Windshield Restoration

[kentuckyrider]

Thought I would share this tip. My 91 has the original windshield on it. It looks fine during the day, but if the sun is just right and I am running curves on a road like the trace, where trees are thick then there is a open area and I come out of the curve looking into the setting sun I am blinded by the distortion thru the shield. Or at night with oncoming cars and in KY they don't dim until they see the whites of your eyes. The glare through the shield is terrible. I was looking for a good replacement. My shield is just a little high for me especially if my wife is riding. It does not come to the top of my nose, but is a couple inches over my eyes. Unless I am solo and have the suspension maxed out. A friend of mine told me how he fixed his and I tried it and it looks brand new. No cobwebs or scratches. Just a clear field of vision. I took turtle wax rubbing compound http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/TJ41/th_20140525_151707_zps637e5260.jpeg and used a small orbital car buffer.(110) then I used meguiars http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/TJ41/th_20140525_151723_zpsdaeaeb14.jpeg I used about the same on each pad a dab about the size of a quarter. I buffed them out without putting pressure on the buffer. Then I took a clean micro pad cloth and wiped it clean. No more scratches or cob webbing. Crystal clear field of vision.

[vzuden]

Thanks for the tip. Will be trying it tomorrow

[kentuckyrider]

Your welcome. Hope it does a good a job for you. The 2nd bottle is glaze. I imagine about any kind would work. My buddy said that if the windshield is really bad that you can use 1000 grit wet sandpaper. He told me try the turtle wax first then the glaze. Said if that doesn't work get the paper really wet and lightly rub until it is hazy then try the other 2. I did not have to use the sandpaper.

[baylensman]

i wonder if one of these headlight polishing kits would work also?

[kentuckyrider]

I had been looking at them and wondering the same thing. Instead of trying them tho I seen one of the windshields my friend did. He left the very bottom of it in the original condition. He said the whole windshield was the same way. It was very rough and had cracks in it. He had to wet sand it first. He said it takes a lot of buffing after you wet sand them. It looked brand new everywhere else. I have had other people tell me gojo without grit helps, but I have never had anyone I know personally show me the toothpaste or headlight restoration kits work. I do know what I did works. Mine looks great for a 23 year old bike.

Edited May 26, 2014 by kentuckyrider

[kentuckyrider]

I rode my bike to work tonight. It was so nice having a clear windshield when oncoming headlights was approaching!

[XV1100SE]

Before anyone tries this on a second gen... someone else can chime in on this...but doesn't the 2nd gen OEM windscreen have a thin plastic film over the windscreen? If you try this method (especially the sand paper)....wouldn't it make things worse ?

[Flyinfool]

The 1st gen has a "hard" coating on the shield from the factory. Mine was really bad so I sanded it with 400 wet then went thru the wet grades to 2000 wet then polished it using a product made for the plastic windshields of aircraft. looked good as new.

 

BUT

 

Yes there is always a but. Once you remove the scratches you will also have removed the "hard" coating, from that point on the windshield will scratch very easy. Keep some very soft towels and the polishing compound with the bike at all times, you will need to use it often.

[kentuckyrider]

Mine is a first gen. It was well worth doing this. It was a safety risk. I was at a point where it was replace windshield. Most of the time during the day it was not a problem. Only when the sun was at a certain spot did it interfere with my vision, but it is no fun when you come out of a curve and are blinded by the sun and can not see for a couple seconds. The only reason why I ride at night is my work schedule. I have never liked riding at night even when I was younger. I carry microfiber rags on the bike. Even if I have to buff the windshield weekly when I wash and wax the bike it will not be an issue. I did take the windshield off so I could do the inside as well. There was scratches on both sides. I could have done it on the bike, but I wanted to do a good job on both sides. From here on out just taking a couple minutes and buffing it out won't be an issue while it is on the bike. It will even help repel water since I am using a wax anyway. Before when I washed the bike I would take a thin coat of wax and put on the windshield by hand and wipe off to help repel bugs and water.

 

The difference in following what my friend told me to do was about an hours labor including taking the shield off and putting it back on, but it made a world of difference in the finished out come. I did not realize how bad the shield was until it was crystal clear and I had a clear field of vision at both night and when the sun is glaring through it. I may have removed the hard finish, but I doubt it as I did not apply hard pressure to the shield, but even if I did what good is the hard finish if I can't see through it anyway?

[Rosie1965]

I have used the 3M headlight kit on headlights with amazing results. I've often wondered whether or not it would work on a windshield. On headlights the first step is really scary as you remove the protective coating and are then at the point of no return. On the first gen I would be surprised if anyone still has the original hard coating, that stuff will come off with tape.

[Amadeus]

When I first got my 83 the windshield was impossible to see through. I spent most of my maiden voyage half standing in an effort to see the road ahead. The solution I came up with was to remove the shield from the bike and buff it inside and out with a 6" orbital buffer using the buffing compound from a lens clarifying kit I had laying around the garage.

I'm pretty sure that the hard surface they applied in 1983 was largely responsible for the condition of the shield, I buffed all of it off and got awesome results.

As far as scratching goes, I can't really say since I've only rode about 500 miles since restoring the windshield. I haven't noticed any scratching at all but that doesn't mean it won't happen in the future.

I always use rain-x in the aerosol can to clean my windshield because it does a great job without breaking the bank. It also coats the shield so hopefully that will be enough to keep it going for a season or two.

It would be a shame to have to replace it since it's been on there for 31 years.

[ricksbike]

For everyone out there,try lemon pledge, I've been using it for 35 years,it washes off if it rains but it's easy to reapply and also removes bugs really well.

[saddlebum]

About 6 years ago a 2x4 fell on my windshield (don't ask). Any way a nail in the 2x4 put a slight 6 inch scratch in the windshield. I buffed out the windshield with nothing other than Meguiars plastx and it came right out leaving the windsheild looking like new.

 

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g12310-plastx-clear-plastic-cleaner-polish/

[Bodaggit23]

I'm gonna try the Plastx first I think.

 

If it needs more I'll do some rubbing compound

then glaze or maybe more Plastx. Hope it works!

 

Thanks for the thread!

[videoarizona]

I used KR's Method he got from his friend. Bought the same products, but buffed by hand instead of the buffer. Got most of the scratches out and my original windscreen is so much better.

 

Was thinking tomorrow might be a good day to take the windshield off and devote more time to it. Get out the buffer and do the process again. Takes an hour or so to do a good job and I have time to kill tomorrow anyway!!

[kentuckyrider]

Glad it worked for you. The buffer is the way to go. Mine still looks brand new and I ride at night. I work 3rd shift and all kind of hard shell bugs bounce off my shield. I wish I would have done mine a long time ago. Nothing like a clear field of vision at night when oncoming headlights light you up.