The Yamaha Road Star Warrior Forum

I want to refinish my top triple. I just bought the bike a few weeks ago, and the previous owner must have been a janitor or something. His keys pretty much ruined the entire area. I have some new clamps I purchased from another member here, and I'm going to powder coat the little black piece below the tach. I'm wondering how best to buff out the scratches and make the top triple look stock. I could bead blast it, but then it will be more of a frosty finish. I may have to clear coat it afterwards, which I'm hoping can be done with a rattle can. Let me know how you guys would clean this up. Thanks.

 Might try sanding it down useing increaseing grit sand paper and then hit it with a red Scotchbright pad to get the brushed look. Worth a shot. Don't clear it with a rattlecan, it will yellow and peal.

You could just have it polished.

I don't know if this would work or not but, since it will be off of the bike, you might look into putting a piece of that clear 3M stone shield stuff on it. 

baclay9:

 Might try sanding it down useing increaseing grit sand paper and then hit it with a red Scotchbright pad to get the brushed look. Worth a shot. Don't clear it with a rattlecan, it will yellow and peal.

Forgot to add, when you scotchbrite for the brushed look, make sure you keep going in the same direction. Have fun

baclay9:

 Might try sanding it down useing increaseing grit sand paper and then hit it with a red Scotchbright pad to get the brushed look. Worth a shot. Don't clear it with a rattlecan, it will yellow and peal.

RSWannabe .... if it's the black escushion plate shown below that you want to refinish to OEM stock you're in for a challenge IMO.

• I'm sure that this is aluminum sheet that is satin-finished and black anodized which is an electrolytic process and then silk-screened for the Select/Reset. As you probably know, it is held in place with a 3M or equiv double faced tape and can be removed with a heat gun. Commercially, the finish can be stripped chemically with a heated solution of diluted sodium hydroxide (caustic-soda).
• If you want to replicate this exact finish, look for a small job-shop anodizer that will deal with jewelry work such as this and is capable of supplying a black colorfast finish!

Thanks for the advice, guys. I was actually thinking about the top triple itself. I'll go with the scotchbrite option. That sounds like a plan. I also have to fix that little black part as well. I was thinking I'd just have my buddy powder coat it black and forget about the select and reset wording on there.

 I haven't had time to work on this baby too much since I had a plumbing disaster at the house. I had no idea when I took a shower that I was also spraying water inside the wall. He he.