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CVO Technical => Cleaning/Detailing => Topic started by: Dejad on August 25, 2015, 06:44:27 AM
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One month ago I bought a 2010 Ultra Classic CVO with 12,000 miles. For it's first deep cleaning removed the bags to get at the rear rim. I was a little shocked to see how much chrome had peeled off in only 5 years. The front rim looks fine. I'm guessing the guy I bought it from doesn't know what chrome cleaner is, never got the urge to remove the bags and get his nails dirty or wasn't aware there was a rim back there. Then there's the possibility that H-D isn't using top-o-the-line chroming procedures on these rims. A month before I got my bike, my friend bought an '08 Ultra CVO with 10,000 miles. He told me his rear rim is doing pretty much the same thing. Is this a common thing or did we just buy bikes from lazy guys?
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One month ago I bought a 2010 Ultra Classic CVO with 12,000 miles. For it's first deep cleaning removed the bags to get at the rear rim. I was a little shocked to see how much chrome had peeled off in only 5 years. The front rim looks fine. I'm guessing the guy I bought it from doesn't know what chrome cleaner is, never got the urge to remove the bags and get his nails dirty or wasn't aware there was a rim back there. Then there's the possibility that H-D isn't using top-o-the-line chroming procedures on these rims. A month before I got my bike, my friend bought an '08 Ultra CVO with 10,000 miles. He told me his rear rim is doing pretty much the same thing. Is this a common thing or did we just buy bikes from lazy guys?
Don't have chrome wheel issues just lower chrome parts issues, but I believe it's because they didn't clean it them. I'm no CVO clean bike contestant, but surely most of us make an effort to wash our rides especially as much as these bike cost. I can't imagine riding a bike on chemical treated roads and not washing it to get that stuff off, or waiting until the roads are more clear. I ride with guys that go months without a wash on their regular rides; not this kid.
:nixweiss:
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HD chrome has been peeling and blistering for years...especially on aluminum parts. Check your shifter and brake pedals...especially in the decorative holes that are in the shafts...that's usually where it starts.
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I have an 08 SERK and always remove the windshield and the bags when I clean her up, only takes a few minutes. I usually check the tires and will use the Honda spray on everything if it's just in need of a slight cleaning. If I have to wash it I presoak the whole bike using a spray bottle with a mild solution of Simple Green, rinse and wash each section as I go. I rarely wax the bike as the Honda Polish works fine. I then dry it off with my back pack blower and then do a quick ride up the road and take care of any water spots. I guess I have been lucky on the paint and chrome as I have never had an issue. I have noticed that Wings can have the dirtiest wheels on the road. The access is very limited and it takes some effort to get it cleaned but they can all be done.
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Most of the problem with the chrome is not really Harley problem, as discussed on this board before, EPA has almost made Chrome a thing of the past. It is very difficult to do chroming and be legal, add in that our bike wheels are aluminum which is major more difficult that steel even back when it was possible to do it without legal issues, now almost impossible.
But if you buy a bike, or own one you don't care about (ie: Do not physically wash) the wheels will begin to fail a little quicker than other parts due partially to brake dust, which is metallic particles, building up and then "rusting" as they decompose on your wheels which accelerates the chrome decomposition.
So not all a HD problem, as much a maintenance/ecology problem as a poor chroming problem.
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Most of the problem with the chrome is not really Harley problem, as discussed on this board before, EPA has almost made Chrome a thing of the past. It is very difficult to do chroming and be legal, add in that our bike wheels are aluminum which is major more difficult that steel even back when it was possible to do it without legal issues, now almost impossible.
But if you buy a bike, or own one you don't care about (ie: Do not physically wash) the wheels will begin to fail a little quicker than other parts due partially to brake dust, which is metallic particles, building up and then "rusting" as they decompose on your wheels which accelerates the chrome decomposition.
So not all a HD problem, as much a maintenance/ecology problem as a poor chroming problem.
This may be true. However, I don't have chrome failure on my automobiles, which are outside more often and driven many more miles than my bike.
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This may be true. However, I don't have chrome failure on my automobiles, which are outside more often and driven many more miles than my bike.
:2vrolijk_21: :2vrolijk_21:
Yup. Every time someone wants to blame everyone else but Harley for the lousy chrome plating of their parts, I go out and look at the chrome on the wife's six year old CUV and note there is still not one pit or blister anywhere. :nixweiss: I still notice lots of other brands that also seem to be able to make their chrome plated parts hold up well for many years. So it's still possible, but a company has to be willing to pay what it takes to do it right, and follow the process meticulously. Harley has been taking the opposite approach for many years, finding cheaper and lower quality sources for many of their parts, and not just the chrome plated ones.
Eventually I expect to see chrome plated aluminum parts just fade from the scene, because no one will be willing to pay the price to continue to do it right and meet all the safety and environmental requirements. It's not that big a deal actually, since most of us had polished aluminum parts for many years before Harley finally started installing chromed aluminum parts. Even the car folks have cut back on chrome wheel options, and those they still offer tend to be aluminum rims with a chrome plated steel cover bonded to the visible surface. It works well and looks good, and until you point it out to most people they don't even realize it's a separate piece bonded to the wheel. Think of it as a permanent non-removable wheel cover. The main reason I preferred chrome was the amount of work it takes to keep polished aluminum looking good. Some of that can be helped by a good, properly applied clear coat over the polished aluminum. But once again, it's only effective if it's applied properly and aluminum requires extra care in the process.
Jerry
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Like it or not, cleaning is the answer along with an occasional polishing. A little prevention goes a long way. I've owned a dozen and a half HDs and never had a chrome problem. The brake dust is the worse culprit...
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I always apply some protectant ( acf 50 ) as soon as its mine the salt and brake dust is a killer .