How to get rid of scratches on this piece

s.ga.rider

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This is a pic from me changing out the plug to a usb but the scratches in this picture around the plug are on both sides. It almost looks like the previous owner used a Brillo pad to clean it. I used some back to black to make it less noticeable but how hard is that to replace or any other ideas ?
It’s all down the sides and looks a lot worse than what is in this picture
 

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RCinNC

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It's not hard to sand and polish out the scratches; what's difficult is to match that semigloss finish of the plastic piece. The more you sand, the smoother the surface gets, which isn't going to match the finish of the surrounding plastic. It can be really hard, if not impossible, to match a finish on bare plastic that isn't a smooth high gloss. You could either sand the entire thing until not only the scratches were removed but that the finish on the whole piece was uniform, or else buy another piece like Tenman did.

You could try to mask the area around the scratches with several layers of masking tape to protect it, and confine your sanding to the smallest area possible. Don't sand all the way up to the masking tape; that'll leave a harsh demarcation between the damaged and undamaged area. I'd start sanding with something a little finer than usual, like 220 grit wet or dry paper. You probably don't want to start with any coarser grit than 220 or 320, because that just creates additional deep scratches that you have to sand away. After I followed up with 400 grit, I would try going over it with some Novus Plastic polish. If you don't sand it down to a super smooth finish (the kind you'd get with 600 grit and higher) and then go over the 400 grit sanded finish with the polish, you might come kind of close to the finish on the rest of the part. If you polish the whole part with the plastic polish, it might make an acceptable finish.

Or, one other idea; buy a piece of .080 black ABS sheet (you can get it online from hobby shops, Amazon, etc) and make a bezel for the outlet. Cut out a big plastic fender washer that the outlet fits through, and make it wide enough to cover as much of the scratched up area as possible. Cut out the bezel, sand it and polish it to make it as close as you can to the finish of the OEM plastic piece, put it over the hole in the OEM piece, then install the outlet. I'd try that solution first, since it's the least amount of work and the least risk to making the OEM part look even worse.
 

Don in Lodi

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After a couple years in the sun the plastic get an oxidized patina. It just takes the slightest brush to leave those scratches. That plastic bit that the lighter port is in is the front subframe, headlight surround, windshield mount.
Edit! Wow, cool, it's actually a side panel attached to the front subframe. Nice.
 
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Tenman

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I didn't change the subframe out. Just the lighter socket. It looks like it would be a PITA to change the subframe. Few scratches doesn't bother me
 

STenitus

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Tough one. Depends on the look you're going for (and can tolerate) but you could always cover it. Stickers, Plasti Dip, paint, liquid bed liner.
 

Sierra1

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I'd sand it like they said, and then just get some paint. I've seen spray paint that's specifically made for plastic. Krylon & Rust-Oleum are the most common.
 

RCinNC

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Krylon Fusion is specifically made for plastic, and they do make a semigloss and flat black, but from experience I can say that it doesn't match the look of unfinished plastic. Unless you paint the entire visible part of the piece, I think the paint would draw more attention to that area than the scratches do.

LOL, I've put a lot of miles on my bike, and I still get bugged when I see a new ding on it. If I was in s.ga.rider's shoes, this would probably bother me too. Back in my Harley days I twice paid to have a small dent repaired in the front fender where a tool bag hit it, because that dent was like a big neon sign to me every time I looked at the bike. Fortunately, I don't have that same quirk concerning cars.
 

s.ga.rider

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Thing is, I just got the bike a few weeks ago. Im sure if i give it more time I wont care. Especially after I get it offroad some. How had is it to replace those 2 pieces and what are they called?
 

Sierra1

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Hmmmm....looks like there's only three fasteners holding it in. IF that the case, it should be relatively easy to paint both sides.
 
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bimota

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i,d buy new if its only 23 dollars, can,t be that hard to replace a few nuts and bolts and a bit of time but then it DOES look good

rob Bloody hell just looked at UK price £74
 

Checkswrecks

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I'd remove the socket, make a circular mask or some other shape to look OEM, mask off everything else, then paint it with some Krylon flat black or even Plastic-Dip.
Wait'll you ding the tank.
:rolleyes:
 
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