redo bags

[ggfossen]

Anyone out there know how to clean up the exterior of an old set of stock saddle bags from an '83 RT? I can get the smooth parts to look relatively good, but I'm having a difficult time with the pebble grain on the exterior of the doors. They are the black ones with the round indent for the BMW roundel.

Gary

[pmdave]

I've had pretty good success cleaning up old BMW bags using a rubber/plastic cleaner and lots of elbow grease. That's assuming the plastic is merely weathered and dirty, but basically undamaged. Several treatments can bring out the nice black color and texture.

However, if the plastic is scratched and dinged, no amount of polishing is going to make it look good. You might consider a more serious refurbishment method: recoating with truck bed liner. Remove the lids, wet sand with 280 grit or so, prime with Fusion plastic primer, and spray on several light coats of black "bedliner". (rattle cans from you local auto store or Mr. Walls.) Makes a nice pebble grain finish. I've done several parts with the stuff. The best part is that you can then repair scrapes and dings just by spraying on some touch-up.

pmdave :brow

[ggfossen]

PMDave,

I appreciate the response. I've been working them over with a fiberglass/gelcoat/plastic cleaner, and have made a bit of progress. I'm also trying armoral, which seems to help. I hadn't given much thought to painting, although, with proper cleaning, that might be an answer. I keep at it with the commercial cleaners for a bit, tho.

they aren't dinged so much as simply having too much sw sun.

Thanks,

Gary

[pmdave]

I just ran out to the shop to get the name of the stuff I've been using: Meguiar's Gold Class Vinyl/rubber protectant. It's a milk-looking liquid, but seems to soak into the surface of plastic or rubber, and after a few treatments the surface looks much blacker and shinier.

I also use this stuff on rubber parts such as driveshaft boots, fork boots, and even tire sidewalls during winter layup. I even brought back to life a pair of original 13-rib /5 fork boots that had been on an unused machine since about 1980. I placed them in a tray and soaked them in the Meguiar's stuff for a couple of weeks. Now they look like new.

You might want to give this stuff a try. No, I'm not a salesman.

pmdave :type

[ggfossen]

Dave,

On my next trip to town, I'll get some of the Meguiars stuff. But not today. The snow has sort of cramped our style. Power has been up and down a lot, too.

Thanks,

Gary