2003 K1200RS Windscreen Restoration

Riders,

The windscreen on my 2003 K1200RS is in remarkably good condition for its age, but it is starting to show its age. I clean it on a regular basis and have used Plexus since the bike was new. Is there a way to polish it back to its original condition.... or as nearly to original as possible?

Thanks,

Dave

I think that one of the "headlight restoration" products might work to polish the screen.

PGlaves said:

I think that one of the "headlight restoration" products might work to polish the screen.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Paul....... right under my nose, as usual.

@Viejo

Automotive Headlight kits are intended to remove the outer layer of oxidized plastic. I'm guessing that you have surface damage that you'd like to either remove or minimize in which case
Google "aircraft windscreen polish / repair" and a large number of products will come up. You are looking at kits targeted towards older small unpressurized aircraft like single engine Cessnas and Pipers.

Any aircraft repair station could either do the job or refer you but I assume you'd like to do it your self and that you don't want to pay aviation pricing.
Vintage Motorsport magazine usually has advertising for specialty firms that offer plastic/Lexan windscreen polish/repair as well.

Dave,

I’ve had good results on cage headlights with Cerakote:

https://www.amazon.com/CERAKOTE-Cer...7&sr=1-1-5985efba-8948-4f09-9122-d605505c9d1e

Have not tried it yet on bike screens, but will eventually give it a shot on some older clear ones.

Comes with deoxidizing wipes, 2000 and 3000 grit sanding discs, a nice sanding disc holder (hand use), ceramic coating pads, and gloves.

We might want to note that the headlight restoration kits are specifically designed to remove a coating that's put on headlights that gets cloudy when exposed to years of UV. This may not be the best solution for a bike windscreen that, I presume, has no protective coating that's yellowed and cloudy.

It's a different problem than a scratched or aging bit of plastic.

I'd consider using Novus' line of plastic polishes that are designed for what you'd like to do. As mentioned above, products designed for aircraft are what you probably want.

For cars with headlights that are cloudy, +1 on Cerakote.

Just noting that the Cerakote kit uses 2000 and 3000 grit.
This is for polishing an already smooth surface and/or removing a surface layer of oxidation.
If that's what you need - perfect.

Try removing actual surface damage with 2000 let alone 3000......and let us know how long that takes....
If your windscreen has scratches/crazing/pits from road debris impact it will need to be approached with something different than a "head light polish kit"

k547 said:

Just noting that the Cerakote kit uses 2000 and 3000 grit.
This is for polishing an already smooth surface and/or removing a surface layer of oxidation.
If that's what you need - perfect.

Try removing actual surface damage with 2000 let alone 3000......and let us know how long that takes....
If your windscreen has scratches/crazing/pits from road debris impact it will need to be approached with something different than a "head light polish kit"

Click to expand...

If it's truly gouged, you might as well buy another one, in my experience.

BMW windscreens are made out of Lexan - the trade name for Polycarbonate - Polycarbonate is a very tough but soft plastic that scratches easily if not protected by a "Hardcoat". When the "Hardcoat" begins to deteriorate it often turns yellow and sometimes delaminates from the polycarbonate. If you try to polish the BMW windshield with an abrasive it will get hazy and the more you polish the hazier it gets, due to scratching of the soft plastic under the "Hardcoat".

Most aftermarket windscreens and aircraft windscreens are manufactured out of acrylic - a hard but much more brittle plastic. Acrylic windscreens can successfully be polished as they do not have a "Hardcoat" applied to the plastic.

National Cycle - VStream - same company - makes polycarbonate windscreens for your '03 K1200RS

http://www.nationalcycle.com/index.php/catalog/category/view/id/142

@bigjohnsd

good to know the difference between Lexan/Polycarb and Acrylic!

thanks.

I am the 4th owner of my 2003 K1200RS and it came with a freakishly tall, strangely curved windscreen adorned with clamp on air foils and was thoroughly scratched/damaged over much of it's surface.
I ordered a BMW OEM windscreen from Bob's and it arrived from Germany in 5 days at a "delivered to my door" price of $265.
Pics of new OEM screen installed:

Sounds like you might have had an old Parabellum on there.

@ kbasa

I just saw a pic of a K1200RS with the same grotesque windscreen that I removed immediately after purchasing the bike and the pic caption said it was a “CEE Bailey”.