[Kramer]

I had a couple scuffs on the plastic portion on my left bag. Went down slowly on soft pavement onto gravel.
So, I got out the sand paper and got to work. BAD MOVE. Now the scuffs are gone, but the plastic has turned white-ish as if I had just put paste wax on it. After the sanding, I rinsed it off and even added a liberal amount of ArmorAll-like treatment to it. Still looks...well...sanded.
Had anyone resurfaced a bag to where it looks good? What can be done?

 

[MichaelC]

I've never tried this, but I read some posts on a Toyota Tacoma forum site to remove the white on scratches in the plastic dash panels use the heat from a lighter on them.

 

[Mike]

Maguires makes a product for black plastic trim that works excellent. One or two treatments will last for years, makes the black part of the bags look like new again. I recommend it for all ST panniers, scuffed or not. It smells like toxic crap while it's being applied though.

 

[RedST]

+1

I've used "forever black" or similar product to re-coat ABS plastic with very good results.

If you get any caustic chemicals on ABS it will whiten. Non-chlorinated brake cleaner especially.

Having gone through this the dye in the forever black product is permanent and looks great.

WBW seems to like "black again"

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Reviewed-motorcycle-products/cleaners/black-again.htm

 

[Kramer]

Good call. I already have Back to Black (Autosol makes this one) in one of the garage cabinets. I have that and Forever Black. I just figured that since the Griots "ArmorAll" stuff didn't even phase it...
Anyway, I'll give it a shot today and will report back.
As usual...THANKS.

 

[jerry5]

Maguires makes a product for black plastic trim that works excellent. One or two treatments will last for years, makes the black part of the bags look like new again. I recommend it for all ST panniers, scuffed or not. It smells like toxic crap while it's being applied though.

+1 on this stuff, I have not used it on scuffed plastic but it would be my first choice if I needed to.

Jerry
04 ST4s

 

[Kramer]

Well, I used a random orbit sadner with 150 grit and smoothed things out a bit. Then tried Back to Black. No-go. Was very similar to thy typical white aromorall stuff. BUT I did use the Forever Black . This stuff is the ticket. It goes on and looks very similar to shoe polish. Even the applicator is shoe polish-like. It blackened things up nicely. WhereI sanded is still a bit more rough than I prefer, so I may go to 400 grit and see how I like it.
Even with the 150 it lookes very good.
Thanks for the reminder...

 

[RedST]

Good deal.

Yeah, you need the dye to make a permanent fix. Forever black is good stuff.

 

[Mike]

Yeah, you need the dye to make a permanent fix. Forever black is good stuff.

I'm not so sure about that. The Meguires stuff is clear to milky white and it really works well on panniers and pannier scuffs. I've had one application on for at least three years and it still looks great. But like I said, it seems really toxic in smell and feel.

 

[RedST]

I'm not so sure about that. The Meguires stuff is clear to milky white and it really works well on panniers and pannier scuffs. I've had one application on for at least three years and it still looks great. But like I said, it seems really toxic in smell and feel.

I'll have to check out the Meguires then next time.

 

[Desmo_Demon]

I haven't attempted to try to make my panniers look better after the drop(s), as I really don't care, but my wife told me that a buddy of ours (before I knew him) repaired some old saddlebags from an earlier Honda ST or a Honda Pacific Coast. To get an original pebble-grian texture, he used a heat gun and either coarse sandpaper or emery cloth to get the texture. I may try it, one day, but I'm in no hurry with all the other projects I have.

 

[faraim]

PIC ME PIC ME I KNOW

seriously though this works really well for the plastic parts mimics the texture very well and its cheap. if it gets scratche just recoat.
several coats are better than one thick one to get the texture right
used this on some very bad road rash on second hand panniers and now just need a red cover.
fixed

 

[chitownson]

My saddlebags were scuffed when I got the bike so I gently rubbed the scuffs down with #2000 steel wool to lower the scuffs but not damage the pebble grain black finish of the plastic. I then painted the saddlebags with a few coats of Krylon Fusion black paint for plastic. (This brings back the black color to the bags but leaves a "spray painted" looking uneven finish that's too glossy). Multiple coats of the Krylon will fill in the scratches a little bit too.

I then sprayed SEM brand Color Coat low luster clear #13023 flexible coat over the dry Krylon finish. The SEM #13023 is a very low gloss vinyl and hard plastic clear coat for automotive interior sold at auto body supply shops:

(http://semproducts.com/Catalog.asp?prod=190)

The low luster clear #13023 evens out and dulls the Krylon black and brings the saddlebag back to the correct factory plastic look and sheen. I'm very happy with the result.