DIY Remove Stickers / Decals

[Detrich]

my fingernail scuffed up my tank there a bit too when i was removing the sticker. i first used Goo Gone and some strong rubbing with a clean microfiber towel to get rid of all the adhesive. once that was all gone, i used some P21S car wax on the area, and the scratches buffed right out by hand.

car wax has very mild abrasive in it that helps polish out minor clear coat scratches. but, make sure that everything that touches the surface of your bike or car is completely clean. a dirty cloth or scruffy rag will definitely scratch. always use clean cloths and pads.

when applying the wax, don't over saturate the area. dab a bit into the area where the scratch is deepest, gently rub it in and let it sit about a min or two, then wipe it off in a straight, consistent strokes. repeat a few times until the scratch is gone- varying how firm to rub based on judgement- as it might not come out the first time.

the karate kid "wax on wax off" motion is actually how most swirl marks accumulate into car paint- esp when done with not completely clean wash mits, applicator sponges, or towels.

Originally Posted by dtrey28

I am pissed. I got very impatient and a little overzealous so now I have some scratches on the tank from that stupid warning sticker. Is there something I can do to fix it if I went through the clear coat a little bit? Is this a catastrophic screw up??

Feeling stupid....

[bjpinub]

I think I screwed up...

I went to remove the warning sticker on the gas tank and the plastic pulled off, leaving parts of the sticker. I then found myself scraping off the leftover sticker. I took some people's advice and used Goo Gone. I sprayed some on the glue and tried rubbing it off. This didn't work, so I read the label on the bottle. At that point, I put some Goo Gone on the glue and let it set for a minute or two. This did the trick, but now it seems like it stripped off the clear coat because when I rub my fingers over where the sticker was, it is rough, compared to the smooth surface on the rest of the tank.

If I did remove some of the clear coat, what can I do? I am in desperate need for any solutions anyone has.

[jspansel]

Clean it up and put a good coat of wax on it.

[bjpinub]

Originally Posted by jspansel

Clean it up and put a good coat of wax on it.

What should I clean it up with? After I got the Goo Gone and glue off, I used eyeglass cleaner (mostly alcohol) to get the remaining glue up.

[jspansel]

Originally Posted by bjpinub

What should I clean it up with? After I got the Goo Gone and glue off, I used eyeglass cleaner (mostly alcohol) to get the remaining glue up.

Just a normal wash and wax... whatever auto soap you prefer. Its the wax that counts. Goo Gone has had some rumors of taking off clear coat. I've used it on my truck tail gate, but am too afraid to use it on my bike. Wax will protect it if it truely did go into the clear coat (for a little bit until you can wax it again).

[bjpinub]

Well, I got a little sigh of relief this morning. Today was the first day I rode my bike into work (~30 mi). When I got there, I talked with a guy who has been helping me with my motorcycle questions and was the one who suggested I look at the FZ6R. He took a look at my bike where the gas tank warning sticker was and said to take a little more Goo Gone to it because what was there was some remaining glue. I guess I will have to do a little more rubbing when I get home, but at least my stomach has settled a little bit. I guess going over the area with a little wax wouldn't hurt either.

[Detrich]

Yes. If u don't get all the glue off it creates a haze that "looks" like u damaged the clearcoat. But this is simply glue residue that u still need to remove.

Just apply more goo gone and use a clean microfiber cloth and apply some gently to gradual force- aka elbow muscle- and buff it until the haze is gone. It will come off

once done, then use soap n water to gently clean the area- it should look n feel uniform to the surrounding paint. If desired, apply some wax a few times to
bring back some shine. Use straight strokes- no wax on wax off.

If that still isn't enough u can try some mild clear coat polish before waxing. For my cars I use Sonus Paintwork Cleanser with a Porter Cable prior to waxing with P21S. Just don't inhale the fumes too much or u will get high from it. lol.

[bjpinub]

Originally Posted by Detrich

Yes. If u don't get all the glue off it creates a haze that "looks" like u damaged the clearcoat. But this is simply glue residue that u still need to remove.

Just apply more goo gone and use a clean microfiber cloth and apply some gently to gradual force- aka elbow muscle- and buff it until the haze is gone. It will come off

once done, then use soap n water to gently clean the area- it should look n feel uniform to the surrounding paint. If desired, apply some wax a few times to
bring back some shine. Use straight strokes- no wax on wax off.

If that still isn't enough u can try some mild clear coat polish before waxing. For my cars I use Sonus Paintwork Cleanser with a Porter Cable prior to waxing with P21S. Just don't inhale the fumes too much or u will get high from it. lol.

I did as you and the guy at work stated. I used a little more Goo Gone, and the rest of the residue came right off. I was worried for a while... wondering if I seriously damaged my fairly new toy. After I got the residue off, I used an alcohol wipe to clean up the remaining Goo Gone. I may still try to put a small coat of wax on the tank, since removing the residue may or may not have caused a few light scratches (hard to tell in my poorly lit basement). All in all, I can now breathe a huge sigh of relief.

[Detrich]

Great to hear

[Anthony FZ6R]

Originally Posted by Senaca

The FZ6Rs come with lots of decals on them, especially yellow and blue models. The stickers can be easily removed. This tutorial will show you how it is done. All the stickers and decals can be removed using this method.

NOTE: A heat gun or hair dryer makes the process quicker, easier, and cleaner. However, when using a heat gun, do not point it in one spot for too long... make waves or circles on the stickers with it.

So, here is a look at some of the stock stickers. There are two on the gas tank and two on the windshield. I also removed the 3-shooting-stars decals off my Cadmium Yellow model, leaving only the large star on either side.

Here are some before shots of the decals I'm referring to...



Optional... bring your bike into your workplace office so you can look busy and people won't bother you



Now, use the heat gun or hair dryer, and make waves slowly back and forth across the decals, starting from the area you will begin peeling from (some kind of corner). You only need a few seconds (top 10-15) to get the glue warm enough.

Once you have it warmed up, begin peeling the sticker from a corner. Make U-shapes as you pull it off to leave less residue behind. It also helps to pull the sticker straight towards you, rather than peeling it all the way back.



The decals on the sides of the bike are actually quite strong, so you can pull pretty hard, although they don't put up much of a fight. The stickers on the fuel tank are a little more difficult, but don't apply too much heat on the gas tank... just enough to soften them up.

The stickers on the windshield come off easily with a little heat.


So, by now your stickers are off! Mine didn't leave much residue... I simply washed the bike and most came off. If not, I recommend WD-40 as some here have used it successfully.

Here are the results before the wash...



And you're done!


Now, a few extra pics as a treat...








Enjoy!


Senaca

This is an old thread but man, I gotta tell you that makes me think alot about removing those stars. I didint realize the stars were on their own decal seperate from the top decal. I have to seriously consider this as I think it makes the bike look more aggressive also..


Then I could use goo gone to clean up the mess