graphics Kit stick properly....and if I don’t have to fork out more $ just for new plastics that would be great! LOL For my situation it seems like the Fork Guards and side Number Plates are in the worst condition (scratched etc..). I feel like maybe 1k - 2k grit and some heat might do the trick for the majority of the plastics, but with those items listed above I might need to start at the razor and 400 grit 🤔 The plastics don’t need to “look mint”, they just need to have a surface suitable enough for laying graphics properly! Great video!
Yes i would start with 400 if you are trying to remove deep scratches up to 1000. After that its just about getting it shiny so if you are just covering completely with graphics, stop at 1000. probably do not even need to heat or buff. Heating brings the color back and buffing is just to bring the glossy appearance..
TNT MOTO I appreciate the reply sir, thank you! I only thought maybe heat the plastic just to “seal” it, I thought that maybe un-heated plastic after sanding might be too porous for the decals to stick properly.....? I know that 1k grit is super super fine and the porous level is probably damn near microscopic after sanding but I dunno, maybe I’m just overthinking LOL Thank you again though, this has been very helpful, stay safe and cheers from 🇨🇦
yes just make sure you remove the petcock and cap. rinse thoroughly with soapy water then rinse out. leave the petcock and cap off till restoration is done. restore you other plastic first so you get the technique down. how scratched up is it?
ok then you might be able to start with 600 or 800. Just remember not to heat up the plastic too much with the heat gun or it will soften it, melt it or burn it. you just try to zip over it quick to create a richer film of color. Good luck.
This process was explained and demonstrated better than just about any tutorial on youtube, thank you. However... aren't new plastics only about $50 or so on ebay? That is a lot of time spent man!
After market plastic for this year of bike is not of the same quality. They are great for a static display but will not fit perfect nor last when riding.
I'm watching your video in order to restore my plastic kayak. It looks very good. Did you add any polishing compound when you start buffing at the 13:00 minute mark, or is your pad dry? Thanks for you help.
Excellent advice for polypropylene (soft) dirt bike plastics. I've done scraping and sanding all the way to wet sanding with 2000 grit sandpaper and then heat-treating the plastic surface but the real key is the lambswool buffer shown in this video. I got a 7-inch buffing pad and a lambswool buffer at Harbor Freight for my angle grinder just to polish vintage motorcycle plastics. Phenomenal! Finished up with Meguiar's new Hybrid Ceramic Liquid Wax and my 36-year-old plastics are improved 1000%. Thanks!
You are correct the lambswool buffing wheel is what makes it shine.
Great info! I usually start on the plastics first before the wife sees the latest POS I just snuck in the side yard!
This is awesome... I'm restoring the 1980 KD80 I learned to ride on as a kid so I can give it to my daughter ... plastic is white and oxidized. This will work!
Use bleach or Ajax, it works really well on white plastics.
How did you go? I'm about to pull my own childhood KD80 out of the shed and do the same!
Excellent tutorial on your procedure for plastic resto. It definitely is a labor of love, when it comes to us vintage moto guys👍🏁
Don Sass Thanks. Gives me a good feeling inside when I restore these old machines that made the sport what it is today.
That fender looks beautiful!
Yes the process works well. The more time you spend on it the better it looks
I don’t often comment on videos but I must say this was so helpful I’m going to use it
Great to hear.
People don’t realize how much time this takes. Great job and good video
If you cant buy new plastic, it is the only option.
Thank you so much for the great info and tutorial! I’m restoring a Honda ATC 350X and will do this procedure for sure! Doing it this way definitely takes time but I’m sure you have way more pride in the finished product.
When new plastic is not available anymore, this is about the only way to do it. 350x is something i am going to look for in the future. be a great restoration project.
Great how-to video. I'm restoring an 84 CR80R partly because of your videos.
Thanks, thats great to hear. CR80 is a great little bike. They rip.
Sanding the plastics is the best way to restore them. I have done a few sets of plastics this way and they always turn out great. This process works great on newer plastics just so you know. Keep up the good work!
Davin Lyda how should I go about it? Wet sanding with high grit?
Yes high grit. I like to use soap water. As for the grit I start at 400 and work my way up to 1500. And then I polish it with car buffer
did you just straight up sand them or did you start with a razor blade like the guy in this video? wanna do this but I'm a little nervous about the blade but I'm confident I could sand them/heat gun em no problems..
It just depends on how bad they are and how much time you want to spend on it. I have done some where I don’t use a razor blade and some where I do. It just depends on how bad it is.
