Welcome to NESR! Most features of this site require registration, including replying to threads, sending private messages, starting new threads, and uploading files. Click here to register.

View Poll Results: Am I retarded?

Voters
10. You may not vote on this poll
  • Yes, it's the golden rule for windscreens

    5 50.00%
  • No. Would have probably done the same.

    3 30.00%
  • Beet is naked

    2 20.00%
  • Bemused

    0 0%
Results 1 to 24 of 24

Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

  1. #1
    Equal Opportunity Asshole DroFiveOh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    204

    Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    So, I was about to put a decal on my windscreen and I figured step 1 would be to clean the application area with rubbing alcohol.

    Less than a minute after gently applying rubbing alcohol with a cotton ball, the entire area is super cloudy and nearly opaque. Doesn't look like a film that I'll be able to get off either.

    Am I retarded and this is common knowledge not to use rubbing alcohol on a (I'm guessing poly) windscreen?

    I'm not sure if this post is meant to be a fable or a cry for help. I don't really care about the windscreen being cloudy as hell, as I haven't and doubt I will ever need to see through it.

    Discuss.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    49 states do it one way, and Massachusetts does it their own way.

  2. #2
    Lifer Danz19899's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Grafton, Ma
    Posts
    1,543

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Yes that's common knowledge anything corrosive on plastic will do that. On a postive note a little rubbing compound and you can buff it clear again

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

    www.bostonmoto.com
    2009 Zx-6r--17,680 miles and counting!!
    2008 ZZR600 - - - 10,268 miles totaled
    Ride to live, live to ride

  3. #3
    '12 Tuono & '02 R6 Eric Baker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Derry NH
    Age
    42
    Posts
    1,164

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    I've had some luck with putting a little oil (motor oil, 3-in-1 oil etc) on plastic that that does that from either alcohol or brake clean. I've never tried it on clear plastic, but it's worth a try. My thought is it replenishes the chemicals in the plastic that get stripped out by the cleaner.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  4. #4
    Equal Opportunity Asshole DroFiveOh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    204

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Thanks for the advice. FWIW, it's a dark smoke screen (IDK the brand).

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    49 states do it one way, and Massachusetts does it their own way.

  5. #5
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Bristol County
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,470

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    I didn't know that one. I'm kinda surprised I didn't after googling it because it does seem to be pretty common knowledge. Granted, a lot of the discussion was people learning the hard way so don't feel too bad.

    I would think just the surface is damaged and a plastic buffing like those used on plastic headlights might help? Or is windscreen plastic too soft?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    nedirtriders.com

  6. #6
    Posting Freak Philkinson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    RI
    Age
    36
    Posts
    814

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    I did something similarly stupid to my spare. A bit of wet sanding and buffing made it a suitable back up again

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    2015/2016 NESR Fantasy Road Race CHAMPION
    642

  7. #7
    60% squid duganc1717's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Framingham
    Age
    51
    Posts
    1,819

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Depending on how much you like the windscreen, it is possible to wet sand and buff with rubbing compounds, the cloudiness will come out.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  8. #8
    Lifer 01xj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    CT
    Age
    38
    Posts
    1,853

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Don't feel bad, I've done the same thing.

    ....Let me just use some of this brake cleaner soaked rag to tidy up my bug ridden windshield.......shit.

    2 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  9. #9
    Equal Opportunity Asshole DroFiveOh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    204

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    The worst part is, I kept constantly thinking how much of an idiot PO was because the windshield had thousands of tiny scratches from being improperly cleaned (with a paper towel and windex most likely). I guess that's karma. Just glad I learned the hard way before applying the decal.

    I know if I try to wetsand the windscreen back to normal I will destroy it. So instead of $3 it's gonna cost me $90(ish) to put the decal on a new windscreen. Hopefully others on here will see this and NOT have to learn the hard way.

    Funny thing is, I'm less pissed about my ruined windscreen and more pissed that I have to wait to put it on:
    Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol-vm-jpg
    #allwindscreensmustdie

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by DroFiveOh; 07-30-15 at 11:26 PM. Reason: Reasons
    49 states do it one way, and Massachusetts does it their own way.

  10. #10
    TWINS! xrocket21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Central Maine
    Age
    43
    Posts
    7,151

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    luckily plastic is soft and easily polished!!!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  11. #11
    Lifer Falko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    MoonTown
    Posts
    5,102

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    If you have a headlight polishing kit, that will take care of it.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  12. #12
    Lifer Ductard's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    South Boston, VA (not a typo)
    Posts
    1,136

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    On a related note....

    I had one of those blue iridium visors, I went to clean some bugs off of it at NYST a couple months ago, and it looks like the coating started to come off (it looks "blotchy" on the outside - I wouldn't care, because it's a track helmet, but it also looks "blotchy" when looking from the inside out). Wasn't *too* concerned about it, because while the visor had been usable before this, it had some scratches on it from a crash...and I sort of forgot what I had used to try to clean it...figured I had grabbed some windex or something.

