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For windshield scratches: ProHonda polish in the black can. $4.50.
Before I forget to post these, here are a couple of links to articles on how to cut down a windshield. Some interesting info in these articles. Sempai
http://www.roadstarmagazine.com/gt_cutwindshield.shtml
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/Chopwindshields/
I work at a museum and we have many exhibit cases with plexiglass covers. Here is what we use to clean and polish the plexiglass. http://www.brillianize.com/ This stuff works great! I used it on my windshield and chrome. The windshield looks like clear glass now. What makes this stuff different from other cleaners is that it's static free. You won't pick up lint and road dust after using it. Comes at a good price too. A little goes a long way. OK, commercial over...we now return you to your regularly scheduled postings
I did a write-up on "Windshield and Helmet Cleaning". Perhaps this will be helpful to someone, I may post it to the website as well. Have a good day. Starman.
First, what to avoid: - do NOT use windex- the ammonia attacks the plastic - do NOT use products that contain petroleum distillates - do NOT use washer fluiid- it contains methanol which can attack the plastic and it's primary purpose is anti-freeze anyway - do NOT be tempted to use gas station paper towels (or any paper towels), they are just wood pulp and can scratch - certainly do NOT use the squeegy at the gas pump - do NOT use Rain-Ex, varying reports of problems with plastics (it can cause crazing / fine cracks after repeated use. More than a few people have ruined their windshields that way.
Resist the temptation to clean your windsheld on a trip (especially if there is no night ridiing)... until you can stop for a while and have the right supplies. On a day trip, I just let it go. Some of the bug splatter can make interesting window-art anyway. Wait until you get home or to your destination !
Suggestions:
1. Mix 2 oz. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and 8 oz. water in a spray bottle - this works great for removing bugs and gunk. I carry a very small spray bottle with me.
2. Mist the windshield throughly with the solution, and place a damp towel over it. Go do something else for 15 mintues or so. Do not let the towel dry out. This will loosen most of the bug carcuses. I also place a another towel over the front fender to catch the run-off. 3. After cleaning with a *cotton towel*, spray the shield with Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish and wipe with clean cloth. Pledge works great on windshields and helmet visors. I does not scratch (non abrasive), and can even help fill in scratches a little. Will also help to future bugs from sticking. I have heard the lemon scent can attracts bees. Never has happened to me. If you want, you can get a no scent bottle. If I do get some deeper scratches, I use Eagle One Plastic Polish and Protectant.
Note: I found cotton towels that say 'made in the USA" are usually softer. The imported towels are not always 100% cotton. I believe all this pretty much pretty much gives the same results as more expensive stuff. Exceptions: The Windex web site says it's ok for acrylic (a very few windshields are acrylic or "PF3"). See below.
What are motorcycle windshield made of: Windshields for motorcycles are made from either polycarbonate (Lexan) or acrylic (Plexiglas). Each type of plastic has advantages and disadvantages. Polycarbonate is an extremely strong plastic. Windshields made of polycarbonate are pretty much bulletproof. The windows on HumVees are made of polycarbonate for just this reason. It's easy to cut acrylic with a saw or drill holes in acrylic without shattering. Polycarbonate is about as transparent as glass.
Acrylic is only about 3% as impact resistent as polycarbonate. Normal acrylic shatters upon impact, and therefore is unsafe material for windshields. Acrylic is very chemically resistent, and is more transparent than glass - glass absorbs about half again as much light as acrylic does. It's not very easy to cut acrylic with a saw or drill holes in acrylic without shattering or weakening the material. Polycarbonate is a DOT approved material for making windshields; normal acrylic is not. Some states require DOT approved windshields, and therefore in these states a normal acrylic windshield is actually illegal, however these laws are rarely enforced. Normal acryllic can be shattered by an impact from a rock moving at speeds as low as 15mph. A special higher cost acrylic called Impact Modified Acrylic "PF3" is available. This form of acrylic is DOT approved for windshields. It's about 8 times stronger than normal acrylic, about ¼ as strong as polycarbonate. To the best of my knowledge, at this time only Clearview and Aeroflow use Impact modified acrylic to make their windshields.