Davin Lyda do you see a bunch of scuff makes when you sand it ?
Luv the heat gun trick. Great job, thank you for sharing👍👏👏
Great informative video. I have an '87 CR500 that's gonna need a lot of this. Definitely time intensive. But we gotta do what we gotta do.
Thx
CR500 NICE
Thank you, I asked about this process on a couple of moto sites and I got some good advice but not the details you gave. I cannot wait until I give it a try to see what my gas tank will look like on my Honda 87 CR500. Thanks...
Wow. That's a lot of work for one piece. I think I'll just buy one....
Some plastic is no longer available so you are left with no choice.
Cool. I used to do this 30 years ago. It was in magazines back then and i did a lot of bikes . Started to just buy new.
Can't get same quality plastic for the early 80's bikes. Late 80 and on UFO makes the closest
@@TNTMOTO I think Cyrca makes pretty good AM plastics also IMO
@@MotoFamMayhem You cant get good quality and fit plastic for some years anymore
Totally agree! I tried hard to get some replacement plastic even close to the same consistency and deep color as the originals to no avail. Have started using this process with several sets of plastics so far and getting ready to try it again... Right now I have a wonderfully intact, non scratched or gouged but horribly sun faded, set of plastics for a 1978 Yamaha YZ80 and I’ll be starting to work in them this weekend. I’ve been watching eBay now for close to ten years looking for a NOS set of plastic for this bike, particularly a rear fender to no avail... Thank you so much for a really exceptional video!
The quality of your vids have gone up since you started. Keep it up
Especially considering that you live at the end of a runway ...😆
Thanks!
Nice video! I have a 88 Honda trax300. Replaced the rear fender because it was original and too damaged. But the front was replaced maybe 15 years ago but totally needs this. I'll be working on it! Thanks again for your very informative video!
Thanks man. I’m gonna try this with my black plastics that have turned almost grey from the sun.
Interested to here how it works out for you. I have not tried black yet but should work the same
That final result is just incredible. Great job!
Brilliant, I'm impressed 😃 I'll be having a go myself now! Thank's for the insight. Best regards Chris
Any ideas if I should be afraid of light sanding on a yamaha WR 500 gas tank? They supposedly had a coat of lamination around them to hold the graphics on better.
I don't have an answer for you. But that is a rare bike so don't take any chances.
Great vid. I have been similarly restoring plastics for a while but never used heat until the end. Also buffing with sheep's wool looks like a good way to bring out the shine. I will add both steps on my next resto. Thanks.
Let me know how the process works out for you. Always interested to hear what it has done for other's plastic.
That turned out amazing, I’ll definitely use this method. Thanks
Great job man! I cannot wait to try this on my '87 CR500 plastics!
i find a block plane or a spokeshave on the most shallow setting works great. liked and subscribed. :)
Thankyou, I will look into that.
Wow man I’ve been humbled ! Fantastic work bro ! Respect!
I followed your process however i cannot get rid from the sand paper stretches from the 400 grit. Didn't go through the polishing process yet.
Thank you for sharing all of that hard work do. The results were just amazing!
Thank you very much for watching
Thank you for showing us how to repair soft plastic. Hard plastic buffs up easily but not the soft stuff. Regards🇦🇺
I learned my lesson. I won't waste time removing the paint it isn't necessary. Just sand the paint down smooth the full paint removal is just extra work.
Wow bro that was impressive.. I have 11 bikes to do ooooofff!!!!
Be careful with the heat. Its not required but helps speed things up
I have a 95 banshee and have tried so many products and buffing pads to try to shine them up and nothing has worked for me but I think it’s bc my plastic aren’t even bad I just want them really shiny since I’m used to the results I get when paint correcting a car
What was the temp setting on the heat gun? No compound on the buffing wheel? What about polishes? Thanx
I use high but be careful to just create the film. It can melt if you not careful and there is no going back. Buffing wheel was dry. Co compound. You can use a plastic polish if you want.
Awesome man, great video!
Very detailed and informative.
Great song choice too
Man u made it brand new!!!! Wicked job bro!! My daughters 1990 rm 80 is in need haha i may try im pretty handy..thanks for vid!
Biggest thing is take your time, dont rush it. you will be happy with the results.
Is there a difference between Ufo replacement plastics...example the front Cr fender, and the stock one, or are they both the same..
UfO makes good plastic but its not oem
Do you use buffing compound on the lambs wool buff when you buff the plastic?
