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Rainbow windshield

2K views 22 replies 18 participants last post by  Farmguy 
#1 ·
Hi to all my Wing brothers and sisters. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Santa was good to you. Now we all have to get through the New Years being safe and prosperous.

Here's my problem: I have a lot of cleaning fluids in the garage and I can't remember which one I used to clean the windshield the last time, but it has produced the rainbow look on the windshield.
Does anyone know what to use to get that off? I would also like to hear what your favorite windshield cleaner is for getting dried bugs off the windshield. I live in Florida and there's no shortage of bugs here, especially during Love Bug season.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and product favorites.

Ride till the wheels come off, and be safe
 
#3 ·
I agree with Bob Hydrogen peroxide works well. Just let it set for less than a minute bugs wipe right off. Used it on my '09 and now on my '13 and both shields looked like new.
 
#4 ·
2% or 3% hydrogen peroxide to turn the buggies to mush on windshield and radiator fins, then wipe with water wetted terry. Vinegar formulae Windex to clean, no ammonia. A good carnuba paste wax to finish.

prs
 
#5 ·
I'm not sure what you used to clean your shield that produced the rainbow effect. Are you wearing polarized sunglasses? There are "not so good" shields out there that have this effect, which is "stress" in the material caused during the manufacturing process.
Assuming it's the OEM shield(coated polycarbonate)you can try Plexus on it. The problem being, if you used the wrong chemical on it, you may have "crazed" the coating, in which case it's time for a F4 Customs shield.
Let us know how it turns out.
 
#8 ·
Oil film will do that also. One of cheapest n best-plus can find everywhere is rubbing alcohol.
 
G
#10 ·
The best for bugs is putting a towel across the windshield( I use little plastic clamps from dollar store to hold the towels on the windshield), soak the towel with water, go enjoy a beverage.
When you get back wipe clean.

Doug
 
#11 · (Edited)
Here's my problem: I have a lot of cleaning fluids in the garage and I can't remember which one I used to clean the windshield the last time, but it has produced the rainbow look on the windshield.

Does anyone know what to use to get that off?
You can go to the Windbender Windshield Website and read the instructions for removing scratches etc. from a windshield.

http://www.firecreekacc.com/installation.htm

It involves lots of rubbing with VERY FINE abrasive polishing material such as Diamond Brite Truck Box Polish. Sometimes may need to prep with 600 to 2000 grit wet sandpaper.

Not unlike removing/restoring the UV Ray discoloration the happens to automobile plastic headlight protective lenses after being parked in the sun for months.

Hydrogen Peroxide is great. I prefer to carry a spray bottle of ArmorAll Auto Glass Cleaner.

gramps

.
 
#21 ·
Just a note: F4 does not have anything on its web site about removing scratches and we don't recommend doing this on any coated windshield.

You can go to the F4+4 Windshield Website and read the instructions for removing scratches etc. from a windshield.

It involves lots of rubbing with VERY FINE abrasive polishing material such as Diamond Brite Truck Box Polish. Sometimes may need to prep with 600 to 2000 grit wet sandpaper.

Not unlike removing/restoring the UV Ray discoloration the happens to automobile plastic headlight protective lenses after being parked in the sun for months.

Hydrogen Peroxide is great. I prefer to carry a spray bottle of ArmorAll Auto Glass Cleaner.

gramps

.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I use a 50-50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water. I find this to be a very good cleaner..... no steaks on windshield, mirrors or helmet face shields. I also use plexus once in a while for that bit of extra scratch hiding and water shedding protection before trips. But I carry the 50-50 mix while on trips. I use clean soft microfiber type towels or rags only. ..... no paper products.

Never use the windshield cleaner water from a gas station adjacent to diesel pumps. That water is contaminated with diesel fuel from people cleaning spillage.... it makes a rainbow mess of windshields.
 
#14 ·
OK guys, problem solved. I feel like such an idiot. Here's what happened. I received a pair of Ray Ban polarized glasses for Christmas. First time riding the Wing with the new glasses I decided to wash the windshield and mirrors for the ride. I get out on the road in full sunlight and all of sudden I have all these rainbows. First thought was "holy crap!!" what have I done to my windshield? Never once thought it was the sunglasses. Anyway, relieved to know the windshield is ok, and I did get some good tips on cleaning it.

Thanks to all for responses and tips.:smile2:
 
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#17 ·
My previous pair of prescription sunglasses were polarized and worked fine with the aftermarket windshield on my old GL1500. After I got my GL1800 with the stock windshield the rainbow effect appeared. Sometimes it was worse than others, depending on the time of day and the angle of the sun. I was due a new pair of shades anyway, so I went to my usual optical store and requested the new pair be made without the polarize option. For some reason the optician got all upset telling me I wouldn't have "true" sunglasses. I explained, more than once, about the rainbow effect issue and that these were worn only when riding my wing. She finally caved in and filled my order of prescription non-polarized lenses. They work great! No more rainbows.

BTW, speaking of sunglasses, if any of you haven't tried them, treat yourself to a pair of shades with brown lenses. I find them superior to the gray lenses. To me, the contrast is better and the colors brighter. They are especially great for viewing the fall leaf colors!
 
#18 · (Edited)
All windshields, including glass, will exhibit some level of rainbow effect. It is actually there all the time, but normally the naked eye can't see it. It is caused by compression and expansion stresses that exist in all plastic and glass windshields. No windshield is optically perfect. They are just good enough to fool the eye. When motorcycle windshields are heated prior to forming, it just creates more stresses in the plastic, making the effect worse. It is unavoidable.

Most sunglasses just reduce brightness, so they can't make the stresses visible. Polarized sunglasses actually filter certain wavelengths of light, which allows you to visibly see the compression stresses in the windshield. But environmental factors such as humidity and smog can filter light too, allowing you to see the effect. And many cleaning chemicals leave behind a residue that also filters certain frequencies. That is why you often see the effect after cleaning.

Polarizing filters are often used in industry in order to allow inspectors to visually enhance defects in QA processes.
 
#20 ·
I just thought I was having flashbacks to the 60's.
 
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