ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: ZeroMark on October 01, 2018, 05:33:52 PM
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I was curious of anyone has really found anything or any way to clean the white plastics or "restore the bright white" in the white plastics like the tank and tail plastics. I have my 2014 DS and the beautiful bright white it came with is now faded and yellowing slightly even though the bike is parked in the shade and in the garage even on work days. After 4 years, I have found that the owners manual cleaning suggestions don't stop the fade and while it's all still flawless, the suggestions on the unofficial zero web site of mixing up some peroxide and trying to concoct sonm "retr0bright" doesn't sit well with me - that is unless someone else can confirm it actually works without causing more harm then good.
I'm starting to notice that with the color changing going on now with the 2017+ bikes, I'm seeing tanks and plastics for the Zero's show up on EBAY, however, it seems like there is more people turning their existing bikes to the white color (and thus putting their YELLOW and RED tank and tail plastics up for sale) then there is giving up the white ones, so believe me - if and when I find some WHITE DS TANK and TAIL PLASTICS on EBAY, I'm certainly going to consider it at the prices they seem to be asking (I've seen $125 / $150 for new yellow tanks even with the charge tank version up there).
Does anyone here in the USA want to give me an idea what ZERO wants for WHITE TANK and TAIL plastics that would make my bike BRIGHT WHITE again? I'm not looking to hold anyone's quote or go around my local dealer - but I just want a ballpark cost for comparison of the white tank and tail parts for my 2014 DS. I don't have a white fender because DS bikes have the black motocross / enduro style fender so I don't care about fender costs. All of this would help me decide whether it's worth replacing from ZERO, replacing from someone on EBAY, or whether some miracle cleaner out there can restore my dingy and yellowing white back to a brighter and cleaner white!
Thoughts anyone?
Mark
p.s. I like my bike's WHITE color. I'm not interested in carbon fiber, changing to another color, or repainting it so don't try to discuss any of those 3 options.
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Just prime and paint it.
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White PowerTank? $120
The white tail upper is $21.54, the bottom is only available painted and is $70.
More here: http://www.af1racing.com/store/Scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=3107&description=2014+Zero+Motorcycle+Models
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On my dirt bikes I typically use steel wool to clean up plastics. Clearly that's too crude for a street bike, but perhaps wet sanding with 2000 grit might work?
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I have been using a product called S100 Total Cycle Finish Restorer that comes in a toothpaste tube, for many years. Long enough so that I don't know if it is still being marketed.
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I'm pretty sure all the old non-painted plastics have dyes mixed in with them, so the color runs all the way through them. If you really want that showroom-new finish again, it should just be a matter of sanding off the UV-affected layer and buffing back to a shine.
Personally I'm a lazy bastard and have just gotten used to the faded red plastics on my 2014 SR. My bike's old, and it looks old. I don't have a problem with that.
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Thank you everyone... For the prices quoted I think I'll replace them rather then try to paint or mess with them. -Mark