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I used a squeegee at a pump to wash off bugs & scratched my windshield pretty badly:(


coast_of_maine

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I'm so mad at myself! I didn't think the windshield would be that soft or the squeegee so rough.

 

The rest of the night ride I would see star bursts all over the windshield. I should have just suffered the bugs.

 

Any suggestions or am I looking at a new windshield?

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Get you some Plexus and use it. Plexus has a cleaning and polishing ability.

You may have to get some plastic polish and use it first as it will have a slightly courser polishing compound.

You can fix it, but do it in steps so you don't make it worse.

Yep, education is expensive. What have you cleaned your windshield with in the past?

RandyA

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if it is the stock wind screen, you are looking at a new one. they have a very thin film over them that peals off very easily, so polishing would be out of the question.

 

I do wonder what would happen if you pealed the thin layer off completely. I pealed part of it up while applying a decal.

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That is interesting. A while ago I was pressure washing the windshield and it seemed like something was coming off and I just kept going with it. After I was done it was crystal clear. I'll be I took the coating off and left the softer uncoated plastic to be scratched.

 

I'll try the suggestions above and report back on this.

 

Thanks all!

 

if it is the stock wind screen, you are looking at a new one. they have a very thin film over them that peals off very easily, so polishing would be out of the question.

 

I do wonder what would happen if you pealed the thin layer off completely. I pealed part of it up while applying a decal.

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That is interesting. A while ago I was pressure washing the windshield and it seemed like something was coming off and I just kept going with it. After I was done it was crystal clear. I'll be I took the coating off and left the softer uncoated plastic to be scratched.

 

I'll try the suggestions above and report back on this.

 

Thanks all!

 

 

Pressure washing a motorcycle :crying::crying::crying: Be carefull with that as it will get expensive real fast with high pressure water going everywhere...

 

:canada:

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For cleaning off bugs, I suffer till I get home where I soak a soft cotton washcloth with warm water and a drop of liquid detergeant worked into it, then lay it on the windshield so the moisture will soak off the deposits. Gently wiping the soaked w/s leaves no scratches while removing the dried on bugs. For stubborn bugs, more soak time. Follow up drying with a clean microfiber towel for streak free clarity.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

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For cleaning off bugs, I suffer till I get home where I soak a soft cotton washcloth with warm water and a drop of liquid detergeant worked into it, then lay it on the windshield so the moisture will soak off the deposits. Gently wiping the soaked w/s leaves no scratches while removing the dried on bugs. For stubborn bugs, more soak time. Follow up drying with a clean microfiber towel for streak free clarity.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

 

:sign yeah that::sign yeah that:

Ecxept I use a bath towel or a hand towel so that I can soak the whole windshield at once. In a pinch on the road you can cover the WS with paper towels and wet them with just the fluid that is available for the sandpaper squeegee, to soak while you pump gas, and then use your microfiber cloth for the final clean and dry when you are ready to pull out.

 

Another trick is to only wash the WS vertically. It is the horizontal micro scratches that are the most noticeable, especially at night.

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Guest tx2sturgis

Many years ago....I was riding my new-ish DynaGlide with a new girl on the back. Her name was Cassie. Cute little thing too!

 

We had ridden for a while and we stopped for gas and a butt-break.

 

After filling the tank with gas, I went inside for a restroom visit and a bottle of water.

 

I had finished my bidness inside...and as I was walking back to the bike, Cassie was using a wet squeegee on the windshield!

 

EEEKS!

 

I ran up kinda yelling "Hey dont DO that!" or something less friendly...

 

Well her feelings were hurt...

 

Crap. :yikes:

 

 

I tried to explain but the damage was done:

 

Scratched, but clean, windscreen (all the grit in that bucket and on the squeegee)

 

Pissed off new chick.

 

No more close, comfortable hugs on that ride.

 

Lesson learned:

 

If leaving bike with your new pillion at gas pump..dont do that!....bring her inside with you!

 

:doh:

 

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When I got my 83 it had 23,000 miles on it and the windshield had so many small scratches on it that it was difficult to ride at night when meeting another car. I started with about 2000 grit sandpaper and from there some polishing compound in various coarseness. Since then, I have used Plexus and it is still amazingly clear and I now have 167,000 on this windshield that is 31 years old.

Fortunately, in all that I did, I never got under the hard coat. I have seen windshields with the hard coating coming off and about the only thing they are good for is for those that like a cut down shield.

RandyA

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.

 

 

 

 

F4 is the shield to go with.:thumbsup2:

 

Manufacturer states to clean with paper towel and windex. Something I would not do with stock shield.

 

I use a squeegee on mine all the time.. almost 3 years old and still ok.

Do a search for my write up on the F4.:big-grin-emoticon:

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Guest tx2sturgis

 

I use a squeegee on mine all the time.. almost 3 years old and still ok.

 

Thats a good shield if it can stand up to the grit that ends up in your average gas station squeegee.

 

I just avoid the use of those on my stock screen...so I dont ever have to replace it!

 

:happy34:

 

 

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