Author Topic: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?  (Read 15239 times)

Offline Bill Fulton

  • Curious
  • Posts: 3
Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« on: September 01, 2025, 11:21:12 AM »
Thought it would be nice to polish the windscreen on my '93 K75S. I started with Novus mild scratch remover.
Big Mistake. I now have marks on the screen. Marks from the polish, in the rubbing pattern.

Now what?  Is there a nice mild (or not) way to remove this?
  • Kalamazoo
  • 1993 K75S

Offline frankenduck

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Once I had a Collie pup. Dug a hole and covered him up. Now I sit there by the hour. Waiting for a Collie-flower.
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Offline daveson

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Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2025, 12:43:41 AM »
A few more options. Your screen might have a protective film, in that case it's probably damaged and wants to be removed.

Not sure if your screen is aftermarket. Not sure if it's polycarb or acrylic. You can polish acrylic, if you try to polish polycarb you just end up with thousands of scratches. This is one way to tell the difference (usually in a small inconspicuous area) which you may have just found out the hard way, so I'll guess for now that you have a polycarb screen.

You can remove scratches from polycarb with a propane gun. It's hard to describe and if it's a first attempt, you want to use a spare piece for practice. Work in a circular pattern and looking at the screen at a reflective angle, as soon as it gets glossy, move the gun to a new position. Hold the gun further from the screen than it needs to be, say six inches, and slowly bring it closer until you find the sweet spot, leaving it too long in one spot will cause it to turn white, which can also be fixed, but you want fewer headaches, not more.

For sure there will be YouTube videos with a much better description than mine.
  • Victoria, Australia
  • Current; '85 K100RT~100,000km; four other bricks. Past; Vulcan 1500, V Star 650, KLX 250(dirt bike) TT250(dirt bike)

Offline Bill Fulton

  • Curious
  • Posts: 3
Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2025, 06:30:59 PM »
I used Griot's Garage plastic "all in one" polish. Worked like a charm. It's clear and shiny.
Great stuff, as it turns out.
  • Kalamazoo
  • 1993 K75S

Offline Laitch

  • Faster than a speeding pullet
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Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2025, 07:18:06 PM »
Thanks for the followup, Bill. icon_cheers
  • Along the Ridley in Vermont.
  • 1995 K75 89,000 miles

Offline Bmwsquirl

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 39
Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2025, 12:15:06 PM »
I dont know about scratch removal but........3m windshield cleaner at Napa about 3 bucks a spray can black can red writing.a Harley owners manual in the 90s said to clean wind screen in one direction once you use that direction never change.(up and down)(side to side) never circular.this way the scratches will not effect vision thru screen as there all the same direction.been doing it over 30 years and no scratches.and yes I tried a polish and it scratched the hell out of it could never get them out.live and learn.
be safe
squirrel
  • garage
  • 1995 k75rt,1974 r90/6,2020 mg v85tt

Offline Bmwsquirl

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 39
Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2025, 02:37:29 PM »
update, went to buy a can of 3m at Napa they stopped making it.all three guys ride and know I use it one of them tells me the story another goes to the backroom and gets me a can of crc foam cleaner.worked just as good as 3m stuff.told me they dont put it on shelf out front its a secret handshake thing
be safe
squirrel
  • garage
  • 1995 k75rt,1974 r90/6,2020 mg v85tt

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2025, 10:10:42 PM »
Are you allowed to tell us what you got?  Do we need the secret handshake?

CRC makes about a dozen foam cleaners.
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

Offline Bmwsquirl

  • Motobrick Curious
  • Posts: 39
Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2025, 04:30:41 PM »
g man
its
crc
glass cleaner
professional grade
foaming ammonia power
that's the front of the can

be safe
squirrel
  • garage
  • 1995 k75rt,1974 r90/6,2020 mg v85tt

Offline The Mighty Gryphon

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Re: Windshield cleaning mistake -> help?
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2025, 06:46:53 AM »
Thanks!
  • In my garage in Marilla, NY
  • '91K100RS White/Blue
Current:
'91 K100RS16V "Moby Brick Too"

Past:
'94 K75RT "Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS"
'92 K100RS16V "Moby Brick" (RIP, deceased in a vehicular assault)
'94 K75S Special Edition Dakar Yellow "Cheetos"
'89 K100RS Special Edition "Special Ed"

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