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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 28
| I went to the chromer's the other day to see about chroming some of the aluminum parts. He suggested that I should polish them instead. He showed me some examples of polished aluminum and I was quite impressed. He said it would be about 1/3 the cost of chrome however I would have to occationally polish it. Any thoughts??? |
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Cruiser
Posts: 261
Sugar Land, TX (Outside of Houston) | You have to "Polish" Chrome as well to keep it looking good also. So I am all for Polished Aluminum (if it is a piece easy to re-polish). I would not want to polish a piece that has intricate hard angles that are hard to get polishing cloths or fingers into.
Just don't let them talk you into putting a "Protective Coat" of anything over the Aluminum. I have seen those clear coats fail and then it take a real scrubbing to get the clear coat back off just to polish the Aluminun back to the original shine. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | Polished Aluminum will NOT look like Chrome. It will look like shiney aluminum and dull in about 48 hours exposed to UV and humidity.
Is it the poor mans chrome? absolutely. If you cannot afford chrome should you do it YEAH but dont fool yourself into getting the parts back and think that there will be no R E G U L A R maintenance polishing..... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | There is a such thing as overkill when it comes to chrome, IMO. I think the chrome sets from Victory look cheap and plastic when installed. I think thats mostly because half the peices ARE cheap and plastic. Half the peices are definitely 10ft'ers. Any closer and you'll start to notice how they're made. I was very disappointed when I realized this. The fairing trim (which is not plastic) reminds me of those chrome Gold Wing fairing trim peices. Not sure why they total about $2k altogether. I have a feeling that I'm going to have to buy new plastichrome peices for this bike in a couple years if I want to keep it looking nice. Time will tell. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 102
Northeast Pennsylvania | I hope everyone gets polished aluminum or chrome. It will make my bike with the brushed aluminum stand out more. Seriously, I like the look of my bike the way I bought it. Except the dash..will have to do something to get the glare out of windshield.
Edited by victory2002 2008-11-20 11:45 AM
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 28
| Thanks for the information. I will probably chrome the interior of the engine compartment and do some custom painting to the access panel and the rest of the bike. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | i personally have had polished alum on other bikes. it doesnt look the same until the light is just right (and it never is) also a few times a year you have to repolish by hand to keep the nice shine. for me it was worth it because i polished my front forks myself. but i wouldnt pay to have it done. i would go chrome.. |
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Tourer
Posts: 377
O'Neill, Nebraska | I just added the the chrome inner fairing set and the pieces that are under the seat. Wow what a difference this makes. I really thought I liked the brushed aluminum until I saw a 10th anniversary at the local Vic dealer and was sold on the chrome look.
The only thing I need to do next is to have the console custom painted. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Let me know if discount for two console at the same time. I need mine done as well. |
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Tourer
Posts: 550
Tacoma, WA | I just powdercoated my console. No glare now!!!!------Metalguy |
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Cruiser
Posts: 238
SF Bay Area | If you polish aluminum, you cannot use cleaners like S100m simple green, or any wheel cleaner, as they will corrode (etch) the metal, dulling the shine and will eventually turn the metal gray.
Chrome is easier to clean. Personally I like the look of polished aluminum, though. |
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Tourer
Posts: 377
O'Neill, Nebraska | One question....can a 'chrome company' apply chrome over our existing aluminum pieces? I suspect that someone here has the answer because I was thinking about taking the grill to a chomer to see if they could do the work instead of buying the Victory chrome. If not...I'll just buy the chrome pieces when the $$'s are available.
Thanks! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | Chrome over Aluminum is tricky. The process can cause the alum to warp or even melt if not careful. I have the chrome pieces and I thought it was too much so I painted the access panel instead. Color matched Midnight Cherry. Looks great!
The pix are too large to post here but I have several posted on The Victory Riders Network.
Try this link if you would like to see the panel.
http://api.ning.com/files/FiUp5PfnpROEIZvkSAAuMaqeNwTJQc*FoF8QRDMg9...
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | If you know how to paint or if you can find a local painter you can paint it with chrome paint from this place http://www.alsacorp.com/ |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | Lotsafun, That product is called Killer Chrome and it looks like a great product. I was considering it but Greatbear was selling all of the Chrome panels for a good price so I went for it. It turned out to be a little overwhelming so I took the old alum access panel to the paint shop and had it matched. For me it is a better balance of paint and chrome. I would definitely use the Killer Chrome before having the panels chromed. The chrome process is not cheap anyway, doesn't really pay. Anyone want to buy a Chrome access panel? I have an extra. |
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Tourer
Posts: 377
O'Neill, Nebraska | okthenbye - 2008-12-09 6:33 PM
Lotsafun, That product is called Killer Chrome and it looks like a great product. I was considering it but Greatbear was selling all of the Chrome panels for a good price so I went for it. It turned out to be a little overwhelming so I took the old alum access panel to the paint shop and had it matched. For me it is a better balance of paint and chrome. I would definitely use the Killer Chrome before having the panels chromed. The chrome process is not cheap anyway, doesn't really pay. Anyone want to buy a Chrome access panel? I have an extra.
I was thinking the same thing about the access panel.
Did you have the panel painted to match your bike? Also...did you put the chrome grill on the bike? How about some photos?
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Stockton, Ca. | The Access Panel is painted to match the bike, Midnight Cherry. I do have the Chrome grills, Side inserts and rear inner panels. They set the bike off very nicely. The Painted access panel really stands out in the sun. I have a few pix posted on Victory Riders Network. This link will take you to my page there.
http://vrnetwork.ning.com/profile/JoelGreenberg |
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Polished Aluminum
