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Been polishing some aluminium and painted bits on the Kato so now I need to smarten up the tired looking plastics to match. Whats the best way to get em nice and keep em nice?

Buy new plastics for when you sell that KTM "Kan't Turn M, then Buy a real Bike Kenny!!! ;D ;D ;D

Or hit them with 60grit, and take that shine off forever!!!
Just remember Ken " You can't make Strawberry Jam outta Pig Sh!t!!

Now for a serious reply!

I use Maxima SC1 silicon detailer.  It penetrates into the plastic and gives it a 'show room' finish.  I don't know how bad your plastics are, but at around $12.00 a can, it's worth a shot!

I had a friend who cleaned his ktm plastics with acetone then just gave them a spray with armorall. That should work for any plastics.

 Heat gun or flame, I like the heat gun, melts the outer layer of plastic for a fresh start, but practice on an old piece first :o

But it's not as good as new plastic. Look online in the US for some ;)

Try some cut & polish,I used it on my bikes. It won't take out scratchs but will give them a nice shine.

Ken heat gun to bring out the scratches and scuffs, then a propper plastic polish. A product made by Novus is what i use at work. But there are several plastic rejuivation(spelt something like that) on the market. Armoral work as does the silcon spray Serge uses. Trick is to put a heavy layer on and leave it for a day and sometime another layer and leave, until the plastic cant assorb any more, before you wipe them down.  When using the heat gun (before the polish)keep a fair distance from the plastics and work around in circles slowly around the marks to bring them out. Take 10 shots instead of one melted plastic. Or have a better chat with me when i see you next? Al

Ken my bike has white plastics and man do they get scratched up , and then the dirt gets in the scratched and looks shocking . In an issue of ADB i read that a product called Gumption worked really well in getting the dirt out and brighten up the surface without scratching the plastic further.  Low and behold my wife had a tub so i stole it and it worked a treat . Requires some good old fashioned elbow grease but I havent seen them this bright since it sat on the show roon floor. 

I bought some of these Acerbis plastics for my vmx bike they are good quality items but the postage is a killer
Wade
 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ACERBIS-PLASTIC-KIT-KTM-300-450-525-EXC-2005-07-OEM-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem35afd51dc9QQitemZ230583246281QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I use CT18 and it works a treat, its an industrial truck wash and you buy it in a concentrate from autobarn. I use it every time i wash the bike and it takes away all the dirt and makes the bike look almost new. First i go over the bike with the pressure washer to take off the chunky bits of mud then i mix the CT18 with water in a squirter bottle and spray it all over then i wash it all off and the bike looks sweet.

Get yourself one of these, it makes it so much easier.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/5L-Litre-High-Pressure-Handheld-%2f-Backpack-Sprayer_W0QQitemZ370453789541QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=214621163798&query={query}&fitem=370453789541&linkin_id=8063411&mt_id=641&kw={query}

What do you pay for the CT18 Alistair??

i've not used it but got onto a product called Easyclean - http://www.prestigeeasyclean.com.au/products.html - that i beleive is very similar to the CT18.

I spoke with Andrew (the rep) to get a 20litre which is $50 and he is going to deliver to my work for no additional cost..... if you read the link below the prices for 1 and 5 litre bottles are listed as well....

here's my review (everyone on the dirtriderz.com xmas ride was given a free 1litre sample) - http://www.dirtriderz.com/showthread.php?1354-Prestige-Autocare-Easy-Clean&highlight=easyclean

Sorry for hi-jacking the thread...

Do what the Dugong does. Cover all plastics, swingarm and frame in duct tape and colored gaffa tape.  :P

That looks worse than scratched dirty plastics. I'm trying to smarten up already scratched and dirty and then keep em looking pretty good.

I've been on the CT18 since Ted told me how good it is, how long ago was that Ted?

Thanks to all for the input, keep it coming.

Sounds like the hair dryer is going to get a work out or do I need a heat gun?

You need a heat gun, a hair dryer is not hot enough.

 

Might be the new look.....melted plastics ;D

I remember getting my AE430 to the top of a long snotty hill on a hot day. The hill was really wide with tracks snaking up thru the bush in places, I had made the wrong choice and was faced with a rocky gully with not enough momentum - FARK!!! comes to mind. It was an early ride and I was still getting the hang of the 3 speed auto. I just decide to jump off the bike and walk it over the rocky gully and jump back on, all without touching the clutch cus it didn't have one. I and others watching said, how Farking easy was that. On later rides if I could hang onto it that bike would climb anything.
Anyway - melted plastics - at the top of that hill Andrew Tyler finally arrived with his 175 Yamaha almost on fire with the plastics melted down over the red hot exhaust - boy did we laugh. I then looked at my very hot AE430 and the petrol was bubbling in the tank - I stopped laughing.
Auto clutches create a lot of extra heat and the standard cooling was a bit overwhealmed, an extra tank with another 600ml in the circuit cured that.