A caution about plastic car and motorcycle covers

[Rooster]

I bought my Motorcycle cover and SUV cover from ACE Hardware. Good quality, I've used them for years.

[Dave Hounddriver]

On 5/19/2018 at 11:46 PM, bastonjock said:

if it's down to the metal

Almost all the parts are plastic, thus the need for model airplane paint.

On 5/20/2018 at 7:46 AM, CoffeeRulzMe said:

Did your cover have some type of fabric lining on the underside to isolate the plastic from the car?  The one I bought at Handyman does. No problem with mine.

Yes it did but the fabric lining was so thin that the plastic cover melted right through it.  I bought it at Unitop so you can understand   I shoulda bought one at Handyman but now I just throw a thick bath towel on top of it and it works.

 

[Queenie O.]

On 3/27/2018 at 11:59 AM, Dave Hounddriver said:

Boys and girls DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME 

It seemed like a good idea at the time so I tried it.  Here is what happens.  The motorcycle parts are made of plastic.  The paint is a baked in acrylic (plastic).  The "now baked on bits of plastic cover" are baked into the paint and into the part so cannot be removed at all.  I still thank you for the idea, JGF.  I know you meant well and it seemed like a wonderful idea to me too. (EDIT:  more precisely, any attempt to remove the unwanted plastic cover results in the removal of paint and bits of the part itself).   But for anyone else trying that, perhaps try the opposite, take the part off the bike and put it in the freezer and then try to remove the plastic bits.  

So I am lucky that it seems to be only one part that is seriously affected by all the backed in plastic mess.  I hope to find a paint shop that can remove the one piece, sand it and repaint it.  This is Philippines.  Surely someone will do that for a low cost.  OR I just replace that one part but finding parts may be harder than finding a painter.  we shall see.

More later . . as the world turns.

Hi Dave. What a drag about that melty cover! I'm sure a body shop could remove that piece and redo it as you imagine.   We have those silver fabric covers that we got in Ace Hardware. We've had them a long time on vehicles and motorcycle for quite a while without any issues. Maybe you should try to get one of those in the future.

[lobojohn]

On 3/26/2018 at 7:48 PM, Jollygoodfellow said:

Maybe put the bike in the hot sun for a while and try removing as it warms up?

best idea.. fire with fire

oops .. on second thought... :)

Edited May 21, 2018 by lobojohn

[lobojohn]

2 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

Almost all the parts are plastic, thus the need for model airplane paint.

Yes it did but the fabric lining was so thin that the plastic cover melted right through it.  I bought it at Unitop so you can understand   I shoulda bought one at Handyman but now I just throw a thick bath towel on top of it and it works.

 

now youre doing pinoy style... ok fine.. i have always parked all my stuff in the shade of my mango trees and a local put me up a very nice bamboo car port for about 4k. 

i really do sympathize with your problem.  what a mess. queenie o`s method is ideal. 

[Queenie O.]

I see a lot of local motorcycles parked in sun, covered with a sheet of thick cardboard, and it seems to do the trick. Don't know where the cardboard goes when it's time to leave though?! A patch of shade although not always easy to find when parking is a big help as LoboJohn mentioned. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

12 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

now I just throw a thick bath towel on top of it and it works.

Wouldn't that get annoying having to go to the bike to get the towel at shower time everyday. 

[bastonjock]

On 3/27/2018 at 9:27 AM, Dave Hounddriver said:

I can probably touch it up myself if I had some "model airplane paint" like I used to use as a kid, but I have not done that in half a century so I would not even know where to start looking for that kind of paint.  Any clues?

 

 

Hi Dave 

I'm currently  at th mCN event at Peterborough  , try getting your hands on an Oxford  bike cover ,I've. Never had a problem with them

To paint the bike firstly you will need it's paint code,  or find a spray paintnshop with a spectrum analyser,  that will get you the colour 

If it's a metallic or pearl forget tabbing it in , it's got to be sprayed ,if it's down to the metal

Also just about every bike I've sprayed has at least  a two stage paint job some three ,I had my own body shop for about 7 years , be careful taking a heat gun to the paintwork as you could bubble the paint 

I di manage to remove melted plastic from a chrome exhaust using Mr sheen over cleaner ,but don't recommend that you try 

[AlwaysRt]

I have 2 covers, a medium and a large. Yellow with reflective tape I bought on Lazada that I don't use anymore. Come on up and take a look if your interested.

[BKB]

Look for a good quality cover, something made of canvas or heavy cotton. Get something that is water resistant rather than water proof.  A water proof cover won't allow fresh air in and you will be looking at mold and rust. As for the melted gunk, just smooth it out and put a I love the Philippines sticker on it...