My Scratched Saddlebag Fix

[Gearhead82]

A few days ago I had my bike parked inside the shop at work.  While pulling out from the shop I took a corner too tight and clipped a steel workbench pretty good and made a nice, big, deep scratch in my left saddlebag.  This was the first scratch in my baby and I was pretty sad about it, especially since it was such a bonehead move and the damage was so obvious.  I've had bad luck with touch up paint before (plus it's expensive!) and, especially being such a deep scratch, I decided not to go that route. 

Because the location of the scratch was in the upper 1/3rd of the bag, I decided to prep and paint the top of the saddlebags with some black spray-on bedliner material.  I used Bed Armour, which is a Duplicolor product.  It turned out great!  I first taped off the area I was going to paint.  Then I wet sanded everything I was going to paint with 400 grit sand paper.  I spent some time trying to sand out most of the gouge left in the plastic from the scratch, but I never get the scratch completely out.  Then I followed the directions on the can, and ta da!  As an added bonus I don't have to worry about the tops of the bags getting scuffed with my boot anymore etc.  The only expenses were $12 for the paint and another $5 for the green painters tape. 

[Texas Concours14]

Nice!  In some ways, your bags looks better than when painted; good lines with the black seat, and color symmetry on top and bottom of bag.

I botched a touch up job, and had to get my tank professionally re-painted.  Will keep this in mind if I have a similar bad scratch to the saddlebags.  It will be interesting to learn how well this holds up over time.

[danl]

That looks good!

Not to get too far off topic, but what do you guys do to get out the boot scuffs? Mine has a few from the bike being in the showroom as well as a couple self inflicted ones that I got before I got used to swinging my leg high and wide.

[Gearhead82]

Nice!  In some ways, bags looks better than when painted; good lines with the black seat, and color symmetry on top and bottom of bag.

I botched a touch up job, and had to get my tank professionally re-painted.  Will keep this in mind if I have a similar bad scratch to the saddlebags.  It will be interesting to learn how well this holds up over time.

Yeah it really turned out even better than I expected and it does flow well with the line and color of the seat.  The texture of the bed liner almost perfectly matches the texture of the black plastic that's already above and below the painted surface on the bags.  From what I've heard, it should be very durable stuff too.

[tyler1015]

If you get lemons make lemonade! awesome love it when people find different things to do.

[EpicBadass]

I have never seen people use bedliner for so many things until i joined this forum... and i sell LOTS of bedliner too!  That actually looks pretty good!

As for the poster asking how to take boot marks out you can use a rubbing compound by hand to take most of them out, I have to do that a fair amount when the wife rides LOL

[Texas Concours14]

Not to get too far off topic, but what do you guys do to get out the boot scuffs? Mine has a few from the bike being in the showroom as well as a couple self inflicted ones that I got before I got used to swinging my leg high and wide.

In addition to rubbing compound, Quixx (http://www.amazon.com/Quixx-00070-US-Paint-Scratch-Remover/dp/B000UVUAFO) works great for removing surface scratches and imperfections.  Consumer Reports gave it highest marks when they tested rub-on scratch removers.  Can be found at Autozone, Walmart, etc.

[stevewfl]

that is CRAZY nice!!!

[Dalroo]

If I were to see you on the road, I would have never guessed this was a home repair job.

[Loren]

         Excellent!!!!!!

[gonzosc1]

Dang, now you got me thinkin about doing this to parts of the tank instead
this would or could be a replacement operation for tank traction pads!! and would double as protection too. key ring got my tank last week, I was pissed

[C1xRider]

That looks fantastic Gearhead82!  Nice work.      Just the look it provides makes it a tempting thing to do.

I used that same stuff on the under side of the rear hugger I installed.  I haven't looked yet to see how it's holding up, but with it only 1/4" from the rear tire, I should be able to give you an indication of long term durability.

[stevewfl]

I hope i scratch a saddlebag soon 

[jjsC6]

I agree with everyone else - it looks great. 

[PH14]

I have actually been considering doing my entire bike with bedliner. If I did everything I would have it done professionally though. I saw a bike done with it last year and it looked great. I may do part of the tank at the least. I have a dealer installed scratch on my tank that the tank bra covers. It was there when I bought it.

[Excavator]

That is awesome, I may do that and I don't have any scratches and I agree that an application on parts of the tank would eliminate the concern of my tank bag and knees scuffing the paint.

Great job. 

 

[Makz58]

Very nice looks great something to keep in mind....just in case...

[lather]

You guys kill me! Although Gearhead did a great job and it looks better than that huge scratch I don't really like it that much. It seems too Honda STish. With the amount of work and skill he put into the job I am sure he could have matched the factory color quite well instead.

[RedBombardier]

That is definitely a well done... not that I look forward to scratching one of my bags.  I could definitely live with that though.  If one did not know better he would think it is factory original.   

[Khrome]

I hope i scratch a saddlebag soon 

absolutely that looks great