That not-so-chrome look Harley Custom Discuss That not-so-chrome look in the Motorcycles forums; Here's what I REALLY want to do: Blacked out is cool... but I don't want to be like so many other blacked out bikes that take every piece of chrome ...

[BlueBob]

Here's what I REALLY want to do:

Blacked out is cool... but I don't want to be like so many other blacked out bikes that take every piece of chrome and make it black. I want to use it sparingly. Something else that the Street Bob has that I love is that brushed aluminum look on some of it's parts. The fender struts, the band on the battery to name a couple. I want more of THAT! The only aftermarket parts I can find like that are Exile... like the parts on the Softail in the April issue. Does anyone know of:

1. A company that makes non-shiny parts for Dyna, or
2. A process by which I can make my current parts not so sparkly?

I want to do it to the forward controls, triple trees, mufflers (black out the heat shields), the turn signals, and the sissy bar.

Any ideas would be welcome!

[BlueBob]

OH! And my shocks!

[unfknblvbl]

BB- Let me do some research. Before my computer crashed I had found the products that Exile uses on their parts to make them look the way they do, but for the life of me right now I can't remember what its called. I'll get back to you...

[usturbine]

i havent tried but i have read that scotch brite pads work good for scuffing the chrome for a satin like finish. I think Exile does this.

[Whopper]

Hmmm...seems to me that chrome is only a couple of mils thick. Scuffing it to a satin finish would likely result in rust IMHO.

[frisco-rigid]

Hey Blue

I have tried to remove chrome and it is Not easy even with heavy abrasives..
Before it actually came off it created a brushed effect,,, that might be what you're talking about..

The Scotch Brite US mentioned would prob work just fine..

I bet you have some old chrome part somewhere you can experiment on,, yes....???



Hey US----- glad to see that you are beating that cancer,, good man..

[unfknblvbl]

They use the scotch brite pads, but I believe there is another compound they add or work in while using the pads to help preserve it.

[royalride33]

Have a peek at mine...Struts, grips, headlight ring, coil box...

[HarleyCruiser]

Well most of the stuff that is chromed on a HD is aluminum underneath, except the mufflers.
Like Frisco said removing the chrome is pretty hard to do, and there is a copper layer under the chrome.
And the cast parts that are chrome are unusually not very good aluminum and have a tendency to dull pretty fast once the chrome is striped.
Scotch bright does pretty good on chrome but I would use steel wool or six hundred wet on the chrome to get it brushed.
On aluminum, like the forks you need to strip the clear then just wet sand it. You can sand it straight or circular and it will give a different look.
220 wet look a lot different than 320 and the finer the paper the smother the look.
I kind of like 1000 wet.
If you want brushed aluminum parts make them yourself. They are pretty easy to do.
When ever I make an aluminum part I always run it brushed before I take the time to polish it and it is part of the polishing process anyway.

[HarleyCruiser]

Oh yea, the Exile bikes the pipes are aluminum powder coated then they use scotchbrights to get the brushed look.