Before I forget to post these, here are a couple of links to articles on how to cut down a windshield. Some interesting info in these articles. Sempai
http://www.roadstarmagazine.com/gt_cutwindshield.shtml
http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tech/Chopwindshields/
Just put a Slip Streamer Enterprise II on my bike. I like it. A lot of protection. And I can now hear things I never heard before.! Their directions (of course) were to use "their" products, OR a mild detergent with no abrasives, like dishwashing liquid, to clean it and as far as polish, to use a good quality car wax, that is NOT also a cleaner. They also advised to never use any household wax's like Pledge would be.I think the trick to looking through your windshield in the
rain is to keep it cleaned and polished. That way the wind
pushes the rain off the windshield sort of like a windwiper. A
couple of my helmets have a small visor projected above the
opening. This seeme to help in keeping the sun out of my eyes
and the rain hiding my goggles, though I still end up wiping
across them for better visibility. The current windshield
fairing style I have on my bike is a lot higher than my other
windshield and I have no choice but to look through it, but it
sure does knock out the wind buffeting. I try and avoid rain
if at all possible, but into each life.. a little must fall
Ideally, if you are looking just over the top of the screen,
the slipstream should push the bugs and bees up over the top
of your helmet. Of course, I was looking through my shield a
couple of months ago when I caught the bee in my ear. As for
rain, I swear I got caught in rain every time I rode for the
first 3 months after I bought my VN (back in May). Without a
wiper (!) I would not want to have to look through the shield
in the rain. Too much beading on the shield, distorting view.
My goggles (or face shield if I'm wearing the full face) seem
to create less of that problem. They are alos easier to clear
off by turning my head a little and letting the wind remove
some of the beads of water. Overall, I try to have the top of
the shield right abut at my mustache. But like someone else
posted here, I tend to slouch (esp on longer rides or when
it's cold!) and hunker down behind the shield too much. Good
excuse to get that ProTac backrest! JMO
It's been my experience that buffeting comes from below.. With
the semilowers of the PF3 the buffeting on mine is almost
nil.. Like I've said before, I can light a cigarette with a
bic at 70 MPH.. For the record I tend to look over my shield..
A lot of it has to do with the rake and sitting position.. I
got a lot of buffeting on my 1500 with the Memphis Fats shield
till I installed my lowers.. Same result, drastically cut
buffeting... Raz
my Memphis Shades Hellcat came with the warning NOt to use
Rainx or other treatments and polishes. However...when I
installed the neoprene edging around the top I was in a bit of
a dilemma...the glue that I used (loctite Stick'n Seal) kinda
got picked up by my fingers and left a few spots...not to
mention some oozing out from the edging. "GooGone" removed
all the glue and did not seem to harm the screen. I then
endend up using Meguires Deep Crystal System Carnuba Wax #3 to
try and polish out some of the light scratches....after I
washed the sheild with warm soapy water. The screen looks
fine..( see "My 750" folder at
http://photos.yahoo.com/knifemaker1954 ) My guess is some
polishes can react with the plastic...and some...in my
case..don't...But they don't reccomend using them because they
will after repeated use remove the gradiant tint. and It's
possible that some may have some kind of antiscratch coating
on them...which will also end up getting taken off. For
everyday use..I just use a spray bottle filled with 510% dish
soap and the rest distilled water...to clean off bugs and
grime. I wipe it off with a clean cloth and it works fine. (
Don't over buff with the cloth..you'll end up putting a charge
on the screen that will attract dust ) Knifemaker
I really like RainEx keep the rain flowing right off it, and
also keeps bugs from sticking. Works incredibly good in my car
(forget using the wipers, epecially over 75 MPH). I also got
some Memphis Shades "Shinola"... which interestingly, contains
"light petroleum distillates". I never use waxes that contain
that stuff (even though is make a good cleaner wax).