This was a dry buff but i have used compound and i have not seen a difference in how long the shine lasts after use.
TNT MOTO cheers for the response mate! Guard looks brilliant and I will be using this technique on my early 90’s Kx guards!
Curious why you use the heat gun between grits? I've never done this, but I would think you'd just need the heat gun once, after going through all the grits. Thanks!
Speeds up the process a little. its not necessary on all plastic. i have found some pieces need it to reveal more work being needed where others do not.
@@TNTMOTO makes sense, thanks!
Nice work. Thank you for making that instructional video
Best video of plastic fairings restoration! Best outcome too lol
Thank you
@@TNTMOTO you're very welcome sir. Here's to hoping I can recreate it !
Can you use rubbing compound or polish with buffing wheel?
yes but a dry pad does seem to work the best
@@TNTMOTO thanks for the reply back. I shall try one plastic at a time till I get the all plastics.
@@richardnavarro7108 Best to start with a piece of plastic you dont need until you develop the technique
Very informative and beautiful work. Thank you
Have you tried the citrus stripper available at hardware stores?
No i have not.
I have. Works well and caused no damage to the plastics I was working on (Honda CRF). I used the spray can type.
True artist you are! Thanks for sharing your technique!
don't use any buffing compound?
No just a dry sheepswool. You can use compound if you like.
Really nice video, thank you!
I've seen the heating method used a lot, but some people say that the plastic might become brittle over time. Anything you've noticed with your restorations?
I have some large ATV fenders in really bad and scratched condition. I just ordered sand paper ranging from 220 up to 3000 for my orbital sander and I have some rougher paper as well. I was thinking of removing the deep scratches with 120 or 240 and work my way up, maybe ending with some wet sanding around 1200-2000 grit is the finest I have. Heat it up once or twice as well as and use the wool pad.
Have you used any protection when done? I have some left over Cerakote Plastic Trim Restorer which I used to restore some faded black plastics on my car. I was thinking I could try that to keep it looking good for longer.
I have only ever had cracking with tanks that were stored with fuel in them
Did this around 6 years ago to my garden furniture it brings the oils to the top
I have a strange problem in the beginning, after sanding with 400 I use heat gun but the dark color is coming on a few plastics but the side plastics of the tank stay Matt gloss. Why is this? They were in a quite good state. Now with the sanding completly Matt and heat Will not get the color back?? Do I need to sand with the fiber papers first?
What year tank is it? Was the tank oxidized bad?
@@TNTMOTO it is also a cr 500 1985 it is not the tank itself but the radiator flaps mounted on the tank the flaps were good but now they are Matt from sanding. When I use the heat gun on them there is almost no color coming back. While on the fenders etc it is coming back 😯 strange...
@@Lightspeeders perhaps they are not oem. Maybe they are aftermarket Maier.
@@TNTMOTO hmm I don't know. I don't think so because the bike is like 99% original, but I Will see maybe after some more sanding and buffing it gets better. I Will keep you updated
@@Lightspeeders back of the shroud will have a serial number molded into it.
great technique although recently i have been using 0000 wire wool which gives the same finish as the 2000 grit. buffer clamped Ina vice and fender to buffer . never used a heat gun yet as i can’t afford to burn the thing
That was a great video, very helpful.
Awesome video you’ve inspired me to start restoring one of my own bikes. Keep up the good work 👍🏼
Thank you. Good to hear.
Really nice man cool video I’m gonna try it on my banshee I’m gonna start a 2000 grit then buff
if you dont have any deep scratches or oxidisation 2000 and buffing will make it shine.
Would this work with a metallic flake? Have a battery side cover that is scratched bad from the keychain.
Are you talking about a street bike cover that is painted?
Wots in the yella can?
Oven cleaner. Aircraft paint remover works better
I have a spot of that is a heavy scratch on trx plastic that needs to be fixed
Deep scratches really cant be fixed unless you fill it
Will this also help for black fender?
Yes
Question: will this process work on mid 80's (mine is 86 Suzuki DR200) that the plastic has bad oxidation. Very rough feeling damage to the plastic. It kind of feels like rough fiberglass but if it is, it very flexible fiberglass. Just curious if you have ran into plastic like I am describing and if this will work? I am assuming if I can sand enough of it off, I should be able to get to some better plastic?
Yes it will work
@@TNTMOTO thank you!!!
