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[dustingaunder]

This stuff will not stay swirl free.  If I so much as look at it crossways it gets swirl marks.  I've never had a bike or car for that matter with a clear coat this sensitive. I can wax it and they go away, but The next time I clean it they are back and worse.  Have any of you SESG owners noticed this?  What can I do to protect the finish from this happening.

My last bike I would mist with distilled water and wipe gentally with a wet microfiber rag.  Then I would dry it with a clean dry microfiber rag and it worked beautifully.  I'm trying the same with this thing, but it gets swirl marks like crazy.

[RDWEAVER]

I have noticed the same thing with mine. It's way more work than my last one. My clearcoat will mark sooooo easy. I am considering covering it with the Auto Armor but not sure if I like the change in the sheen.

[slamr]

I agree!  Seems like the swirls get worst by the day. . . . .

[mjb765]

I tried Glare swirl remover and applied it with a back and forth straight line motion and it cleaned things up nicely....at least that's what happened for the bag lids and a bit on the tank. Haven't really noticed too much on the fairing.

[trwtow]

got the same problem but only on back of saddlebags tank fairing fenders are fine.

[dustingaunder]

Mine is mostly on the saddlebags and tank but I don't touch the fairing and fenders as much as the saddle bags.

[bigmuff]

Yes, the paint seems soft.  I'm going to try leaving it out in the sun a little and see if that hardens the paint any.

I've been using Scratch-X to remove the swirls.

[rlavigna]

I have experienced similiar paint issues noted by everyone here.  I would like to hear from a paint expert as to whether this clear coat will either harden more overtime or if there is something we can do.

Rich

[mjb765]

Harden over time......how much time are we talking here?

[rlavigna]

I'm grasping at something...  Hope?   

[mjb765]

maybe if you leave it outside for a few years it will harden the paint...then you can replace all the other stuff that rusted while it was out there. 

[Sapper6]

maybe if you leave it outside for a few years it will harden the paint...then you can replace all the other stuff that rusted while it was out there. 

Eureka! ...    no ...  wait...       

[grc]

Urethane clearcoats do tend to be relatively soft, especially in the first 30 to 90 days after being applied.  A chemical cross-linking reaction continues to take place after the initial curing in the paint ovens, and the earlier versions of these clearcoats could often take 90 days to reach full hardness.  Eventually the folks at DuPont and PPG came out with "next generation" formula's that hardened more rapidly, say 30 days instead of 90.  I've been away from the industry for many years now, so it's likely they have improved this even more.  The big question is, what generation of clearcoat technology is H-D's supplier using?  And is that supplier having problems similar to what they had back in '06 with excessive film thickness and soft paint?

If your paint is really so soft that just wiping it causes severe marking, you need to find a local paint expert and have him test the paint hardness.  What you guys are describing here doesn't sound normal to me, at least in terms of my experience in auto manufacturing.  Normal tends to be different when discussing H-D, however.  To them, anything they don't want to deal with is "normal".


Jerry

[CVOTequila]

Urethane clearcoats do tend to be relatively soft, especially in the first 30 to 90 days after being applied.  A chemical cross-linking reaction continues to take place after the initial curing in the paint ovens, and the earlier versions of these clearcoats could often take 90 days to reach full hardness.  Eventually the folks at DuPont and PPG came out with "next generation" formula's that hardened more rapidly, say 30 days instead of 90.  I've been away from the industry for many years now, so it's likely they have improved this even more.  The big question is, what generation of clearcoat technology is H-D's supplier using?  And is that supplier having problems similar to what they had back in '06 with excessive film thickness and soft paint?

If your paint is really so soft that just wiping it causes severe marking, you need to find a local paint expert and have him test the paint hardness.  What you guys are describing here doesn't sound normal to me, at least in terms of my experience in auto manufacturing.  Normal tends to be different when discussing H-D, however.  To them, anything they don't want to deal with is "normal".
 

Jerry

That makes sense Jerry, thanks for the post, I have definitely noticed that the paint is sensitive.  I have also notice, however, that with a quality product (such as Glare) that swirls to minor scratches are actually pretty easy to get out of the paint.  Just today I scratched my Tequila accidentally while waxing and was able to buff if out almost entirely with Glare Knock-out.   Bottom-Line: this "softer" paint has it's advantages!!

[dustingaunder]

With the softer paint scratching so easily but being able to polish out the scratches easy as well, does that mean shorter life of the clear?  With all the polishing owners are likely to be doing do keep their rolling $30,000 piece of art looking its best it seems like one may be able to eventually polish all of the clear off at least in spots like the saddle bag tops and the tank.