Lemon fresh Pledge
I've used RainX on my VForce with good results, and no ill
effects (it's polycarbonate). Also on face shields. Haven't
tried it yet on the PF3 (acrylic). Anybody? WV Ken
Take at look at the article in the Motorcycle Cruiser
Magazine, titled: Motorcycle Windshield Care & Cleaning
...wiping, and avoid glasscleansing agents such as Windex, or
petroleumbased chemicals such as RainX and Armor All the
solvent action of the alcohol in these products can be harmful
to some shields. To remove scratches, break out yet another
soft clean cloth together with a fine grade buffing compound;
hand buffing is recommended for most screens. To help prevent
bugs from sticking to your windshield, use a polish containing
wax (but consult... Hope this helps. Tom Jue
I work at a museum and we have many exhibit cases with plexiglass covers. Here is what we use to clean and polish the plexiglass. http://www.brillianize.com/ This stuff works great! I used it on my windshield and chrome. The windshield looks like clear glass now. What makes this stuff different from other cleaners is that it's static free. You won't pick up lint and road dust after using it. Comes at a good price too. A little goes a long way. OK, commercial over...we now return you to your regularly scheduled postings
I did a write-up on "Windshield and Helmet Cleaning". Perhaps this will be helpful to someone, I may post it to the website as well. Have a good day. Starman.
First, what to avoid: - do NOT use windex- the ammonia attacks the plastic - do NOT use products that contain petroleum distillates - do NOT use washer fluiid- it contains methanol which can attack the plastic and it's primary purpose is anti-freeze anyway - do NOT be tempted to use gas station paper towels (or any paper towels), they are just wood pulp and can scratch - certainly do NOT use the squeegy at the gas pump - do NOT use Rain-Ex, varying reports of problems with plastics (it can cause crazing / fine cracks after repeated use. More than a few people have ruined their windshields that way.
Resist the temptation to clean your windsheld on a trip (especially if there is no night ridiing)... until you can stop for a while and have the right supplies. On a day trip, I just let it go. Some of the bug splatter can make interesting window-art anyway. Wait until you get home or to your destination !
Suggestions:
1. Mix 2 oz. Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and 8 oz. water in a spray bottle - this works great for removing bugs and gunk. I carry a very small spray bottle with me.
2. Mist the windshield throughly with the solution, and place a damp towel over it. Go do something else for 15 mintues or so. Do not let the towel dry out. This will loosen most of the bug carcuses. I also place a another towel over the front fender to catch the run-off. 3. After cleaning with a *cotton towel*, spray the shield with Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish and wipe with clean cloth. Pledge works great on windshields and helmet visors. I does not scratch (non abrasive), and can even help fill in scratches a little. Will also help to future bugs from sticking. I have heard the lemon scent can attracts bees. Never has happened to me. If you want, you can get a no scent bottle. If I do get some deeper scratches, I use Eagle One Plastic Polish and Protectant.
Note: I found cotton towels that say 'made in the USA" are usually softer. The imported towels are not always 100% cotton. I believe all this pretty much pretty much gives the same results as more expensive stuff. Exceptions: The Windex web site says it's ok for acrylic (a very few windshields are acrylic or "PF3"). See below.
What are motorcycle windshield made of: Windshields for motorcycles are made from either polycarbonate (Lexan) or acrylic (Plexiglas). Each type of plastic has advantages and disadvantages. Polycarbonate is an extremely strong plastic. Windshields made of polycarbonate are pretty much bulletproof. The windows on HumVees are made of polycarbonate for just this reason. It's easy to cut acrylic with a saw or drill holes in acrylic without shattering. Polycarbonate is about as transparent as glass.
Acrylic is only about 3% as impact resistent as polycarbonate. Normal acrylic shatters upon impact, and therefore is unsafe material for windshields. Acrylic is very chemically resistent, and is more transparent than glass - glass absorbs about half again as much light as acrylic does. It's not very easy to cut acrylic with a saw or drill holes in acrylic without shattering or weakening the material. Polycarbonate is a DOT approved material for making windshields; normal acrylic is not. Some states require DOT approved windshields, and therefore in these states a normal acrylic windshield is actually illegal, however these laws are rarely enforced. Normal acryllic can be shattered by an impact from a rock moving at speeds as low as 15mph. A special higher cost acrylic called Impact Modified Acrylic "PF3" is available. This form of acrylic is DOT approved for windshields. It's about 8 times stronger than normal acrylic, about ¼ as strong as polycarbonate. To the best of my knowledge, at this time only Clearview and Aeroflow use Impact modified acrylic to make their windshields.