Have you tried using a buffing compound like when a person is restoring plastic headlights?
not yet. i have acquired a product at a bike show that i will be reviewing on a fender i plan to restore
@@TNTMOTO nice, that might save you some time in having to resand a few times with 2000 after buffing. I have done a few headlights and mx plastics. I find using a compound gets rid of alot of the 1500 marks the 2000 cant. I know you are a expert at this by now, but have you tried using those inexpensive foam buffing pads? I find them to work a bit better on plastics than the wool. The wool tends to heat the plastic up alot faster. Anyways amazing work.
@@evoracing5563 I will try anything to reduce the work. Getting older hands cramp up after a few hours. so going to have to find something.
@@TNTMOTO I know what you mean. I just finished a KDX 200 I resorted. I desided to mirror polish the entire motor after my Zx7R's frame came out so nice. Took me almost a month, sanding almost every evening 3 to 4 hours. Hardest part was to get rid of all the casting marks😅. Turned out not to bad. Not a complete mirror finish everywhere, but most of the casings was. Wont be doing that anytime soon again. Aluminium is just to messy to wetsand. Keep us posted on the compound👍🏻👍🏻
Is there something like Bondo that can fill deep gouges?
yes but then you would have to paint it. paint will look bad after a short time. Better off to get a new/used piece of plastic in good shape and restore it.
Thanks, great video! Are there sources for reproduction plastics for old bikes?
@@beanzbeanz yes but unless its UFO it is generally a different type of plastic, harder softer not a perfect fit. What bike us it?
Very time consuming for a $30 fender but I guess it would be a good project for those winter months. Good job on the restore!
You cant buy these fenders anymore. the ones that are reproduced are no where near the same quality, plastic or fitment.
Hey rear cr500 fender for 2001 on ebay,brand new oem $800 , in 2024 😃
Thank you so much for making this I have a RM125 and it was spray painted black by the previous owner and he did a horrible job I want to see that champion yellow again
Awesome!.....My 1984 Honda XR 200R is gonna love this......(me too when done).....Thanks.
Oh my goodness that was alot of work!!! It certainly may even look better than new, but it seems like the time invested could never return a profit. Rather you are creating museum quality artifacts from scrap plastic parts!!! I commend you sir!!!
Good information. I hope most of this applies to a 2006 bike. As you said, the plastic formulations are probably different. I don't know how or how different though. My DR650 has some bad scratches in the back fender... I started sanding them out from 150 grit up to 2000 and it's still very faded looking. Apparently I'm missing the heat gun step. I'll have to try that.
Will do a new video when it gets nicer out. I have moved to using a palm sander which speeds the process up. I have tried different compounds ds without heat and I was not happy with results. Heat seems to work well.
I like how your heat gun electric cord is almost in your Blue bin of water👍
Extension is plugged into a GFI Circuit Breaker like your Bathroom plugs.
I liked the idea of using oven cleaner but I wasn't sure if it removed the paint. I want to try the oven cleaner on my headlights because I think there is a protective film which is keeping the lights to be restored properly. What are your thoughts?
The oven cleaner does not work for all paint. I do not know about head lights.
Anybody knows if I must carry on with scraper? I did scrape, flat with 400 grid and used heat gun. Experiencing lighter spots here and there. Must I scrape again or keep on going with sandpaper? Otherwise it's coming nicely for part 1. Green kawa klx 450 plastics looked awful, my own bike since 2011, just cleaning her up.
Thanks
You need to get rid of all the oxidized plastic whether you use a blade or sand paper. hopefully the oxidizing has not gone to deep.
@@TNTMOTO Cool, thanks man. I wasn't sure whether I should carry on to 600 grid and so on or sand it more with 400. Actually I think I must go back to something even rougher than 400. Seems like my scraper left marks, a lot of marks, but it's way better than it was already. At least it's showing green and not grey from the sun anymore. Had a lot very deep scratches too. I'd like to get it looking spotless, do you think start again with a rougher than 400 paper, any suggestions?
Thanks for replying so quickly.
Cheers
@@elcoviljoen3025 you can use more course sandpaper but you will have to do more sanding with the next higher grit to remove the marks left by the course paper. When you use a blade to scrape, you have to be very careful not to scratch the plastic . those scratches will be so deep you will not get them out.
@@TNTMOTO coarser sandpaper is doing the trick. Also, doesn't seem like marks from scraper, the original marks were just deeper than I thought. Hard to see them with dull colour before polishing.....
Thanks, I can already see this is going to be close to 100%
Thanks for sharing!!
@@elcoviljoen3025 glad its working out.
