Removing Swirls in Your Motorcycle's Paint

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to my motorcycle’s paint work, I’m pretty picky. I go through a regular regime of cleaning, polishing and waxing, including using a fine scratch remover to prevent any swirls from appearing in the clearcoat.

Not too long ago I was whining over the high cost of commercial swirl removers when my buddy Pete suggested I use a little corn starch to remove the fine lines instead of the more expensive polish. “Well, Pete,” I said, “I’ve heard of doing that, but I’ve never actually tried it myself. What’s the deal?” “It’s like this,” he replied. “After the bike has been washed and buffed, you sprinkle a little cornstarch over the paint. Use a perfectly clean piece of toweling and very light pressure to gently brush the starch across the finish. The ultra-fine abrasiveness of the cornstarch will polish out the swirls in the clearcoat without actually cutting through it. Blow the residue off when you’re done, then throw a little wax at her. She’ll be swirl-free and shining like a new penny in no time.”

*A word to the wise: Try this on a hidden portion of the paint first just in case the results aren’t what you expected.

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