    I got a new visor and a couple weeks ago, went to clean it off, making sure I used EYEGLASS CLEANER and a MICROFIBER EYEGLASS CLEANING CLOTH...and the same thing started to happen! Then it hit me...I remembered that's what I used the first time :-/ (Putting that detail in because this makes me feel at least as dumb as the OP feels)

    Whammy...another $60 down the drain....

    WTF are you supposed to use on these visors? I figured eyeglass cleaner would be safe because a lot of glasses have that anti-glare coating, but apparently not.

    Miles had a couple of different things he wanted me to try out on the old visor this past LRRS weekend (plastic cleaner, etc.) but I never got around to trying any of them.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    "Where are we going?...and why am I in this handbasket?"
    LRRS 919
    '12 Ducati 1199 Panigale (track) '08 Honda CRF 250 (ice) '02 KTM 520 SX Supermoto (track)

  13. #13
    Lifer Falko's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    MoonTown
    Posts
    5,102

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    dawn soap and water

    4 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  14. #14
    ^ It's my bike and my car tls25rs's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Haverhill, MA
    Age
    53
    Posts
    3,718

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Lots of warm water and a clean towel. Usually no need for chemicals to clean visors or windscreens. That being said, I have always had good luck with Honda Polish, or whatever they are calling it at the time.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  15. #15
    Equal Opportunity Asshole DroFiveOh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    204

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Read good things about the "Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit". Gonna give that a try and see how it works. Hopefully that will get out the scratches that PO caused as well.

    Thanks for all the advice and reassurance that I'm not a complete idiot. Only mostly.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    49 states do it one way, and Massachusetts does it their own way.

  16. #16
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Bristol County
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,470

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    I've used this on my windscreen and face shield a bunch. It isn't too thin, comes off easily without residue, evaporates quickly. And gets dried bugs off easily.


    Are you sure the PO "caused" all these scratches, or are they just from use? It's pretty hard to keep plastic like that perfect.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    nedirtriders.com

  17. #17
    Super Moderator OreoGaborio's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    MA
    Age
    44
    Posts
    38,865

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Poll edited to fall within NESR historical standards.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    -Pete LRRS/CCS #81 - ECK Racing, TonysTrackDays
    GMD Computrack Boston | Pine Motorparts/PBE Specialists | Phoenix Graphics | Woodcraft | MTag-Pirelli | OnTrack Media

    The Garage: '03 Tuono | '06 SV650

  18. #18
    go faster cdovego's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Weymouth
    Age
    43
    Posts
    2,129

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by Falko View Post
    dawn soap and water
    Exactly what Shoei, Arai and Suomy will tell you. Good info!

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Central Mass Powersports #123

    1000rr, zx10r, rmz450, RE classic, r6, S4Rs, xr123, sv650(2), cr250 and a box truck that leaks power steering fluid.

  19. #19
    is not wearing pants Point37's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    South Coast MAsshole
    Age
    43
    Posts
    3,477

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    i just use a microfiber wash cloth and water...wet it down, throw it over the area for a few minutes soften up the bugs, come back and wipe them off and dry with another microfiber wash cloth

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    bike: none but i have a seafoam green 125cc scooter
    Point37s Garage Sale Thread

  20. #20
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Marlboro
    Posts
    372

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Bugs are apparently water soluble. Wet a towel and leave it on the visor for a couple minutes.
    Finish with Pledge if you want a temporary water repellent coating.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  21. #21
    Lifer isaac_'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Central CT
    Posts
    1,134

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    Hydrogen peroxide will also help get rid of bug guts. Then wash it off with water.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Isaac LRRS/CCS #871 ECK Racing | Spears Enterprises | GMD Computrack Boston | Pine Motorparts/PBE Specialists | Woodcraft | Street & Competition | MTag-Pirelli | OnTrack Media
    Bike: SV650, Bride of Frankenstein

  22. #22
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dorchester, MA / Mt Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    13,091

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    You can wet sand Acrylic but not Polycarbonate.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  23. #23
    Angry Gumball RandyO's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Farmington, NH
    Age
    71
    Posts
    17,996

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    I wipe my windscreen clean with Rain-x windshield wash fluid and microfiber cloth, when treated with Rain-x, future bugsplats come off easier, dirt doesn't adhere as easily

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    RandyO
    IBA#9560
    A man with a gun is a citizen
    A man without a gun is a subject LETS GO BRANDON

  24. #24
    Equal Opportunity Asshole DroFiveOh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Waltham, MA
    Age
    35
    Posts
    204

    Re: Windscreen + Isopropyl Alcohol

    UPDATE:

    Used the Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit (<$20 on Amazon) and it worked beautifully. The windscreen is as smooth as glass now and looks brand new from the outside.

    I waited about 5 hours for the clear coat to cure and when I peeled the backing off of the decal after applying, it took a small piece of the clear coat off with it near one of the letters. To be fair, I could have waited a day to let it cure and avoided this but I got impatient.

    Luckily I saved the bottle of clear coat and touched up the spot and now it is barely noticeable.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    49 states do it one way, and Massachusetts does it their own way.

Similar Threads

  1. SV 650 Windscreen
    By jbmass in forum For Sale
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 07-31-12, 04:24 PM
  2. New Windscreen
    By HBerry in forum General Bike Related
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 03-22-05, 10:37 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •