She took a fall.

[Ritchard]

On Saturday near Lake Placid New York, I stopped in some really nasty weather for a nature call. Finishing up, I turned just in time to see a wind gust flip my bike off the side stand. It took a nasty bouncing spill. Admittedly, it was a bad spot for the sidestand, on a wee slope, so I blame myself. Anyhow, a nice fella and his wife stopped immediately and helped me get the bike back up. That was handy, as I was really wet and cold, and I wasn't feeling all that robust.

So the result is a scratched sport screen, system case, a couple chips on the oil cooler cover, and slightly damaged valve cover. I am wondering if anyone has successfully removed scratches from a system case? Or, has anyone succesfully painted them, either black, or colour-matched?

And on the topic of painting, is there a product I can use on the black valve cover?

Thanks for your help, as always. I'll pay more careful attention this time.

R

[lionlady]

I've had good luck with emory paper, and a bit of patience. Follow up with some MacGuire's "Black Magic." You won't make them invisible, but few folks will notice (except you).

P

[bikermeow]

I am wondering if anyone has successfully removed scratches from a system case? Or, has anyone succesfully painted them, either black, or colour-matched?

And on the topic of painting, is there a product I can use on the black valve cover?

Sorry to hear of the above. As with most things, learn and move on.

Steel wool and then some dash restorer will help on the cases. A couple of my mates powdercoated the valve covers.

Good luck

[Boxer]

See this thread/post from another forum.

http://www.bmwmoga.info/forum/showthrea ... 9#post9129

[sweatmark]

Personal choice: leave the dings and scratches on system cases as testaments to adventure.

[AirForceDirt]

I recently dropped mine and really don't see the point in removing scuffs from the cases. I repainted the crash-bars and will leave the other scuffs and scrapes. Tis no biggy, I ride the crap out of my bike, so I don't care much if its not perfectly un-marred.

[omg1010]

About the valve covers, they can sometimes be found on some auction platform or dealers of used parts (such as beemerboneyard). This could be cheaper than grinding the scratches away and painting/powdercoating the covers. The other option would be eliminating the cratches (grinding or sandblasting) and getting them painted or powdercoated (the latter being more robust).

Kind regards
Oliver

[Ritchard]

After a wash yesterday, the valve cover was not so bad after removing the mud and goo. Those black plastic valve cover guards really did their job this time. Damage was restricted to just a few dings. I am not sure they require repair.

I am on the fence about the system cases, I understand the idea of the war wound, but the scratches are pretty prominent.

thanks for all the replies.

[Ritchard]

One of the best things you can have is a good relationship with your auto body guy. After last Saturday's fall, I had the right oil cooler cover, as well as my colour matched BMW sport screen repainted. I got them back yesterday and the tab was a hundred bucks.

Sanded, patch filled, prepsanded, painted, clearcoated, wetsanded and polished, for a hundred bucks.

I guess I had better drop off a bottle of scotch.

Still not sure what I will do with the system case lid. They are some nasty scratches. I think the valve cover I can live with until winter, when I will take them both for refinishing someplace.

[lionlady]

Try the emory paper trick. At least you'll minimize the appearance until you do something more permanent/replace the lid. A swipe of Back to Black may be all you need to "hide" them for now.

P

[mapman]

Painting the valve covers is quick and cheap. Smooth out the scuff and use flat black engine paint (high-temp) over high-temp gray primer. I painted the FACE (not any of the fins) of the valve cover black and painted the plastic spark plug covers with a silver wheel paint. Just a few bucks at the auto parts store will cover the cost of the paint.

I didn't even remove the covers - just cleaned them real good then put a hole in a plastic trash bag and stretched it over the valve cover to create a "dam". Tapes the edges clean and paint. Lasted for years (or until the next drop....)

keith

[mcollect]

I painted my cases after I tried to fit between a car and a hard place. All I did was to sand out the gouges with finer and finer wet or dry and paint. I purchased the paint at Nyquest. less then $75.00. Two coats of paint and two coats of clear. Now boot marks just wipe off with simple green.
http://www2.snapfish.com/slideshow/Albu ... _671271023

[Ritchard]

Wow, those system cases look awesome in that blue colour. Nice job.

[Ritchard]

I finally had time to work on the scratches in the cases yesterday. I gotta tell you, the emory paper advice was right on. I sanded out the scratches with first 120, then 400. I am surprised how easily it went, in fact, you want to be gentle, that paper cuts the case material really quick. It went so well, I did all the little scuffs and scrapes as well. I then cleaned the dust with alcohol (it was handy) before hitting the whole case with Back to Black - which is now my favourite detailing product. My cases look awesome. Glossy, and if not "new," 'newish." I liked the back to black so much, I did all the black stuff on the bike, and what results! Fantastic!

Thanks again Beemer friends!

R

[BMWEW1]

gotta agree MCollect, your painted cases look real sharp, if they are that good up close I'm even more impressed.

[Biff's R]

Post some pics.

I have a scratched valve cover from tipping the bike over while loading it onto a trailer.