If you’re a biker, then no doubt your motorcycle is your pride and joy. You undoubtedly want to protect its good looks, and thankfully there’s a variety of ways to do this. The following is a guide to the pros and cons of the different options that will help you decide which might work best for your needs.
Motorcycles don’t have extensive areas of paintwork like cars do. However, the gleam of a fuel tank, the wheel arch, and any other areas that sports color certainly deserve to be protected from the elements.
Stone chips, UV rays, chemical damage, and more are all reasons to provide a robust layer that shields the paint from damage. Another area of some motorcycles to consider protecting is any exposed chrome. Nothing is more devastating than seeing your pride and joy get scratched or damaged by something that could easily be prevented.
Bikes are subjected to more potential minor damage than cars, simply because of the exposed character of the vehicle. Cars often pass too close, sending up debris that will, over time, cause microscopic damage to your precious bike’s façade. We’re pretty sure you won’t need convincing that adding an extra element of paint (and metal) protection to your dream machine is well worth the cost and effort.
The easiest and cheapest method of protecting paintwork on a motorcycle is to use wax. This is relatively easy to achieve, thanks to not having huge swathes to cover. After cleaning (and preferably clay barring) the paintwork, apply high-quality wax to all the paintwork, buffing it to a shine.
This will provide a level of protection against UV rays as well as help water to bead and run away. However, wax only lasts a finite amount of time and will need to be reapplied every few weeks.
PPF (paint protection film) is an excellent way to definitively protect your motorcycle’s paintwork. This clever tech has hydrophobic properties, protects against paint fade, and can also guard against minor chips and scratches. Should a stone (or similar) strike the PPF, any damage can be miraculously melted away with the application of a little heat. This so-called “self-healing” attribute is incredibly efficient and goes a long way to preventing those knocks and scrapes that can’t be avoided when hitting the road.
And… Now we’re talking. Ceramic coating is the uber-level of paint protection. Not only can it be applied to the paintwork, but metal, chrome, and alloy too. This means you can protect the wheels of your motorcycle, plus any other metallic elements. The only proviso is that you might not want to install it in areas where airflow is used as a cooling mechanism.
Ceramic coating is invisible to the naked eye but provides an incredibly robust layer of protection against environmental and physical damage. It’s so effective that installing it automatically increases a motorcycle’s value. Just be aware that you should only apply it over excellent quality paintwork, and that careful prep and paint restoration should be carried out prior to the installation.
Whatever method you choose to protect your ride’s paintwork, be sure to go for the best you can afford. In the case of PPF and ceramic coating, it’s also highly advisable to have a professional installation. The extra cost over that of a DIY effort is easily overcome by the guarantee that you’ll get the results you crave.
Trying to save money by doing it yourself can often end up being more expensive in the long run. This is due to the technicalities of applying both products and the risk to the factory paintwork if mistakes are made.
If you’re lucky enough to live in South Florida, then you have one of the best paint protection companies in the country on your doorstep. Auto SuperShield specializes in keeping the vehicles of the Sunshine State looking pristine. From advanced paint protection film to ceramic coating, there’s simply no better provider around.
But don’t just take our word for it. Find out more at https://www.autosupershield.com/paint-protection-films and get in touch to discuss your needs. We promise you won’t regret it.
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