My quad has white face paint that I don't need to strip should I repaint it you think or should I just use this method??? Because I see a lot of especially younger folk repainting but I think with this method it's not necessary???
dont paint plastic. restore it or buy new. The paint will just flake off. or scratch.
@@TNTMOTO ahhhhhh worst news I heard all day ...i know your right but...i dunno I guess better safe than sorry thanks though
any idea if this works on coleman canoe plastic?
I am not sure but i dont see why not. That is going to take you awhile though. :)
Great video, this method works great, thanks!
This is excellent information, thank you for making this video!
Your welcome. Hope yours turns out great.
What did you used with the lambswool to make it look shiny? Was it dry?
@@danielreynoso8981 dry
More of a question than a comment. Do you use this method on all the plastics such as front number plate and radiator shrouds the thin ones. How do you keep the thin ones from permanently warping with the heat cycles?
All you are doing with the heat it causing a film to appear on the out side. you do not hold heat to any area for a long period of time or it will warp or worse melt. Yes i use this method on all of the plastic parts.
Will this work with white plastics too
yes, but i would avoid the heat gun.
I wished I could post a pic of my before and after pic of my tank the difference is amazing.
Awesome good to hear.
someone say use heating gun isn't good. true?
False. you are not heating the plastic up really hot. You are just heating the outside surface.
How to deal with a red tank and plastics that have severe sun bleaching
I’m Gonna buy myself a heart gun and some sand paper I’ll let you know how it goes
@@mattklim88 Be very careful with that heat gun. Your best to practice on something you dont care about first or you can easily damage it. The heat gun is not required. it can just lessen the time to get the finish near the end of the process
I bought an 83 CR 125 which is covered in spray paint. It even had red racing stripes like you did .
Scott Hancock lol. Aircraft paint stripper works great. Only takes minutes
How much does a new fender cost?
Can't buy the same fitment or quality of an original.
I believe that. Good point!
Does this process work on a plastic gas tank. I understand it needs to be cleaned out but some have said you can't use a heat gun on a gas tank, what is the truth?
You can use a heat gun on a tank but you have to be very careful. You might be better to just spend 40 hours sanding and polishing.
@@TNTMOTO thanks for the quick reply. I'm getting a better understanding on how to do this well. I'm going to get the side panels, shrouds, and front number plate and do my experimenting on them before finishing my tank. I also like where you said for the parts of the tank unseen to stop at 400 grit, that'll save a ton of time too.
You dont use any kind of buffing compund when buffing?
No. But I may in the future. I have purchased a product I will be reviewing to see if it helps speed things up after the heavy scratch removal.
I wanna do my quad plastics when I sand the from 400 grit up to 1500 will I see scratch marks after I buff it?
It depends if you got each grit of scratches out with each grit of paper. if you got the 400 out with 600 and then 600 out with 800 and etc. 1500 scratches are pretty light. heat and buffing will make it look pretty good. You may see them if you get really close or look in the right light. its a lot of work. Quads have a lot of plastic. it will take you a long time to do it right. If you are going to do it on a quad i would suggest using a buffer with different compounds like on a car once you are up to 1500. I plan on making a new video in the spring with a jig that holds my plastic and a buffer now that i have one. this will hopefully lessen the time. Quads have a lot of plastic. it will take you a long time to do it right.
TNT MOTO thanks for the fast reply man your vids are awesome also anything you could think of just to get to to shine?
Heat gun to get the color back and to cause a film over the plastic which is basically melting the very top layer. DO NOT HOLD THE GUN IN ONE SPOT OR TO CLOSE. Sorry about the caps but this is very important or you will damage the plastic. then you just use the sheeps wool buffing wheel which will shine it right up. After that you can use a plastic polish to put a coating on the plastic much like wax on cars. Just dont hold the buffing wheel to hard on the plastic or you will generate heat which will melt the plastic.
TNT MOTO tryed that On a extra set man didn’t work to good my plastics aren’t that bad but just in a couple spots looks like someone rubbed a eraser on my plastics there black so everything shows just wanna clean them up a little your video was definitely the best one on TH-cam gona do it with my dirtbike I know wd40 helps with a shine for a little time but not much
black is a lot tougher. you used the buffing wheel? I will find the ones i use and post a link
The heat brings the natural (well ok synthetic but its already found in the plastic) oil out of the plastic up to the surface. Obviously doing this too many times will make the plastic brittle but it sure is great for restoring!
