Black Denim finish care?

[Partsman64]

Considering a new bike with black denim...........How hard/easy is it to take care of?  Can you touch it up if you get a nick?  Anyone with pros/cons please respond..........

Thanks!

[Coyote]

Send it to mike and have it painted.

Sorry, jmo but I hate denim. 

seriously, I think it's pretty hard to do much with. I'm sure mike can tell you more. 

[HroadhogD1]

     Sorry,      Looks like primer.  If it was on an older bike it might be ok.  On a new bike it better shine.  JMHO

[Partsman64]

Actually, not the opinions I was looking for.

Just want advice with anyone who has it........I personally like it.

[PoorUB]

Actually, not the opinions I was looking for.

Just want advice with anyone who has it........I personally like it.

You can not wax it. (well, you can, but it wil change the appearance of the paint!)
You can not buff it. (like wise!)
If you get a scratch or scuff, live with it!
There is no maintaining the denim finish, you just let it wear in like a pair of blue jeans!

Maybe FBSG has M-1172 he could post on maintaining denim paint.

[hunter]

Actually, not the opinions I was looking for.

Just want advice with anyone who has it........I personally like it.

You can not wax it. (well, you can, but it wil change the appearance of the paint!)
You can not buff it. (like wise!)
If you get a scratch or scuff, live with it!
There is no maintaining the denim finish, you just let it wear in like a pair of blue jeans!

Maybe FBSG has M-1172 he could post on maintaining denim paint.

Better keep that chrome you add shiny, though.  Denim...read, cheap to produce.  You may not like the input but you'll appreciate it if you don't buy it and hate yourself if you do and park next to ANYTHING else.

[seattledyna]

the only way to take care of it is with a soap and water or a bottle of windex and a rag, the other guys pretty much nailed it though, you can do very little keep it "fresh" looking. I recently repaired / painted a red denim Streetglide on an insurance job, you would think it would be easy to get a dull finish, but one little speck of dust meens a do over since you cant polish it out, the top "dull" coat on that was PPG urethane low gloss clear over a crimson base (which looked great until the clear dulled out)

  The black denim just looks like the factory by-passed the clear coat stage of the assy line 

I know...its an aquired taste and some guys like the "hot rod" old skool look, but on an expensive new bike the best it will ever look will be on the show room floor.

[Horizonmech]

Should be easy, a DA sander and some 80 grit paper, rub vigorously until problem solved.....

[Redleg]

I think it looks good on a Street Glide, would I buy one, no but that's why there's all these different color combo's, buy what ya like. You can't please everyone so please yourself. 

[sfarson]

Partsman...  Denim is a sweet paint scheme.  I've had a black denim Night Rod Special and now a red denim Street Glide... among numerous Harleys owned over numerous years.  Nothing has drawn rave reviews from passersby like the denim schemes.  Not even close.  I get interrupted all the time asking if it is a custom.  Anyway, the care is simple.  Don't wax it.  When washing, just water and a mild soap.  For detailing use the stuff Milwaukee recommends... the Harley Gloss spray bottle.  The denim finish still looks like the day I brought the bike home.

[calif phil]

To answer your question Wizards Products has a detailer for Denim paint called Wipe Down.  It works very good. 

[05FLHTC]

I'm going to go out on the ledge here & suggest the majority of folks that like the denim paint don't wash em, they don't clean em & for sure they are not worried about fixing a scratch 

JMO

[x52gnr]

 I have a blue denim v-rod muscle...I wash it as normal with a car wash that has no wax in it, I use turtle wax ice polish in the liquid form with no ill effect. It actually livens up the dull finish a bit but doesn't make it shiny. Some people like it, some don't but I do...I have had no issues with the finish....Harley says you can use its cleaners on it but only certain ones. When i tried the turtle wax ice i used it on a hidden portion of body work and waited a few days to make sure it didn't stain or discolor the finish then i did the whole bike.....jmho   

[hotbo]

waxing should do nothing but make the denim stand out more,with that said use no abrasive(compounds or sand paper)it will screw it up and take away the dullness.

for the record i don't like them either  but who cares what i like im not buying it.

i have done several denim schemes on cars to bikes.it sucks to make it look good,like Seattle said 1 spec of dirt and its over.

good luck and buy what you want 

[Kansas]

My Street Bob is denim pewter and I love it.  You just wash it with dish soap, no wax, no polish, no hassle, and spend your time riding. It is the easiest paint job to own and live with ever.  My last bike was a candy red chromed out Low Rider so I've been there and done that. Several times actually. The denim looks industrial and stands out in a crowd because it doesn't stand out in a crowd. I've gotten more unsolicited compliments on the SB than any Harley I've ever owned.  If somebody doesn't like it I really don't give a sh_t.  Let them wax and polish.  I'm going riding.   

[V24me]

 

[Fxstchewy]

Considering a new bike with black denim...........How hard/easy is it to take care of?  Can you touch it up if you get a nick?  Anyone with pros/cons please respond..........

Thanks!

I have a 07' FLHX in Pewter Denim and i just wash it like i would any other bike, i think it is easy to take care of   
check this out   http://www.colorrite.com/product/harleydavidson-black-denim-2013.cfm

[tbird]

My bar bike, has had a black denim paint job since 04. Still looks like it was painted yesterday. The paint job w/artwork draws a crowd everyday. I wash, then blow dry as to not leave any spots. The only flaw in the paint is where I touched the rear fender and I had sun screen on my hands. I haven't figured out how to get rid of that.

[Partsman64]

Thanks guys for the great info...........I appreciate it!! 

[02roadcling]

My bar bike, has had a black denim paint job since 04. Still looks like it was painted yesterday. The paint job w/artwork draws a crowd everyday. I wash, then blow dry as to not leave any spots. The only flaw in the paint is where I touched the rear fender and I had sun screen on my hands. I haven't figured out how to get rid of that.

Try grease and wax remover.

[Willie D]

 :agree:I have two with the Denim finish, 2008 Nighster 2/tone and 2010 Fatboy-Lo, and love the stuff, it has to be the easiest stuff to clean there is. Micro fiber towel a little spray cleaner and wala, yur done. No swirl marks, water spots wipe off with a little glass cleaner.

GO 4 it ! 

[jerite]

Bought my 07 FLHX and i tore it down and painted it urethane flat black. I love it, no swirl marks, no fine line scrathes after washing and no friggn waxing. Just wash and go, dry chrome  so no spots but other then that its friggn great. I wanna ride not spend my time makinga nd trying to keep it perfect. painted a shovel the same and had spilled gas a number of times and never an issue. dont know if the denim is a urethane flat or not, but the paint i used was super easy to spary and work with and is on bike #2 and it extremely durable and the easiest paint to maintain. and as far as scratches and knicks, dont know for either bike never has had either  not even from rocks...i am sold.
jer

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[hpdjoe]

07 Street Glide,easy to care for just soap and water,lots of compliments,took a while to get used to.

[hotham]

I have a friend that has a denum Streetglide and he asked me to pin stripe it.  I used a lime green and ran a simple line on the fairing,  tank and fenders.  Couldn't clear over it of course, put I thought it looked great.  The line made it look like a custom paint job.

[Willie D]

Forgot to add the photo. I really like the Denim finish....

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