"Claying" my bike

[JPB]

Last week I read an article on how to tell if the paint on your bike/auto had contaminants embedded in it. Basically you wash it and dry it and then slip one of those small plastic bags used to wrap sandwiches for a lunchbox over your hand and run your fingers over the paint. If there are any contaminants you'll feel them. My paint felt smooth as a baby's back side to my naked fingers but with the baggy on it felt like 200 grit sandpaper.

Ordered the Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay Special from Autopia. It arrived in time for me to use it last weekend. I washed the bike real good, dried it off and used the clay as directed. To say I was surprised when the baggy test revealed the same sandpaper results after all that work is an understatement. I did it two more times - same thing.

Two suggestion for anyone thinking of claying their bike:
1. If your bike isn't brand new or you have never clawed it and the paint feels like sandpaper when you do the baggy test don't buy the Ultra Poly (or fine) clay. Get the medium abrasive and use as directed. The Ultra (fine) clay isn't abrasive enough to do the job. After you remove the contaminants with the medium the Ultra/fine should work ok for subsequent claying.

2. I purchased my products from Autopia Car Care. I emailed their Customer Service explaining my results as above. I asked if I might have done something wrong. They replied very quickly stating that they suggest using a medium abrasive clay or a Nanoskin Towel which has a clay like product embedded in it. They said if you drop the towel you can rinse it off and reuse it where if the clay is dropped you throw it away. The towel should be good for 40 motorcycles. They offered the clay or the towel, Iron-X and special lubricant for the towel as a replacement at no charge or if I preferred a full refund and I can keep the original product I purchased. In today's retail market it's refreshing to come across a company that puts customer service as a priority. I will definitely buy from them again.

I'll attempt to post some pics after I finish round two of this chore. Being retired sure gives one a lot of time to get himself in predicaments.

[Top Cat]

I don't get it.
It says this on the site I read,"its completely nonabrasive and it will not remove wax!"
If it will not remove the wax, how is it going to remove contaminates from the paint

[ringadingh]

Thats what I was thinking too.

[JPB]

Originally Posted by Top Cat

I don't get it.
It says this on the site I read,"its completely nonabrasive and it will not remove wax!"
If it will not remove the wax, how is it going to remove contaminates from the paint

It doesn't. After I researched clays I waited a few days before ordering some. When I did decide to order some I had price on my mind. The cost, about $47 with shipping, for the lubricant, 2 - 4oz bars of clay and two Cobra microfiber cloths seemed like a good price. The site states that it's no abrasive but will remove contaminants. I was playing it safe and didn't want to mess my paint up. I had a senior moment and made a mistake. Fortunately, even after I told them it was my mistake, Autopia is preventing it from being a costly mistake.

[id-man]

So now that you've redone the bike in the the coarser clay what was the result? Was it worth it both in dollars and labor?

[JPB]

Originally Posted by id-man

So now that you've redone the bike in the the coarser clay what was the result? Was it worth it both in dollars and labor?

I haven't received the replacement products yet. They should be here this week. If so I'll do the bike this weekend. I'll post some pics when finished.

(The blue with silver looks great on your bike.)

[Jared]

What type of contaminants are we talking about? Dust in the paint or something on the service?

[tonik]

Originally Posted by Jared

What type of contaminants are we talking about? Dust in the paint or something on the service?

Dust/dirt/overspray in the paint. It is lubricated so it glides over the paint but the clay drags on the contaminant and rips it out. That is how it is advertised and described anyway. Guy at work does his car, swears by it and I respect his opinion.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by tonik

Dust/dirt/overspray in the paint. It is lubricated so it glides over the paint but the clay drags on the contaminant and rips it out. That is how it is advertised and described anyway. Guy at work does his car, swears by it and I respect his opinion.

Okay, I get that. I guess I just don't see the benefit. If the paint looks good and feels good than why worry? And I thought I kept my bike clean.

[tonik]

Originally Posted by Jared

Okay, I get that. I guess I just don't see the benefit. If the paint looks good and feels good than why worry? And I thought I kept my bike clean.

Paint is shiny because it is flat, it works like a mirror. It actually absorbs all the other colors and reflects back the color it is. The flatter it is the shinier it is. When you polish you are 'sanding' a light layer of paint off to make it flat, then you wax it to protect it. Both are the same theory.

[JPB]

Originally Posted by Jared

Okay, I get that. I guess I just don't see the benefit. If the paint looks good and feels good than why worry? And I thought I kept my bike clean.

The paint picks up various contaminants every time you ride. Mostly iron based particles that embed themselves in the soft paint. When you use a detailing clay you are actually cutting (for the lack of a better word) the particle off flush with the paint. The paint is smooth and clean and should produce a deeper, richer shine when polished.

You asked what's the point. Good question. Well for me it's an experiment. I always keep my bike clean also. When I put the baggy over my hand and felt the rough spots on the paint it bothered me. I cant see them but I know they're there and that bugs the begeebers out of me. I'm retired and have a lot of time so I decided to try it. If I wasn't doing that the wife would have me doing honey- doos :). I'll try and get a few quality before and after pic to post.

[HwyRider]

She's still going to make you do the honey do's when you're done with the bike.

[JPB]

Originally Posted by HwyRider

She's still going to make you do the honey do's when you're done with the bike.

Lol.......Unfortunately that's true.

[JPB]

I received the different products today and finished my bike. Unfortunately being not much of a computer guy I can't figure out how to post the link to the photobucket album. I tried to attach some thumbnails but could only manage to get one one.

The pic was taken with my iPad. I might take some higher resolution ones tomorrow with my Olympus camera.

[HwyRider]

It looks good. I like the 09 colors.