2007 Big Dog K9 [Archive] - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

View Full Version : 2007 Big Dog K9

OCDetails

12-12-2011, 11:40 AM

Typically I'm closed for the season from November through about March, so I don't really get too many calls this time of year. One of my regulars referred his buddy who was trying to sell a motorcycle on Saturday. He was showing it to someone on Sunday, so I figured if I push this back too far then he may very well sell it before I get a chance to make some Christmas cash on it, so I dropped what I was doing and made the appointment. I figured, it's just a motorcycle. How tough could it be? (famous last words)

Well, apparently he had left it in the sprinklers overnight and then put it away wet. Grrrrrr... Gotta love that... This is EXACTLY the reason my bike has very very little chrome on it. I could sit down and polish all the chrome on my bike with a tooth brush and be done in 30 minutes. This bike was another story though... Very little WASN'T chrome. Not my favorite looking thing either, but that's ok. We don't get paid to like the vehicles we are detailing, right?

So here are some before shots. Not totally thrashed, but the chrome was pretty dull in some areas and all of it was spotted. The freaking wheels were ginormous! 300 series tire on the back with probably a 4 inch deep dish on both sides. They were huge! Huge and water stained.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2976.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2975.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2973.jpg

The paint was in pretty good shape. The only real problem was where the seat connected to the fat rear fender.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2979.jpg

It has a great pearl clear coat on it that I'm sure looks amazing in the sun. I'm just not a fan of yellow choppers or that style of graphic on them.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2982.jpg

Not really too many action shots here since I was by myself in this warehouse polishing chrome, but I can say that it came out pretty good. I brought a whole bag of metal polish not knowing in advance how serious the spots were going to be. Ultimately I used Wolfgang Concours Aluminum Polish for most of it. The spots were coming off pretty easily with that and it really brightened up the chrome. The paint got Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish since it was in pretty good shape. Then I decided to see what a little Wolfgang Paint Sealant would look like if I topped it with Blackfire Midnight Sun paste wax. I didn't get to see it in the sun, so I'm just going off my belief that both of those products are outstanding by themselves, so layered they can only look even better. On a yellow with a pearl coat like this has, I'm sure it looked outstanding.

I finished off the chrome with Blackfire Metal Sealant just to help keep the spots from staining like that again and then cleaned and conditioned the seat with Pinnacle leather cleaner & conditioner. I was in and out in 3 hours flat, so that makes me happy. For once I actually estimated the time right. lol The owner was thrilled and said he'll have more business for me in the spring. So I guess I should change my policy to "I'm closed in the winter, unless you have a nicely lit and heated warehouse for me to detail in" or something like that. lol

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/Chopper1.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2991.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2993.jpg

It's tough to photograph chrome indoors. I tried it with a flash, without a flash, from a distance, up close... Anyway, it was shiny. :)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2995.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN2998.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN3002.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN3004.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN3011.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y42/OCDetails/BigDog/DSCN3015.jpg

TLMitchell

12-12-2011, 11:54 AM

tw33k2514

12-12-2011, 11:59 AM

That is a sweet bike!

OCDetails

12-12-2011, 12:05 PM

Might want to consider resizing your pics to around 800x600. I'd like to look over the post but I'm not inclined to scroll back n forth constantly. Doesn't fit my 28" monitor at 1920x1200... I can't imagine what it looks like on a smaller monitor at lower resolution!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tips-techniques-how-articles-interacting-discussion-forums/23918-how-crop-out-fluff-resize-your-pictures-using-free-online-software.html

TL

They actually resize automatically if you look at it again. On a slower connection it probably sucks because they have to load first and then the forum software automatically shrinks them back down.

TLMitchell

12-12-2011, 12:40 PM

They actually resize automatically if you look at it again. On a slower connection it probably sucks because they have to load first and then the forum software automatically shrinks them back down.

I found a setting in my Control Panel, it was set to show native resolution vs automatic resize. Lookin' good now, thanks!

Not my taste in bikes but nice work nonetheless. :xyxthumbs: I tend to travel with more than just a toothbrush in my pocket, that's more of a "hey, look at me" bike, IMO.

And people wonder why I paint the chrome doo-dads they get me for Christmass black to match the bike... :D

TL

ChrisJ

12-12-2011, 12:57 PM

Nice!

from the looks of it he would be very well off to invest in an airbag setup if he decides to keep it...The frame rail is crying for it...

OCDetails

12-12-2011, 01:51 PM

The owner is a B I G guy, so I'm sure that has something to do with the damage on the bottom. lol He has put fewer miles in 4 years than I put on my bike in a single year, so I just don't see him as the type to modify or want to keep it. The fact he put it away with waterspots on it and has let it sit for three months kind of proves that. Hopefully the next owner will enjoy it like it is meant to be.

I'm more of a minimalist look for a bike myself. I'm not going to turn it into a bobber or anything like that, but I like that there are very little pieces of chrome to draw attention away from the sweet lines on the bike. I love it like that. I have seen some black ones murdered out without a spec of chrome showing and those look amazingly sweet too. I just don't think it would look as good on a blue one. If I had a black bike I would absolutely be painting and powder coating like crazy until everything was black.

TLMitchell

12-12-2011, 09:58 PM

Hopefully the next owner will enjoy it like it is meant to be.

You mean bar hopping and trailering to Bike Night to make a lot of noise with those V&Hs?

TL

TLMitchell

12-12-2011, 10:00 PM

...from the looks of it he would be very well off to invest in an airbag setup if he decides to keep it...The frame rail is crying for it...

I'm pretty sure touchup paint is available in that color. They used to use it on taxi cabs.

TL

OCDetails

12-13-2011, 10:49 AM

I'm pretty sure touchup paint is available in that color. They used to use it on taxi cabs.

TL

LOL point for your side. lol That was awesome!