I only use it to put a film over it. I do not hear it up much. Would be interesting to see if it effects longevity.
Fantastic tutorial! Thanks for making and posting.
BosephusBigelsworth your welcome. Hope yours turns out great. Take your time.
nice tricks and technique, thanks!
Very informative thx. Tackling my yt 60 plastics this weekend. Did you have to put heat to the underside? Thx
I don't bother trying to get the underside to have that glossy look. It wears to fast with all the dirt,dust and mud.
@@TNTMOTO I will send pics, thx. Happy holidays
I couldn't add my finished pc. Turned out well
Not sure if the camera does it justice, but it sure looks great.
Can you do a video on gas tanks.
I did one on my YZ490 tank. no heat
Good job on the CR500 plastic.
Thanks. If you are following my CR500 restoration, i will have the frame back from the powder coater hopefully by next week.
will this technique work on crazing that appears due to age? i have what looks like scratches in a wave pattern across the fenders. they feel slightly rough but are incredibly difficult to sand out. i get the impression that they're quite deep but they don't look it. have you seen this before and will the knife and 400 get them out?
are you on facebook? send me photos. either through my emai or facebook tntmoto
@@TNTMOTO sent you some pics on FB Messenger.
Replied on Facebook
My new 81 KX 250 needs this work done to the Gas Tank..........fortunately the fenders and side panels are available in Reproductions..
OEM plastic is the best if it can be restored. But sometimes good quality reproductions are the only option. I have found. UFO to be the best.
I’m looking to do something similar, I have an 09 RMZ450 that I want to instal a graphics kit onto but I fear that the current condition of the plastics isn’t smooth enough to let the graphics Kit stick properly....and if I don’t have to fork out more $ just for new plastics that would be great! LOL
For my situation it seems like the Fork Guards and side Number Plates are in the worst condition (scratched etc..).
I feel like maybe 1k - 2k grit and some heat might do the trick for the majority of the plastics, but with those items listed above I might need to start at the razor and 400 grit 🤔
The plastics don’t need to “look mint”, they just need to have a surface suitable enough for laying graphics properly!
Great video!
Yes i would start with 400 if you are trying to remove deep scratches up to 1000. After that its just about getting it shiny so if you are just covering completely with graphics, stop at 1000. probably do not even need to heat or buff. Heating brings the color back and buffing is just to bring the glossy appearance..
TNT MOTO
I appreciate the reply sir, thank you!
I only thought maybe heat the plastic just to “seal” it, I thought that maybe un-heated plastic after sanding might be too porous for the decals to stick properly.....?
I know that 1k grit is super super fine and the porous level is probably damn near microscopic after sanding but I dunno, maybe I’m just overthinking LOL
Thank you again though, this has been very helpful, stay safe and cheers from 🇨🇦
Is this the same procedure for my 86 CR gas tank
yes just make sure you remove the petcock and cap. rinse thoroughly with soapy water then rinse out. leave the petcock and cap off till restoration is done. restore you other plastic first so you get the technique down. how scratched up is it?
TNT Moto To be honest its not really scratched its just sun fadded and few gas stains
ok then you might be able to start with 600 or 800. Just remember not to heat up the plastic too much with the heat gun or it will soften it, melt it or burn it. you just try to zip over it quick to create a richer film of color. Good luck.
TNT Moto cheers for tbe advice bud im going to start in the morning ill keep u posted 👍
This process was explained and demonstrated better than just about any tutorial on youtube, thank you. However... aren't new plastics only about $50 or so on ebay? That is a lot of time spent man!
After market plastic for this year of bike is not of the same quality. They are great for a static display but will not fit perfect nor last when riding.
It’s not really about the money. There’s a lot of pleasure seeing the change you made happen.
Fantastic work. Have you found anything that protects it once you restore it ?
As far a putting a coating of some sort on it i would just buff a good polish on it like Mequiars
Very nice audio quality...
Sorry was using my gopro 5 without a external mic
Pretty awesome. I'll make suggestion try using buffing compound I've used it and it works perfect. With the buffer much faster.
I'm watching your video in order to restore my plastic kayak. It looks very good. Did you add any polishing compound when you start buffing at the 13:00 minute mark, or is your pad dry? Thanks for you help.
It was a dry pad but since this video i have been using a compound for last few polishings.
i sandblasted my plastics with glass beads at low pressure it works well to get all the crap off
Thanks I will attempt this
I’m going to attempt this on my quad.
Just take your time. Don't rush it