Need y'alls oppinion on this. I don't have a garage, so both my R* and my son's Harley have to stay out in the weather. I have a cover for my bike, but the weather along the coast here is killing my chrome.All the parts that are aluminum are peeling and all the ones that are metal are rusting thru.
I was thinking about getting the parts powder coated black to match up to the color of my bike. I think it would look sharp. I'm the type I don't care that much for chrome, I'm out there for the ride but I don't want it to corrode away on me either.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Don't know much about it but I think it's probably just like any thing else, depends on how well the job is done...I have some lawn chairs that are 4 years old and the powder coat is peeling off. On the other hand, my 10 year old paint on my pickup looks great..and it sits outside all year....mho.....

The best thing to do is find someway to get them out of the weather when your not riding. As far as powder coating; it's pretty durable but if you get rock chips or scratch it down to the metal it will do the same thing as chrome, peel. Don't ask me how I know. Keep 'em clean and waxed is your best defense if you can't get 'em inside. I know this isn't what you were hoping to here, but thought I'd tell you what I've experienced.

You could try spray on or paint on bedliner material.... but the surface would need to be sanded and cleaned up so there's no corrosion, and I doubt it'd work with a surface that needs to disperse much heat. A thought. Another thing would be to wash/wax, cause it'd offer some protection.

Dan

what you are experiencing is poor wormanship on the plated part.
this cheap asian plated stuff is no different than the roach coach guy saving .03 on changing his plastic gloves when handling your $.

what you can do, especially to 'corperate' is buy new parts and return the old ones within the warantee period, and then sell those replacements on ebay.

or have someone re-do it right.

yes not to say chrome plated AL wont last BUT if they didnt heat treat them to drive out ANY moisture within the metal before they are plated, after a while in weather you can have a bubble form under the plating.

it all comes down to care in handling during the process, that's why they will provide a 1yr warantee and not lifetime, which if done properly it should last provided it is not abused.

and sometimes cheap crap is the only thing available, so you play corperate's game.

i had to replace my mirrors, clutch cable, hand levers (kurykn) and have a few other parts that need swapping out also, just because of poor workmanship...

Wash and wax often, it's what they do for the Aircraft on the Navy bases along the coasts. When you see any rust, take care of it right away, don't let it get worse.

The paint is your best protection from the environment. Polish the paint and keep it waxed to protect the polish. Fresh water rinse it often and towel dry.

Thanks for the advise guys. By the way, AHEM, half the parts on my bike that are rusting are HARLEY.

BISCUIT wrote:
Thanks for the advise guys. By the way, AHEM, half the parts on my bike that are rusting are HARLEY.

BISCUIT wrote:
Thanks for the advise guys. By the way, AHEM, half the parts on my bike that are rusting are HARLEY.

You didn't tell us that in the beginning.... then all you can do is replace everything!

Darn wrote:
BISCUIT wrote:
Thanks for the advise guys. By the way, AHEM, half the parts on my bike that are rusting are HARLEY.

You didn't tell us that in the beginning.... then all you can do is replace everything!

Alright Darn don't get me started.